Aquantia Enters Enterprise Client Connectivity Market with New AQtion™ Product Line of Multi-Gigabit Ethernet Controllers

The computer industry has seen a dramatic transformation in the past few years with the advent of tablets and ultra-thin laptops as mobility has become more ubiquitous with ever faster wireless technologies. Nevertheless, for many applications for which the workloads have steadily increased over time, reliance on wired Ethernet connectivity has continued to be the standard, typically deployed on high-performance machines, desktop and laptop clients. According to IDC, in 2015, 276 million computers were sold worldwide, more than 80% of which were equipped with an Ethernet port, Gigabit Ethernet being the fastest speed available.

However, Gigabit Ethernet, which has been in the market for more than 15 years, is finally running out of steam. Applications such as video editing, image rendering, large database transfers, multi-core simulations and Enterprise-class backup relying on data stored in local Network-Attach Storage (NAS) for example, are placing constraints on legacy Gigabit Ethernet connectivity.

Following its success in pioneering and deploying a new class of Ethernet PHY connectivity solution called AQrate®, capable of delivering Multi-Gigabit Ethernet over copper cables such as Cat5e typically used for Gigabit, Aquantia has developed AQtion™, an Enterprise-class client controller technology supporting Multi-Gigabit speeds.

Aquantia's AQtion devices, the AQC107 and AQC108 support 5 and 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet over copper, or 2.5/5GBASE-T, and are compliant with the NBASE-T specification and the new IEEE 802.3bz standard that was formally ratified in September 2016. In addition, both devices also support backward compatibility with 100MbE and Gigabit Ethernet. The AQC107 has the extra feature of supporting up to 10 Gigabit Ethernet, or 10GBASE-T, on Cat6A copper cables, complying with the IEEE standard 802.3an.

"We are now delivering the last piece of the puzzle in enterprise, gaming and SMB networks, the Multi-Gigabit client connectivity," said Kamal Dalmia, Sr. VP Sales & Marketing at Aquantia. "Targeting the hundreds of millions of high-performance machines selling every year worldwide and their upgrade to the Multi-Gig speeds is exciting and has caught the attention of major OEMs."

Client machines adopting Aquantia's AQtion controllers will be able to connect to a vast array of Ethernet switches that have already entered the market with Multi-Gig ports, otherwise connecting to the latest generation of WiFi 802.11ac Access Points, creating a seamless high-speed Ethernet network. Whether the end client is a smartphone or a tablet connecting to the network through WiFi or a desktop or laptop connecting to the wired Ethernet network, Aquantia's complete product line of Multi-Gig PHYs and controllers is driving the next speed upgrade in the Enterprise and SMB infrastructure.

"Over the last decade, PC innovation has accelerated," states IDC Research Director, Linn Huang. "PCs have gotten sleeker and more powerful while operating at lower power envelopes. Yet, the Ethernet port has largely been left behind. With Aquantia's latest offerings, Ethernet connectivity in PCs can finally catch up to the rest of the industry."

Aquantia's AQtion controller family consists of the following products:

• AQC107: Single-port with support of 5 speeds 100M/1G/2.5G/5G/10G Ethernet
• AQC108: Single-port with support of 4 speeds: 100M/1G/2.5G/5G Ethernet

Availability

Aquantia AQC107 and AQC108 are sampling now. Production release is scheduled for Q1-2017.

AQtion™ and AQrate® are trademarks of Aquantia Corp.

About Aquantia

Aquantia is a leading developer and global supplier of high-speed semiconductor connectivity solutions. Backed by more than a decade of technology leadership and execution, Aquantia's market leading product portfolio enables the world's most innovative computing, data center, and enterprise infrastructure applications. Aquantia addresses ever-changing market needs by providing an extensive portfolio, based on architectural innovations that deliver high performance, low power consumption, high density and high-quality silicon solutions to its customers. Aquantia is headquartered in Silicon Valley, California, with strong venture capital and strategic investors. For more information, visit www.aquantia.com.

Cautionary Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements concerning Aquantia, including, among other things, the extent to which Aquantia's AQtion controllers will be accepted by the market. Forward-looking statements herein are based on current beliefs, assumptions, and expectations, speak only as of the date hereof and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations.  Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, without limitation, technological and business developments in the data center, enterprise infrastructure, and access markets.

SOURCE Aquantia Corp.

Related Links

http://www.aquantia.com