IDT (Integrated Device Technology, Inc.) and Cavium Networks announced a jointly developed Linux-based reference platform for developing security-accelerated gateways and VPN/firewall appliances based on IDT's RC32438 Interprise communications processor along with Cavium's Nitrox Lite CN1001i IPSec (Internet Protocol Security) coprocessor. The bundled software is license- and royalty-free and includes the Cavium-optimized implementation of the Linux FreeS/WAN IPSec security stacks integrated with the IDT royalty-free Linux kernel (v 2.4.18), along with a suite of GNU development tools, the companies said.

The reference platform consists of IDT's RC32438 evaluation board (above)
along with Cavium's Nitrox Lite PCI card (below)

According to a joint announcement by the two companies, the IDT/Cavium platform delivers a complete, flexible security solution that offers a high level of security by partitioning critical security functions on Cavium's Nitrox Lite, away from the operating system where most security attacks are propagated. Additionally, the platform is said to provide high-performance Internet key exchange (IKE) and authentication acceleration for SME gateways. VPN over wireless LAN (WLAN) designs utilizing IPSec and supporting full tri-mode performance (802.11a/b/g) can also be developed on the platform by adding PCI-based WLAN modules.

Features of IDT's reference platform include . . .

• RC32438 system-on-chip processor, with:
  • 32-bit MIPS RISC architecture microprocessor with MMU)
  • 200MHz – 266MHz clock rate
  • DDR memory controller
  • PCI bus controller
  • Two 10/100 Ethernet MACs
  • Two 16550-compatible serial ports
  • 10 channel DMA controller
• Four PCI slots
• High Density HP logic analyzer connectors
• EJTAG/ICE connectors
• Real time clock with alarm interrupt and 8KB NVRAM
• Four digit display
• 64MB DDR SDRAM
• 2MB and 4MB Flash memories, for boot and general usage

IDT said it supplies Viewlogic format schematics and board gerber files with the development platform, and provides board support packages for both embedded Linux and Wind River's VxWorks which support for all the key RC32438 interfaces including PCI, the two on-chip Ethernet MACs, the DMA controller, and the external memory controller.

 
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