[Updated: Mar. 18] — Portwell announced a network appliance using Freescale's PowerPC-based, 45nm-fabricated QorIQ system-on-chip. The Linux-ready, 1U rackmount “CAK-2000” offers a dual-core QorIQ P2020, clocked to 1.2 GHz and equipped with an integrated security engine, and also provides up to 4GB DDR3 RAM and six gigabit Ethernet ports.

Designed for OEM branding, the CAK-2000 is targeted at network security and network management applications, as well as industrial and military systems, says American Portwell Technology (Portwell). The appliance is the first we've come across to use Freescale's QorIQ processor, though others can be expected.

Portwell CAK-2000
(Click to enlarge)

Freescale announced its QorIQ line in June 2008. These pin- and software-compatible successors to Freescale's PowerQUICC line of network system-on-chips (SoCs) are fabricated with 45nm process technology, and range from one to eight PowerPC e500 cores. The single-core P1010 runs at 400MHz on only four Watts while the eight-core P4080 runs at 1.5GHz on a relatively modest 30 Watts. (For more on the QorIQ family, including the latest P1012 and dual-core P1021 multi-protocol models, see our December coverage, here.)

Freescale QorIQ P2020/P2010 block diagram
(Click to enlarge)

The Portwell CAK-2000 runs the dual-core P2020, which like the similar, single-core P2010, is clocked at 1.2GHz and began sampling in June 2009. The P2020 handles all the applications supported by the P1010, plus base station channel cards, carrier-class VoIP and wireless media gateways, unified threat managers, and network printing and storage applications, says Freescale.

Compared to the P1 models, the P2 processors offers a larger 64-bit memory controller that supports both DDR2 and DDR3 memory, as well as larger L2 caches (512KB), which can be partitioned between cores and are configurable as SRAM or stashing memory. The P2020 is also said to support error correction codes, provide two Serial Rapid IO (SRIO) interfaces, and offer three PCI Express (PCIe) interfaces instead of two.

Flip side of the CAK-2000

The P2020's integrated security engine supports protocols including SNOW, ARC4, 3DES, AES, RSA/ECC, RNG, single-pass SSL/TLS, and Kasumi, says Portwell. The SoC supports error correction codes in its 512KB L2 cache, and offers typical power consumption of only 4.9 Watts, says the company.

On the CAK-2000, the P2020 is clocked to either 1GHz or 1.2GHz, and partnered with up to 4GB DDR3 RAM on dual DIMM sockets. The system can boot Linux from an SD flash card or a SATA hard disk drive (HDD), says Portwell. The CAK-2000 supports either a 2.5- or 3.5-inch SATA HDD or solid-state drive (SSD), says the company. Expansion is said to be provided via a Mini PCIe slot.

The CAK-2000 is equipped with six gigabit Ethernet ports, two of which use PCIe ports, and offers dual bypass/failover segments, says Portwell. Other I/O includes six USB 2.0 ports and an on-board RJ45 console port, both front-facing. An LCD panel and LEDs are also supplied.

Specifications listed for the CAK-2000 include:

• Processor — Freescale QorIQ P2020 @ 1GHz or 1.2GHz; 32KB L1 and 512KB L2 cache
• Memory — Up to 4GB DDR3 memory via 2 x DIMM slots
• Flash — 32MB internal flash; 1 x SD slot
• Storage — 2.5- or 3.5-inch SATA HDD or SSD
• Expansion — 1 x Mini PCIe slot
• Networking — 6 x gigabit Ethernet ports (4 x RGMII, 2 x PCIe) with 2 x bypass segments
• USB — 2 x USB 2.0 ports
• Serial — 1 x RJ45 connector for system console
• Other features — 2×16 EZIO-300 LCD panel or 128×32 graphical LCD module with 4 x buttons; LEDs for power, data, Ethernet status, Ethernet speed, and bypass
• Dimensions — 16.85 x 10.04 x 1.73 inches (255 x 428 x 255 x 44mm); 1U rackmount
• Operating temperature — 41 to 104 deg. F (5 to 40 deg. C)
• Power — 65W power supply
• Operating system — Linux

The CAK-2000 supports Linux, and is available with an optional copy of Freescale's Vortiqa, a Linux-based software development platform for optimizing firewall, IPSec-VPN, IPS, anti-virus, and anti-spam software for multi-core QorIQ and PowerQUICC SoCs. The network appliance is said to comply with FCC/CE, UL, and RoHS/WEEE.

Stated Mark Huang, American Portwell Technology's product marketing manager, "Freescale's P2020 communications processor offers an advanced set of features. The bottom line is that with dual-core performance in single-core budgets, combining Portwell's CAK-2000 with Freescale's P2020 communications processor delivers the ideal solution for a wide variety of applications in the networking and telecom markets."

Stated Sathyan Iyengar, VP of Software Products for Freescale's Networking and Multimedia Group, "Freescale is pleased to partner with American Portwell to expand the availability of world class security appliance products to our joint customers."

Availability

Portwell did not offer pricing or availability information on the CAK-2000. More information may be found here.

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