Vativ and Teradyne Demonstrate 6.25 Gb/s Performance across 60 Inches on FR-4 Backplane

NASHUA, N.H.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 20, 2003--

New Integrated SerDes Device is Industry's First DSP-Based Transceiver to Achieve a Reach of Greater than 60-inches at 6.25Gb/s

“The demonstration of this cutting-edge DSP-based technology from Vativ is the first step towards a faster FR4 backplane. Our device will immediately satisfy the next generation bandwidth demands and sets the stage for migrating to 10 Gbps capabilities using the same technology.”

Semiconductor start-up Vativ Technologies and Teradyne Connection Systems, a leading supplier of high-performance interconnect systems, today announced a demonstrated solution that significantly raises the performance bar for interconnecting high-speed networking equipment line cards. The transceiver by Vativ, M5-BP, transports data signals at up to 6.25Gb/s over as much as 60-inches of standard FR4 traces - more than 2x longer than the nearest alternative solution at the same bandwidth. This best-of-class performance capability boosts the design robustness for building the higher speed routers and switches that are required to meet today's escalating bandwidth demands. The demonstrations were performed at Vativ's test lab on Teradyne-designed FR4 backplanes with plug-in line cards using Teradyne's VHDM-HSD(TM) and GbX(TM) connectors.

Teradyne's VHDM-HSD connector is the first commercially successful connector optimized for differential architectures and the de-facto industry standard for demanding bandwidth applications. At 55 differential pairs per linear inch, Teradyne's GbX connector provides the highest level of density available and the most XAUI links in the industry today, offering an upgrade path beyond existing 2mm platforms.

"We are extremely excited about the successful demonstration of our proprietary signaling technology which uses a lower operating frequency and enables a higher signal-to-noise ratio," said Sreen Raghavan, president and CEO of Vativ Technologies. "This will allow board designers to use longer traces without sacrificing Bit Error Rate (BER) performance."

"Today's designers must balance the requirements for exceptional signal fidelity at high-data rates with the lowest-risk solutions," added Tom Pitten, development engineering manager at Teradyne Connection Systems. "This reference design supports the notion that to achieve this balance requires integrated interconnect solutions and we are pleased to be working with Vativ to deliver additional performance to our customers."

The M5-BP device enables the development of backplanes with speeds ranging from 1.25Gb/s to 6.25Gb/s. Packaged as a single transceiver, the superior jitter performance and "blind adaptive" equalization receiver makes this device easier for users since no transmitter signal "grooming" is required when trace lengths change. "With its unique signaling technology, there is no need for transmitter optimization (often called "pre-emphasis") in order to "open the eye" of the signal at the receiver," added Raghavan. In addition, Vativ's proprietary DSP-based architecture utilizes highly accurate and powerful digital adaptive receive equalization to completely remove the inter-symbol interference (ISI) caused by the signal attenuation in the backplane. Furthermore, it automatically compensates for the reflections arising from backplane connectors.

The device's improved signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) enables users to easily address trace-to-trace crosstalk noise and allows a higher density of traces on the backplane. This becomes particularly important to carriers and ISPs as their CO and POP architectures become more congested and they must quickly and economically add new line cards capable of handling higher data rates between shared standard FR4 backplanes in today's routers and core switches.

"The M5-BP is an important solution for backplane performance upgrade challenges," said Alan Iguchi, vice president of marketing for Vativ Technologies. "The demonstration of this cutting-edge DSP-based technology from Vativ is the first step towards a faster FR4 backplane. Our device will immediately satisfy the next generation bandwidth demands and sets the stage for migrating to 10 Gbps capabilities using the same technology."

Vativ will have limited sampling of product evaluation boards with attached M5-BP devices to customers in Q2 this year with volume production units available later in the year.

About Vativ Technologies, Inc.

Vativ Technologies (formerly doing business as "Myrica Networks, Inc.") is a San Diego-based startup company focused on providing DSP-based semiconductor solutions for communications. With its technical experience in developing innovative DSP algorithms, along with high speed digital ASIC and analog IC blocks, the company draws upon its expertise to deliver integrated semiconductor solutions. Founded in 2001, Vativ is a VC-backed enterprise with lead investments from Redpoint Ventures, Mission Ventures, and Forrest Binkley Brown. For more information, visit Vativ's website at www.vativ.com.

About Teradyne Inc.

Teradyne (NYSE:TER) is the world's largest supplier of Automatic Test Equipment, and is also a leading supplier of interconnection systems. The company's products deliver competitive advantage to the world's leading semiconductor, electronics, automotive and network systems companies. In 2002, Teradyne had sales of $1.22 billion, and employed about 7000 people worldwide. For more information, visit www.teradyne.com.

About Teradyne Connection Systems

Teradyne Connection Systems (TCS), a division of Boston-based Teradyne, Inc., provides total system solutions to industry leading OEMs, with high-performance circuits, high-speed, high-density connectors, multi-gigabit backplane assemblies and complete system integration and test services. Leading manufacturers of communications and computing systems central to communicating, storing and using information use Teradyne's components and electronic manufacturing services to meet their demanding technology, reliability and time-to-market requirements. For more information visit http://www.teradyne.com/tcs.