Communications processors boost throughput from CPU performance to I/O bandwidth

Next-generation PowerQUICC™ III communications processors from Freescale Semiconductor are designed to provide solutions for symmetrical and asymmetrical multi-core systems.

Among this new generation, the MPC8572 is based on the scalable e500 System-on-Chip (SoC) platform built on Power Architecture™ technology, which ensures a fast time to market. Two powerful processor cores, clock speeds up to 1.5GHz, and advanced content-processing and security features deliver powerful communications-processing capabilities. At the same time, enhanced peripherals and high-speed interconnect technology provide I/O throughput to balance the high processor performance.

The MPC8572 is designed to realise significant power savings as well as delivering a valuable performance increase for the popular PowerQUICC family. With a higher level of integration, the MPC8572 platform builds on the embedded core performance of Freescale’s Power Architecture technology, and adds new features to enhance traffic management and security acceleration.

These processors also contain an application-acceleration block that integrates four powerful engines. These include a Table Lookup Unit (TLU) that off-loads complex table searches and header inspections; a pattern-matching engine to handle regular expression matching; a deflate engine to manage file decompression; and a security engine that accelerates crypto operations in IPSec and SSL/TLS for virtual private networks.

Support for high-speed interfaces on the MPC8572 enables scalable connectivity to network processors and/or ASICs in the data plane while the MPC8572 platform handles complex, computationally demanding control-plane processing tasks. These processors also include two 64-bit Double Data Rate (DDR2/DDR3) memory controllers, enhanced Gigabit Ethernet support, and a double-precision floating-point Arithmetic Processing Unit (APU).

 

FEATURES Multiple Ethernet controllers and support for IEEE 1588 Serial RapidIO interface PCI Express interface Simplified board design

 

Freescale Semiconductor / MPC8572