AMD Announces The PCnet™-Pro Ethernet Controller For High Performance Networking Applications

--Key building block enables next-generation Internet infrastructure--

SUNNYVALE, CA -- 5/8/2000 -- Building on its successful PCnet™ family of Ethernet controllers, AMD today introduced the PCnet-PRO Fast Ethernet controller. The PCnet-PRO device is a high-performance controller designed to process large packets of data in their entirety using standard Ethernet technology, rather than sending the data piecemeal. The controller also supports more data storage than any other controller available in today's market. With increasing demands for Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and streaming video, today's data networks must deliver more bandwidth, prioritize traffic flows, and effectively manage bursty traffic. The PCnet-PRO device is a 10/100Mbps PCI bus Ethernet controller offering advanced packet processing to use fewer system resources, such as buffer memory and CPU processing power in high speed internetworking applications. This enables Internet infrastructure OEMs to build leading edge products to meet the evolving needs of the network.

"With innovations in data networks occurring at a rapid pace, Ethernet devices offering standards interoperability and advanced features such as traffic prioritization are compelling value adds for customers, and also help customers differentiate among similar product offerings" said IdaRose Sylvester, senior industry analyst at Dataquest/Gartner Group.

AMD PCnet™-PRO Controller
The PCnet-PRO device offers an advanced feature set uniquely suited for performance demanding internetworking applications. Its support for oversize Ethernet frames--up to 64KB long--allows for multi-protocol frame encapsulation, and is useful in backplane communications and as a LAN interface for routers. Its support for up to 4MB of fast, external SRAM permits extra packet storage and offloads the system memory, making the device especially attractive for proxy servers, access concentrators, and LAN-to-WAN routers.

"AMD's PCnet-PRO controller addresses an important market need that exists in many of today's internetworking applications," said David Somo, vice president of marketing for the Computation Products Group. "With support for up to 4MBs of memory, the PCnet-PRO device can offload the central processor and free highly valuable system memory. With the addition of the PCnet-PRO product, AMD continues to build its Ethernet controller portfolio and extend its leadership position in the markets and applications it serves."

To enable next generation network functionality, the PCnet-PRO device supports the latest IEEE standards including 802.1D traffic prioritization, 802.1Q Virtual LANs, and 802.3 Flow Control. Supporting these standards enables efficient use of network bandwidth important for Internet telephony, secure switched networks, Virtual Private Networks (VPN) bridges, Web servers, and network-attached storage devices.

The PCnet-PRO controller includes an IEEE 802.3-compliant Fast Ethernet Media Access Controller (MAC) with full Auto-Negotiation of 10 or 100 Mbps and half- or full-duplex operation and a Media Independent Interface (MII) for connection to any standard IEEE 802.3 compliant 10/100 Mbps Ethernet physical layer (PHY) device. The device also integrates an External Address Detection Interface (EADI) for use with Content Addressable Memories (CAMs) to perform fast, hardware-based address filtering for high-speed routers. The device allows for operation without a PHY for flexibility in backplane communications within a chassis-based system. The controller also contains a high performance 32-bit PCI bus master interface and Direct Memory Access (DMA) architecture with programmable interrupts to provide high-speed data throughput and low CPU and system bus utilization.

The PCnet-PRO device also meets the industrial temperature specification ensuring reliable performance in extreme temperatures ranging from -40C to +85C.

The PCnet-PRO controller is offered with AMD's Managed Performance Portfolio of industry proven PCnet software supporting all major network operating systems and protocols including Microsoft® Windows®, NetWare® and UNIX. The device is also widely supported by the most popular embedded software, including Linux and VxWorks.

Pricing and Availability
The Am79C976 PCnet-PRO device will be available direct through AMD and authorized AMD distributors in a 208-pin PQFP package. The PCnet-PRO controller is priced at $9.95 in 10,000 unit quantities direct through AMD. AMD is sampling the device now with production planned for June 2000.

Cautionary Statement
This release contains forward-looking statements, which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are generally preceded by words such as "plans," "expects," "believes," "anticipates" or "intends." Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements in this release involve risks and uncertainty that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations. Forward-looking statements in this release include the risk that the PCnet-PRO Ethernet controller will not achieve significant customer and market acceptance. We urge investors to review in detail the risks and uncertainties in the Company's filings with the United States Securities Exchange Commission.