Quellan and Fulcrum Join Forces to Deliver Advanced Interconnect for Next Generation Data Centers

Quellan and Fulcrum Join Forces to Deliver Advanced Interconnect for Next Generation Data Centers

November 14, 2006

Companies Demonstrate High-density Mezzanine Card for Rapid Deployment of Ultra-thin Data Center Interconnects

    TAMPA, Fla. - SuperComputing 2006 Conference - Nov. 14
/Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Quellan, a leader in analog signal
integrity devices and Fulcrum Microsystems, a leader in
high performance interconnect devices, today announced the
industry's first extended reach CX4 mezzanine card. The
card is for use with the Fulcrum FocalPoint switch
reference design, which will allow OEMs to attain up to 40
meters of reach on up to 24 ports of 10-Gigabit Ethernet
seamlessly. 

    "Increasing the reach of 10G Ethernet at an
attractive price point will help accelerate its adoption in
the data center," said Harry Quackenboss, Chairman and
CEO of Woven Systems. "Quellan's Lane Manager devices
drive copper cable distances substantially farther than the
standards specify, minimizing the need for expensive fiber
optic interconnects." 

    The mezzanine cards are populated with Quellan's
QLx4300 Lane Manager Chips that actively remove impairments
and compensate for channel loss, allowing data center
managers to use ultra-thin 30 gauge CX4 cabling for
increased airflow, density and manageability or extend the
reach of traditional 24 gauge cable to up to 40 meters. 

    "Signal integrity and low latency are critical
parameters for next generation data centers," said
Joel Goergen, Chief Scientist at Force10 Networks.
"Quellan's products address both these issues in a
very low power consumption device. Well done!" 

    The FocalPoint FM2224 is a breakthrough 10-Gigabit
Ethernet switch chip with 200ns of total latency, making
Ethernet the new cost-effective and high-performance choice
for storage, computing and networking backplane and
interconnect applications. The FM2224 features 24
integrated 10-Gigabit Ethernet interfaces, each of which
can be configured to operate in 10Gbps, 2.5 Gbps and
10/100/1000 modes. 

    "Our customers are eager to reduce weight and
improve density in their data center interconnects,"
said Bob Nunn CEO of Fulcrum. "Our collaboration with
Quellan has yielded a ready-to-go solution to address these
issues." 

    "Clearly, next generation data center
interconnects are challenged by reach, weight and density
issues -- and the only way to achieve this is with low
power, smart silicon at each end," said Tony Stelliga,
Chairman and CEO of Quellan, Inc.  "Next generation
high density switches can now run up to 4 times farther on
cabling that is just one third the size and weight of
existing copper interconnects."
 
    Quellan is demonstrating both its Q:ACTIVE(TM)
semiconductor technology for active cabling and its
mezzanine card in booth 235 at the 2006 SuperComputing
Conference in Tampa, Florida to address the growing need
for data center reach and density improvements.

    About Fulcrum Microsystems, Inc. 

    Fulcrum Microsystems Inc. is a fabless semiconductor
company focused on developing interconnect switch chips for
next-generation board and system designs. The company's
devices change the paradigm for interconnect, offering low
latency, fine-grained flow control and high throughput,
which combine to simplify board design and to build in more
flexibility and higher performance. More information can be
found at http://www.fulcrummicro.com . 

    About Quellan Incorporated 

    Quellan specializes in analog components that improve
the performance and functionality of electronic equipment
by removing channel impairments and noise. Quellan serves
the Enterprise, Telecom, Broadcast, Automotive and Consumer
Electronics markets. Privately held, Quellan's investors
include Menlo Ventures, Cordova Ventures and Samsung
Ventures Investment Corporation. 

    For more information call 408-774-0084 or visit
http://www.quellan.com .

    For more information, please contact: 

     Quellan Incorporated
     Tel: [phone]

SOURCE  Quellan Incorporated