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Silicon Image Debuts 3 Gbps-Capable SATA Controller for Enterprise Storage Applications

Posted on: Wednesday, 3 September 2003, 06:00 CDT

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Sept. 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Silicon Image, Inc. , a leader in high-bandwidth semiconductor and system solutions for mass markets, today announced the SiI(TM) 3124(TM), its most advanced Serial ATA host controller to date, for enterprise storage applications. The SiI 3124 is the next in the SATALink(TM) series of Serial ATA (SATA) host controllers building off the success of the SiI 3114(TM) that has won numerous design wins in high-end PC and entry-level server applications.

The SiI 3124 is a 64-bit 133 MHz PCI-X to 4-Port Serial ATA controller that is available in two pin-compatible versions: the SiI 3124-1 which operates at first-generation SATA speeds of 1.5 Gbps per port and the SiI 3124-2 which operates at SATA speeds of 1.5 Gbps and also provides support for 3 Gbps signaling. The Serial ATA working group is currently completing the final details of the 3 Gbps specification for second-generation SATA signal speeds. Silicon Image has been an active participant in the development of this specification, and has designed the 3124-2 based on the current version of the spec, with enough flexibility to accommodate future changes.

"A controller with native command queuing, enclosure management device support and port multiplier capabilities is ideal for deploying SATA in server and networked storage segments," stated Knut Grimsrud, Serial ATA working group chairman and Intel senior principal engineer. "Intel is pleased that Silicon Image has integrated these Serial ATA II features into a single controller that provides a comprehensive solution addressing the needs of this important market segment."

The SiI 3124 is compliant with the Serial ATA 1.0 specification and supports all SATA II extensions to the Serial ATA 1.0 specification, including native command queuing, enclosure management device support, selectable output strengths for backplanes, hot-plug support, and FIS-based switching with port multipliers. The controller also provides support for tagged command queuing. Silicon Image provides SiI 3124 customers with drivers for the Windows, Linux, and Netware operating systems, for both RAID and non-RAID operations. Software RAID 0 (striping), RAID 1 (mirroring), RAID 1+0 (mirrored stripe), and RAID 5 (parity stripe) functions are supported through Silicon Image's SATARaid(TM) software RAID management utility.

The SiI 3124 provides a host of enterprise-class customer benefits that position it ahead of competing enterprise SATA solutions, including proven SATA compliance, best-in-class I/O performance, RAID software integration, and FIS-based switching for port multipliers. The SiI 3124 feature-set coupled with Silicon Image's strong reputation for customer support for software, hardware and high-speed circuits, provide both PC and enterprise-class OEMs and systems integrators with one-stop shopping for easy implementation of Serial ATA solutions.

"The SiI 3124 was designed for high performance," said Ed Pak, vice president of storage products at Silicon Image. "Our implementation enables customers looking for enterprise-level performance at a more affordable price to achieve that goal using the SiI 3124 with Serial ATA drives, now readily available. Today, fibre channel solutions run at 200 MB/s, SCSI implementations operate at 320 MB/s, and now we have enabled our new SATALink Serial ATA product to run at 300 MB/s.

Silicon Image will be demonstrating the SiI 3124 host controller at its booth (#436) at the Intel Developer Forum being held September 16-18 at the San Jose Convention Center.

Pricing and Availability

The SiI 3124-1 and SiI 3124-2 are now sampling and are expected to be shipping in production in Q4'03. The SiI 3124-1 is priced at $22 and the SiI 3124-2 is priced at $28 in 10K quantities.

About Silicon Image

Headquartered in Sunnyvale, Calif., Silicon Image, Inc. designs, develops and markets multi-gigabit semiconductor and system solutions for a variety of communications applications demanding high-bandwidth capability. With its proprietary Multi-layer Serial Link (MSL(TM)) architecture, Silicon Image is well positioned for leadership in multiple mass markets including PCs, consumer electronics, storage and networking. Currently, Silicon Image leads the global PC/display arena with its innovative digital interconnect technology, and is now emerging as a leading player in the storage industry-offering robust, high-bandwidth semiconductors and systems. For more information on Silicon Image, visit http://www.siliconimage.com/.

This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of federal securities regulations. These forward-looking statements include statements related to anticipated release of Silicon Image products, timing of those products, integration of such products by customers, and the performance expected of such products, and to the anticipated benefits of SATA hard drives. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including those described from time to time in Silicon Image's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by these forward-looking statements. In particular, Silicon Image's products may not be released as expected, or at all, may not be integrated by customers, or have the features anticipated, and any release may not produce revenue, margin or profit, and the anticipated benefits of SATA hard drives may not be as expected. Also see "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations-Factors Affecting Future Results" in the most recent Annual Report, Form 10-K or 10-Q filed by Silicon Image with the SEC. Silicon Image assumes no obligation to update this forward-looking information.

NOTE: Silicon Image, SATALink, SATARaid, SiI, SiI 3124, SiI 3114, MSL and http://www.siliconimage.com/ are trademarks, registered trademarks or service marks of Silicon Image, Inc. in the United States and other countries.

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