Microchip Technology VSC7323VH-03

Overview

VSC7323VH-03 from Vitesse Semiconductor is a 10-port triple-speed Ethernet MAC IC with integrated SerDes and a dedicated 10 GbE MAC with XAUI interface, operating at 2.5V/3.3V IO in industrial temperature range (−40°C to +85°C), supporting RGMII/GMII/MII and SPI-4.2 for enterprise/metro Ethernet switches and SONET/SDH transport terminals.

For engineers reviewing the VSC7323VH-03 datasheet, VSC7323VH-03 pinout, VSC7323VH-03 application, or VSC7323VH-03 equivalent, key selection criteria include IEEE 802.3ae-compliant 10 GbE MAC functionality, OIF SPI-4.2 system interface timing (312.5–450 MHz DDR), per-port FIFO configurability (2 kB increments), XAUI pre-emphasis/equalization support, and dual MIIM management capability.

Technical Context

The VSC7323VH-03 implements ten triple-speed (10/100/1000 Mbps) MACs with RGMII/GMII/MII physical layer interfacing and one full-duplex IEEE 802.3ae-compliant 10 GbE MAC with integrated XAUI SerDes. Its ingress/egress FIFOs are provisionable per port in 2 kB increments and support both cut-through and store-and-forward modes.

It features an OIF-compliant 16-bit SPI-4.2 interface operating at 312.5/390.625 MHz DDR (ingress) and 311–450 MHz DDR (egress), plus a configurable CPU interface-either 16-bit parallel (PowerPC/Intel) or 4-line serial-for initialization and statistics access. Dual MIIM interfaces manage external PHY devices.

Key Specifications

Pinout & Package

Packaged in a 728-pin TBGA (Thin Ball Grid Array) with standard 5-pin IEEE 1149.1 JTAG test port. Pinout validated per Vitesse VSC7323 datasheet Rev. 1.0 (VPPD-00365).

Key Features

Applications

Equivalent & Alternatives

The following parts are listed as comparable options for similar Ethernet MAC aggregation applications.

Compared with Marvell 88E1545 and Microsemi PM5352, the VSC7323VH-03 uniquely integrates 10× triple-speed MACs, 1× 10G MAC, XAUI SerDes, SPI-4.2 system interface, dual MIIM, and hardware flow control-making it the only single-chip solution for scalable, optical-capable Ethernet aggregation in metro/core infrastructure.

Availability

VSC7323VH-03 is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for enterprise switches, metro SONET/SDH transport terminals, and edge aggregation routers requiring stable component supply, long-term lifecycle support, and traceable sourcing for carrier-grade deployments.

Supply support for VSC7323VH-03 includes scheduled delivery planning, volume procurement assistance, BOM continuity management, traceable sourcing, and lifecycle availability coordination for OEM customers, industrial embedded developers, connected-device designers, and electronics production programs.

Manufacturer

Vitesse Semiconductor was a fabless provider of high-performance Ethernet and optical networking ICs, acquired by Microsemi in 2015 and later integrated into Microchip Technology.

The VSC7323 product line targets carrier-class Ethernet aggregation-designed to unify GbE and 10GbE MAC functionality, SerDes, and system interfaces in a single chip for metro/core infrastructure equipment.

FAQ

What is the primary function of the VSC7323VH-03 in network equipment?

The VSC7323VH-03 functions as a multi-port Ethernet MAC aggregation IC, integrating ten triple-speed (10/100/1000 Mbps) MACs with RGMII/GMII/MII support and one IEEE 802.3ae-compliant 10 GbE MAC with XAUI SerDes. It bridges between PHY devices and system-side processors via SPI-4.2 and CPU interfaces-enabling line-rate packet handling in enterprise switches and metro transport platforms. The VSC7323VH-03 performs hardware-based VLAN/MPLS identification, flow control, and statistics collection without host CPU involvement.

Does the VSC7323VH-03 support jumbo frames, and what is the maximum size?

Yes, the VSC7323VH-03 supports jumbo frames up to 9600 bytes, as confirmed in the official product brief. This capability is essential for efficient GFP-F encapsulation in Ethernet-over-SONET/SDH applications and reduces per-packet processing overhead in high-throughput data center and metro aggregation scenarios. Frame size is configurable per port via register settings, and the VSC7323VH-03 maintains full line-rate performance at maximum frame size under specified traffic conditions.

What type of system interface does the VSC7323VH-03 use, and what are its timing specifications?

The VSC7323VH-03 uses an OIF-compliant 16-bit SPI-4.2 interface. Its ingress path operates at 312.5 MHz or 390.625 MHz DDR, while the egress path supports variable DDR frequencies from 311 MHz to 450 MHz-allowing flexible bandwidth matching with different network processors or ASICs. The interface includes source-synchronous clocking and built-in elastic buffers to absorb timing skew, ensuring robust packet transfer in high-speed backplane environments. This specification is documented in the VSC7323VH-03 product brief and block diagram.

Can the VSC7323VH-03 operate with both 2.5V and 3.3V I/O voltages?

Yes, the VSC7323VH-03 is implemented in low-power 0.18 µm CMOS technology and explicitly supports both 2.5V and 3.3V I/O voltage levels, as stated in the product brief. This dual-voltage compatibility simplifies integration with mixed-voltage system designs-such as those combining legacy 3.3V PHYs and newer 2.5V NPUs-without requiring level-shifting circuitry. The VSC7323VH-03's I/O banks are configured at power-up based on external voltage references, and all timing parameters are guaranteed across the full industrial temperature range (−40°C to +85°C).

How does the VSC7323VH-03 handle flow control in metro applications?

The VSC7323VH-03 implements lossless flow control for metro deployments up to 10 km by generating IEEE 802.3x PAUSE frames automatically when per-port ingress FIFO occupancy exceeds programmable watermark thresholds. This hardware-based mechanism avoids packet drops during traffic bursts and ensures deterministic latency-critical for carrier-grade SLA enforcement. The VSC7323VH-03 also supports 802.3ad link aggregation and rate limiting in 1 Mbps increments, enabling granular QoS policy enforcement across aggregated links without CPU scheduling.