MIPS announces PMC-Sierra licensing agreement for broad range of processor cores

SUNNYVALE, USA: MIPS Technologies Inc. announced that long-time MIPS customer PMC-Sierra is licensing a broad range of MIPS32 processor cores.

The cores offer an extensive range of options—from small-footprint to multi-threaded multicore solutions—for next generation designs. PMC-Sierra will use the cores to power chips for an array of applications.

Included in the agreement are MIPS32 cores including the 4KEm Pro, 24Kc Pro, 34Kc Pro, 74Kc and 1004Kc cores, as well as the MIPS SOC-it L2 Cache Controller. The new agreement also includes the new MIPS32 M14K and M14Kc cores that execute the microMIPS instruction set architecture (ISA) for an advanced level of code compression.

"MIPS provides the high performance, low power, and scalability needed for many storage and networking applications, together with a broad ecosystem of third party support. MIPS Technologies' multi-threading capability also enables us to develop the higher performance, lower power solutions our customers require," said Tom Snodgrass, vice president of product development, Enterprise Storage Division, PMC-Sierra.

An example of the benefits of multi-threading in PMC-Sierra products is the company's new maxRAID architecture that reportedly produces performance far beyond other current market solutions for RAID and server storage. The extendible architecture features three multi-threaded MIPS32 34K cores.

"PMC-Sierra is leveraging the strengths of MIPS' entire line of processor cores to provide optimal application-specific solutions to its customers," said Art Swift, vice president of marketing, MIPS Technologies.

"Through PMC-Sierra, the MIPS architecture is making strong inroads into the networked and server storage market and other burgeoning markets. Our long-time, close relationship with PMC-Sierra has resulted in some of the industry's most innovative solutions for these markets, and we are excited to see where the company takes MIPS in its next-generation products."