ADI Engineering has announced an access gateway reference platform for communications, networking, and embedded computing products based on Intel's IXP46X and IXP45X network processing units (NPUs). The “Sidewinder” kit is expected to ship June 30, with initial support for Linux and several other embedded OSes.

(Click for larger view of ADI Sidewinder)

The Sidewinder reference design is based on an Intel IXP465 clocked at 667MHz. Other hardware features and specs include:

• 64 MB DDR RAM with ECC (pad-out for 512 MB)
• 32 MB flash
• 2 mini-PCI slots for 802.11a/b/g/n and WiMAX radios
• 10/100 Ethernet WAN port
• 5-port 10/100 Ethernet switch
• 2 RJ-11 FXS telephone ports with one failover PSTN port for VoIP
• 3 USB 2.0 high-speed host ports
• USB 1.1 device port
• SATA 1.0 host port
• ATA/ATAPI port
• RS-232 port
• JTAG debugger and emulator interface
• Utopia 2 mezzanine card connector for optional ADSL2+ modem
• High-speed serial mezzanine card connector for optional 4 FXS / 1 FXO voice expansion cards (up to 8 voice cards may be stacked)

On the software side, the Sidewinder reference design includes the open source RedBoot v1.94 bootloader. It currently supports MontaVista Linux 3.1 LSP (Linux support package) patches, with “additional operating system and commercial application software support planned prior to first customer ship,” says ADI.

Additionally, the Sidewinder design supports test and diagnostics tools from Kozio — including kDiagnostics, kPOST, and kManufacturingTest — and ICEs (in-circuit emulators) and debuggers from Abatron, Macraigor, American-Arium, and EPI, ADI notes.

According to ADI CTO Steve Yates, “The Intel IXP46X and IXP45X network processors enhance the performance and integration of the Intel IXP4xx Product Family for applications including converged enterprise gateways, IP PBXs, office in a box solutions, and industrial controls.”

Availability

The RoHS-compliant Sidewinder reference design will ship June 30, priced at $2,500 in single units. In addition to the basic reference design, ADI will offer product development and manufacturing services around the Sidewinder platform.

ADI offers a variety of Linux-based reference designs for Intel XScale processors, including the RoadRunner, based on Intel's IXP2350, and Monte Jade and Coyote designs based on the IXP425.

 
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