Network Switches
Network Switches Design
Since 2004, Promwad has been helping customers to be on the cutting edge of telecommunication technologies, creating for them new network appliances, NIC, and embedded software.
Our telecom R&D unit has hands-on experience with network switch technology and switch SDK from leading chip vendors. We are vendor agnostic and have an unbiased point of view on different switch hardware.
Our services
Our scope of services in managed switches include:
- Bespoke board design of multi-port (8/16/24/48) gigabit network switch with uplinks and specific interfaces required by customer;
- Network system-level software on top of Microchip (ex. Microsemi) IStaX;
- Network system-level software on top of Marvell CPSS (Prestera Software Suite);
- Utilize switchdev;
- New Linux kernel driver model for Ethernet switches;
- ONIE (Open Network Install Environment) customizations and installation on target network switch board/hardware;
- SONiC (Software for Open Networking in the Cloud) porting to different switch platforms;
- OpenSwitch software development.
Types of network switches at Promwad
To choose the suitable switch solution that keeps up with the requirements, you need to understand the existing types of network switches. Here, at Promwad, we focus on the following:
Networking hardware and equipment
Ethernet switching
We design Ethernet switching equipment which serves as an integral part of any intelligent network. Our goal is to make them as non-blocking and scalable as possible. Among the examples of Ethernet switching devices are:
- stackable & managed access switchesÂ
- carrier Ethernet switches/routers/gateways
- security appliances
- aggregation switches & routers
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Industrial network equipment and IIoT
We design extensible switches and routers for the industrial Internet of Things industry. They support auto-configuration, address learning, forwarding and filtering, and special means to handle Quality of Services or QoS. Clients use them in factory automation, smart grids, etc. The examples are:
- switches for industrial process control
- transportation and automotive applications
- energy utility networks or smart grid distribution
Selective Q-in-Q
SDK: Microchip IStaX-APPL-2020.09.
Tested on a PCB135 debug board from Microchip on VSC7558. Q-in-Q operates on the Sparx-5 microprocessor family.
Description: Selective Q-in-Q determines the pairing of a given client VLAN (on the UNI side) and the sought S-VLAN identifier. The S-VLAN identifier is joined to the input unmodified C-VLAN, and the packet is forwarded across the ISP's double-tagged network. The S-VLAN ID is removed from the output, and the client VLAN ID is retained in the packet. Packets that do not match the specified client VLANs are discarded by default.Â
Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS)
SDK: Microchip IStaX-APPL-2020.09.
Tested on a PCB135 debug board from Microchip on VSC7558. MPLS operates on the Sparx-5 microprocessor family.
Description: MPLS is a packet-forwarding technology which uses labels to make data forwarding decisions. The biggest advantage using MPLS is that the Layer 3 header analysis is done just once (when the packet enters the MPLS domain). Intermediate routers will not analyze the IP packet, thus saving valuable router resources, and greatly increasing the speed at which packets are forwarded. Label inspection drives subsequent packet forwarding. Further MPLS supports following applications:
- Virtual Private Networking (VPN)
- Traffic Engineering (TE)
- Quality of Service (QoS)
- Any Transport over MPLS (AToM)
Additionally, it decreases the forwarding overhead on the core routers.
Features of the Ethernet switches
We develop telecom equipment with a rich set of features. Below you can see what features do Ethernet switches at Promwad have:
Get access to our CoreKnowledge in telecom
Problem
Working with several contractor partners in network switch design projects to obtain the necessary expertise always leads to complications and slow communications and eventually increases labor costs.
Benefits
We conducted an internal analysis of all our projects (their number is +350) and noticed an increase in mixed project teams by at least 13-27%, depending on the number of members. According to statistics, the average volume of such projects is about $146,000, and the client's potential savings are up to $19,000.
Our solution
 Education
At least 15% of the working time all our developers spend on training and professional growth without exception.
 Teams
Due to our business model's specific nature, we continuously face tasks and challenges from different technological areas. That has allowed us to accumulate in-depth experience, which we are always ready to share with our clients and partners in a form of dedicated teams with mixed expertise.
 Knowledge
Working with us, clients get access not only to the core team but also to the knowledge base accumulated by Promwad over the years.
Why Promwad
Close partnership with vendors, access to the best SDKs, extensive portfolio in telecom, and deep expertise give us a strong competitive advantage in the niche
Our experience allows us to enroll in any kind of network switch dev projects as fast as possible. At the same time, we are ready to provide flexible cooperation models
We can act as a guide for vendors' SDKs in local markets. We provide support to the vendors' clients, leave feedback after working with products, and popularize them in target groups
Our tech map
Interfaces
Ethernet 1G/2.5G/10G/40G/100G, WiFi 5, WiFi 6 and WiFi 6E, BLE and Bluetooth 5.X, DECT, ADSL, SHDSL, RapidIO, Gh.n
Technologies
Fast-Path network processing, Hardware-accelerated NAT, Linux DSA, distributed switch architecture, VoIP and telephony SLIC interfacing, DECT, Ethernet packet processing, Remote management, TSN and IIoT networks, MPLS
Switch SW
Port speed, duplex mode, flow control, link control, statistics, MIB counters, PoE and PoE+ with LLDP, Hotplug SFP detection, QoS traffic classification, port priority, etc.
Vendors
Microchip, Realtek, Marvell, NXP, TI, Broadcom, Centec
"Many of our clients have their own R&D departments and experience with Chinese manufacturers. However, they choose Promwad to take their business to the next level, as they trust our experience in telecom electronics design and partnership with world-leading semiconductor vendors."
— Ivan Kuten, Co-owner & Tech Expert at Promwad
Our portfolio in telecom
Do you need a quote for your design or manufacturing project in network switches?
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