Freescale Unveils QorIQ LS1043A Quad core ARM Cortex A53 Communication Processor for Fanless Networking Equipment

Freescale has introduced the QorIQ LS1043A communications processor, powered by four 64-bit ARM Cortex A53 cores, and destined to be integrated into “intelligent-edge networking equipment including security appliances, SDN (Software Designed Networks) / NFV (Network Functions Virtualization) edge platforms and other fanless, power-efficient applications.” A dual core version named LS1023A is also available.

Key features of LS1043A and LS1023A SoCs:

• CPU – Quad (LS1043A) or Dual (LS1023A) ARM Cortex-A53 64-bit cores @ 1 GHz to 1.5 GHz with 32/32 I/D Cache KB L1 and 1 MB L2 cache. 16,000+ CoreMarks.
• Networking & High Speed Interfaces:
  • Up to six 1x GbE or 1x 10GbE and five x GbE
  • Four lane SerDes up to 10 GHz multiplexed across controllers supporting:
    • Three PCI Express Gen 2 interfaces
    • SATA 3.0 Interface
    • uQUICC Engine
• Accelerators and Memory Control
  • DPAA (Data Path Acceleration Architecture) Parse, Classify and Distribution Engines
  • Integrated security engine
  • 32-bit DDR3L/4 controller
• Other peripherals
  • 3x USB 3.0 interfaces with PHY
  • QuadSPI
  • Integrated Flash Controller (IFC)
  • Quad I²C
• Misc – QorIQ Platform’s Trust Architecture, ARM SMMU for hardware enhanced virtualization
• Power Consumption – As low as 6W for a complete fanless system

The company provides a Linux 3.12 BSP, VortiQa  software stacks for the enterprise, SMB networking applications, security appliances, cloud equipment, etc…, and a 6-month evaluation license for CodeWarrior development tools for the company’s LS1 development platforms (no details provided). Freescale also claims third party tools and development kits are available, but did not list them, except for OpenDataPlane program developed in collaboration with Linaro LNG.

QorIQ LS1043A communications processor should start sampling in Q1 2015. More information is available on Freescale LS1043A and LS1023A product page, and QorIQ solutions are currently showcased at Linley Processor Conference, at the Hyatt Regency in Santa Clara, California, until October 23.

Via Embedded.com

Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft)

Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.

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