Microchip Technology VSC7438YIH-01

Overview

VSC7438YIH-01 from Microsemi is a 32 Gbps Carrier Ethernet switch IC implementing Virtualized Service Aware Architecture (ViSAA™), supporting MPLS-TP, IEEE 1588v2 timing via VeriTime™, hardware-based Ethernet OAM, and IPv4/IPv6 Layer-3 routing with 4K IPv4 LPM entries. It integrates twelve 1 Gbps SGMII/SerDes ports, three QSGMII ports, two 10 Gbps XAUI/SFI ports, and an embedded MIPS-24KEc CPU - deployed in mobile backhaul demarcation and MEF CE 2.0-compliant access equipment.

For engineers reviewing the VSC7438YIH-01 datasheet, VSC7438YIH-01 pinout, VSC7438YIH-01 application, or VSC7438YIH-01 equivalent, key selection criteria include verified ViSAA™ service-aware switching, VeriTime™-enabled IEEE 1588v2 boundary/transparent clock accuracy, hardware OAM (Up/Down-MEPs, Y.1564), hierarchical QoS with 8 classes, and MEF CE 2.0 EVC support with per-EVC dual-rate policing and shaping.

Technical Context

The VSC7438YIH-01 implements a nonblocking wire-speed switching fabric with integrated TCAM-based classification engines for ingress/egress packet processing, supporting nested four-layer MEPs and hardware-accelerated Y.1564 service activation measurement. Its VeriTime™ engine delivers L2 IEEE 1588v2 timing with boundary and transparent clock modes, synchronized to SyncE input.

It combines L2/L3 forwarding with provider bridging (Q-in-Q), MPLS/MPLS-TP switching, and simultaneous L3 routing - all managed via an on-chip MIPS-24KEc CPU with DDR3 memory controller and PCIe interface for host control. The architecture supports up to 32K MAC addresses, 4K VLANs, and 8K H-QoS queues across 12+3+2 Ethernet interfaces.

Key Specifications

Pinout & Package

Package: 27 mm × 27 mm Fine-Pitch Chip Array Ball Grid Array (FCBGA) with 676 I/O balls, thermal pad exposed on underside for heatsink attachment. Pinout defined per Microsemi VSC7438YIH-01 datasheet revision 1.2 (VPPD-03318), including dedicated SerDes lanes, QSGMII differential pairs, XAUI/SFI high-speed serial interfaces, DDR3 memory bus, PCIe x1 interface, JTAG debug, SPI flash interface, and GPIO banks.

Key Features

Applications

Equivalent & Alternatives

The following parts are listed as comparable options for similar Carrier Ethernet switch applications.

Compared with VSC7418YIH-01 and VSC7462YIH-01, the VSC7438YIH-01 uniquely balances full MEF CE 2.0 feature depth - including VeriTime™, ViSAA™, L3 routing, and hardware SAM - within a 12+3+2 port footprint ideal for mid-tier mobile backhaul and NID applications.

Availability

VSC7438YIH-01 is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for wireless backhaul demarcation, MEF CE 2.0 network interface devices, and IP/MPLS edge aggregation requiring stable component supply, long-term lifecycle support, and verified carrier-grade timing performance.

Supply support for VSC7438YIH-01 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

Microsemi Corporation (now part of Microchip Technology) is a U.S.-based semiconductor company specializing in timing, synchronization, aerospace, defense, and carrier-grade communications solutions.

The VSC7438YIH-01 belongs to Microsemi's Serval-2™ Carrier Ethernet switch family, designed specifically for MEF CE 2.0-compliant edge demarcation and mobile backhaul equipment requiring integrated timing, service-aware switching, and hardware-accelerated OAM.

FAQ

What is the primary function of the VSC7438YIH-01 in carrier networks?

The VSC7438YIH-01 functions as a fully featured Carrier Ethernet switch IC optimized for edge demarcation and mobile backhaul. It delivers MEF CE 2.0 EVCs using ViSAA™ architecture, performs hardware-based Ethernet and MPLS-TP OAM, executes IEEE 1588v2 timing via VeriTime™, and supports IPv4/IPv6 L3 routing - all within a single 27 mm × 27 mm FCBGA package. The VSC7438YIH-01 replaces multi-chip solutions in NID and small-cell gateway designs.

Does the VSC7438YIH-01 support IEEE 1588v2 timing, and how is it implemented?

Yes, the VSC7438YIH-01 supports IEEE 1588v2 timing through its integrated VeriTime™ engine, which provides hardware timestamping with sub-50 ns resolution. It operates in both boundary clock and transparent clock modes, synchronizes to SyncE inputs, and requires no external timing ICs. This implementation is validated for ITU-T G.8262 and G.8273.2 Class C/D compliance. The VSC7438YIH-01 uses this capability for precise time distribution in mobile backhaul applications.

How many Ethernet ports does the VSC7438YIH-01 support, and what are their types?

The VSC7438YIH-01 supports twelve 1 Gbps SGMII/SerDes ports, three QSGMII ports (each carrying four 1 Gbps lanes), and two 10 Gbps XAUI/SFI ports - totaling up to 12×1G + 2×10G physical connectivity. It also includes one dedicated 1 Gbps NPI (Network Processor Interface) port in SGMIII mode for control-plane interconnect. All interfaces are defined in the official VSC7438YIH-01 datasheet (VPPD-03318 rev 1.2). The VSC7438YIH-01 uses these ports to implement flexible topologies including ring, linear, and aggregation configurations.

What distinguishes ViSAA™ in the VSC7438YIH-01 from standard Ethernet switching architectures?

ViSAA™ (Virtualized Service Aware Architecture) in the VSC7438YIH-01 enables true service-aware forwarding - allowing per-EVC (Ethernet Virtual Circuit) configuration of dual-rate policing, shaping, statistics, and OAM - all at wire speed without CPU intervention. Unlike conventional switches that treat traffic generically, ViSAA™ applies TCAM-based classification and editing at both ingress and egress to enforce SLAs per service instance. This architecture is foundational to the VSC7438YIH-01's MEF CE 2.0 compliance and differentiates it from legacy L2/L3 switches.

Is the VSC7438YIH-01 pin-compatible with other Serval-series devices like VSC7418YIH-01?

No, the VSC7438YIH-01 is not pin-compatible with VSC7418YIH-01. It uses a 676-ball 27 mm × 27 mm FCBGA package, whereas VSC7418YIH-01 uses a smaller 484-ball 23 mm × 23 mm FCBGA. The I/O allocation, power domains, and high-speed interface placement differ significantly between the two packages. Migration from VSC7418YIH-01 to VSC7438YIH-01 requires PCB redesign. The VSC7438YIH-01's pinout is unique to its feature set and documented in Microsemi's VPPD-03318 datasheet.