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New Software Driver Package For PLX
WinDriver for PLX I/O Devices Provides Complete Software Development Package for PLX IOP 480, PCI 905x Line for Solaris. SUNNYVALE, Calif. - January 17, 2000 -- PLX Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: PLXT) and KRFTech today announced the release of WinDriver for PLX I/O Devices, a software package helping developers write drivers for PLX's broad line of PCI I/O chips, including the IOP 480, a PowerPC-based I/O Processor (IOP). The new WinDriver for PLX I/O Devices enables the development of drivers for IOP 480 and PCI 905x-based PCI embedded systems and adapters used in a variety of environments, including the Sun Microsystems (NASDAQ: SUNW) Solaris and Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) Windows 98, NT and CE operating systems. This software package enables developers to write drivers that allow PLX devices to work with Solaris on Sun's SPARC and Intel's (NASDAQ: INTC) x86 platforms. When used in conjunction with PLX's IOP 480 and PCI 905x-based reference design kits, WinDriver for PLX I/O Devices provides a complete PCI (host side) design environment for the IOP 480 and PCI 905x. The IOP 480 is the leading I/O Processor, which integrates PCI, a PowerPC core, PLX's Advanced Data Pipe Architecture technology, a flexible memory controller, and integrated CPU support peripherals. "Driver developers now have their work simplified dramatically by KRFTech's WinDriver software," said Ofer Vilenski, president of KRFTech. "The partnership between PLX for PCI technology and KRFTech for Driver technology is providing developers with powerful tools for their next-generation PCI, Solaris, Linux and Windows designs. Using WinDriver for PLX I/O Devices helps them shorten the driver development cycle and brings those products to market faster." KRFTech is a charter member of the PLX Partner Program. The PLX Partner Program enables hardware designers and software developers to gain easy access to design resources on a wide range of PCI development tools: PCI silicon, microprocessors, operating systems, reference design and software development tools, and expertise from third-party consultants. "Working closely with KRFTech to develop WinDriver for Solaris is a testament to how members of the PLX Partner Program have embraced our PCI technology," said Mike Salameh, president of PLX. "Developers are now equipped with a comprehensive set of tools to design PLX I/O Processors and I/O Accelerators into a wider range of communications and computing applications." WinDriver for PLX I/O Devices WinDriver for PLX I/O Devices automates the process of developing drivers for embedded systems and adapters based on PLX's IOP 480, PCI 9054, PCI 9080, PCI 9052, and PCI 9050 devices, and allows those drivers to run on Solaris, Linux, Windows 98, Windows NT and Windows CE operating systems. The WinDriver package dramatically speeds up device driver development by freeing the developer from the task of mastering the Solaris, Linux, Windows or Windows CE kernel. WinDriver automatically generates code for one platform, which can then be compiled and executed on any of the other supported operating systems. WinDriver for PLX I/O Devices also frees the developer from unnecessary research on the hardware for which the driver is being developed. It provides the functions for accessing memory ranges, managing I/O, handling interrupts, and performing data transfers with any PLX device. Using a combination of unique "sniffers" and wizards, WinDriver for PLX guides the developer through the process of hardware verification, then writes the driver code for specific hardware. Not only does this process speed the development of the driver software, it also accelerates the testing and development of the hardware itself. IOP 480 Microprocessor The IOP 480 brings an unprecedented level of integration and I/O performance to embedded systems and adapter card PCI designs. The IOP 480 is a perfect match for a wide variety of high-performance PCI and CompactPCI® embedded host and I/O adapter applications, including data communications, telecommunications, storage, industrial, and consumer devices. The IOP 480 provides a 32-bit/33MHz PCI bus, a flexible 32-bit/66MHz local bus, and PCI v2.2 specification, power management, and CompactPCI HotSwap support. PCI 9054 I/O Accelerator The PCI 9054 I/O Accelerator is an ideal solution for high-performance Motorola MPC850/860 PowerQUICC designs, CompactPCI HotSwap adapters, PCI bus master adapters, and embedded host designs. The PCI 9054 provides a 32-bit/33MHz PCI bus, a flexible 32-bit/50MHz local bus, and PCI v2.2 specification, power management and CompactPCI Hot Swap support. PLX I/O Target Accelerators The PCI 9050 and PCI 9052 devices provide a compact high-performance PCI bus target (slave) interface for adapter boards. They enable rapid, low-cost conversion of Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) adapters to PCI bus. The PCI 9050 and PCI 9052 devices accelerate I/O data movements on adapter boards from ISA's nominal bus speed of 8MHz, 5 Mbytes/sec to PCI's 33 MHz, 132 Mbytes/sec data transfer capability. Availability A thirty-day evaluation copy of the WinDriver for PLX I/O Devices can be downloaded from www.krftech.com/partners/plxtech.html. It provides all the tools necessary for developing host side drivers for embedded systems and adapter boards based on the IOP 480, PCI 9054, PCI 9080, PCI 9052 and PCI 9050. A full version for WinDriver for PLX I/O Devices can be purchased worldwide from KRFTech (www.krftech.com). About PLX Technology PLX Technology Inc. (www.plxtech.com), based in Sunnyvale, Calif., is a publicly traded, worldwide supplier of high-performance integrated circuits, software and reference design packages for the Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus market. PLX's PCI interface chips and I/O Processors are designed into a wide variety of applications including: embedded PCI communication systems, such as networking routers and switches; personal computer, server and workstation PCI adapter boards; and industry-standard PCI implementations such as CompactPCI and PCI Mezzanine Card (PMC). About KRFTech KRFTech (www.krftech.com) was established in 1998 as a company specializing in device-driver toolkits. KRFTech toolkits are driving thousands of applications with a broad customer base, which includes Intel, IBM, NASA, Kodak and 3M. PLX and Data Pipe Architecture are trademarks of PLX Technology, Inc., which may be registered in some jurisdictions. All other product names that appear in this material are for identification purposes only and are acknowledged to be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.
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