Conference 7.286::fddi

14.0. "Motorola Announcement" by DELNI::CALLAHAN (Paul Callahan, NaCM, DTN 226 5171) Sat Oct 14 1989 14:10

		Motorola and Digital Equipment Corporation
                   Announce FDDI Chip Set Partnership


      Motorola to Manufacture and Market Chip Set Designed with Digital
 

AUSTIN, Texas, September 19, 1989 - Motorola's Microprocessor Products Group
and Digital Equipment Corporation today announced a partnership to 
cooperatively design a Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI) chip set 
which Motorola will manufacture and market. This partnership marks the 
entrance for Motorola into the evolving market for FDDI components and 
network technology.

This partnership is a technology exchange between Motorola and Digital for 
the design of an ANSI-compliant, high-performance chip set which is being 
designed jointly between Motorola and Digital. FDDI is defined as a dual 
fiber-optic token ring Local Area Network (LAN) that can support data 
transfer rates of up to 100 megabits per second. FDDI technology is needed 
to support high performance distributed computer systems (such as those 
using Motorola's 68000 and 88000 microprocessors) which are becoming faster 
and more powerful, imposing a greater demand for network speed and 
bandwidth. Other uses for FDDI include backbone networks connecting 
Ethernet, token bus and token ring segments and back end networks 
connecting high speed peripherals.

The chip set will be manufactured at Motorola's CMOS and bipolar facilities
and will be marketed and distributed through Motorola worldwide. Digital 
will purchase a portion of Motorola's production of the chip set for use in 
its own FDDI products. Motorola will formally introduce the chip set when 
it becomes fully available in 1990.

"FDDI will become a key networking technology in the 1990's. Our 
partnership with Digital gives us a unique perspective in what the computer 
system and user communities need," said Murray Goldman, senior vice president
and general manager of Motorola's Microprocessor Products Group. " We are 
using our silicon technology to satisfy those needs."

Digital is furnishing the technology for the protocol portion of its 
extensively system-tested FDDI implementation, while Motorola will provide 
clock recovery and system interface circuit technology. The initial chip 
set will be a four component solution manufactured and marketed by 
Motorola.

"A Motorola/Digital FDDI chip set further demonstrates a consolidate 
commitment to the FDDI network technology," said Bill Johnson, vice 
president of Digital's Networks and Communications Group. "Future high 
speed FDDI networks will complement Digital's industry standard Ethernet 
LAN solution and will provide the best of both worlds for networking 
customers."

In June 1988, Digital made a public statement of direction on FDDI, 
supporting the ANSI standard. Digital plans to use FDDI as a complimentary 
technology to its current base of Ethernet general purpose LANs.

Digital Equipment Corporation, headquartered in Maynard, Mass., is the 
leading worldwide supplier of networked computer systems and services. 
Digital offers a full range if computing solutions and systems integration 
for the entire enterprise-from the desktop to the data center.
 
Motorola's Microprocessor Products Group (AUSTIN,Texas) includes the 
High-End Microprocessor Division, the Microcontroller Division and the 
Digital Signal Processor Operation. The Group has established a number if 
industry standard architectures, including the 68000 and 88000 family of 
microprocessors, the 68HC05 and 68HC11 microcontrollers, and the 56000 
family of Digital signal processors. Other data communications 
semiconductor products from Motorola include the 68605 X.25 Protocol 
Controller, the 68606 Multi Link LAPD Controller and the 68824 Token Bus 
Controller. Motorola is the largest and broadest supplier of semiconductors 
in North America, with a balanced portfolio of over 50,000 devices.