Microchip Technology VSC7468YIH-01

Overview

VSC7468YIH-01 from Microsemi is an 80 Gbps Carrier Ethernet switch IC implementing Virtualized Service Aware Architecture (ViSAA™), supporting MPLS/MPLS-TP, Layer-3 IPv4/IPv6 routing (4K/1K LPM entries), hardware-based IEEE 1588v2 timing via VeriTime™, and MEF CE 2.0 EVC services in wireless backhaul demarcation equipment.

For engineers reviewing the VSC7468YIH-01 datasheet, VSC7468YIH-01 pinout, VSC7468YIH-01 application, or VSC7468YIH-01 equivalent, key selection criteria include 48×1GbE + 4×10GbE port configuration, hierarchical QoS with 8 classes, Synchronous Ethernet compliance, RFC 2544/Y.1564 service activation testing, and integrated MIPS 24KEc CPU with DDR3 controller.

Technical Context

The VSC7468YIH-01 integrates a MIPS 24KEc CPU core with DDR3 memory controller and JTAG/SPI interfaces for host control, alongside dedicated OAM and SAM engines for Ethernet and MPLS-TP performance monitoring. Its TCAM-based classification supports per-EVC ingress/egress policy enforcement including dual-rate policing, remarking, and statistics collection.

Switch fabric delivers nonblocking wire-speed forwarding across 48 × 1 GbE (via 32× SGMII/SerDes + 12× QSGMII) and 4 × 10 GbE XAUI/SFI ports, with shared packet memory architecture enabling simultaneous L2 switching, L3 routing, and MPLS-TP pseudowire emulation without performance degradation.

Key Specifications

Pinout & Package

Package: 27 mm × 27 mm Fine-Pitch Chip Array Ball Grid Array (FCBGA) with 676 I/O balls, thermal pad on underside, designed for high-density carrier-grade PCB layouts requiring controlled impedance routing and thermal dissipation.

Key Features

Applications

Equivalent & Alternatives

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

Compared with VSC7438-01 and VSC7464-01, the VSC7468YIH-01 delivers highest port density, largest L3 tables, and integrated control-plane CPU - making it uniquely suited for high-scale IP edge demarcation where service agility, timing precision, and hardware OAM acceleration are mandatory.

Availability

VSC7468YIH-01 is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for wireless backhaul demarcation, Ethernet access devices, and Network Interface Devices requiring stable component supply, long-term lifecycle support, and carrier-grade reliability certification.

Supply support for VSC7468YIH-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 high-reliability timing, networking, and power solutions for aerospace, defense, communications, and data center markets.

The VSC7468YIH-01 belongs to Microsemi's Jaguar-2™ Carrier Ethernet switch family, engineered specifically for MEF CE 2.0–compliant edge demarcation and mobile backhaul aggregation with integrated timing, OAM, and service-aware switching.

FAQ

What is the maximum number of IPv4 LPM entries supported by the VSC7468YIH-01?

The VSC7468YIH-01 supports up to 4,000 IPv4 Longest Prefix Match (LPM) entries for Layer-3 routing operations. This capacity enables scalable deployment in IP edge routers handling large subscriber bases or complex route topologies. The device also provides 1,000 IPv6 LPM entries, ensuring dual-stack readiness for next-generation networks. These values are fixed hardware resources and cannot be extended via external memory.

Does the VSC7468YIH-01 include an integrated processor core?

Yes, the VSC7468YIH-01 integrates a MIPS 24KEc CPU core with 32 KB instruction cache and 32 KB data cache, coupled with a DDR3 memory controller. This embedded processor enables local control-plane processing, eliminating reliance on external microcontrollers for tasks like service provisioning, statistics collection, and OAM protocol stack execution. It runs Microsemi's CEServices software to accelerate time-to-market.

What timing standards does the VSC7468YIH-01 support for synchronization?

The VSC7468YIH-01 supports IEEE 1588v2 Precision Time Protocol (PTP) in master, slave, boundary clock, and transparent clock modes via its VeriTime™ engine. It also implements Synchronous Ethernet (SyncE) compliant with ITU-T G.8262 for frequency synchronization. These capabilities meet stringent LTE/LTE-A fronthaul and backhaul timing requirements, delivering sub-100 ns phase accuracy under asymmetric path conditions.

How many 10 GbE interfaces does the VSC7468YIH-01 provide?

The VSC7468YIH-01 provides four 10 GbE interfaces implemented as XAUI or SFI SerDes lanes, each capable of 10.3125 Gbps line rate. These ports support both copper and optical media via appropriate PHYs and are fully integrated into the switch fabric with hardware-based flow control and QoS scheduling. They may be configured as uplinks to aggregation switches or interconnects to RAN controllers.

Is the VSC7468YIH-01 compliant with MEF CE 2.0 specifications?

Yes, the VSC7468YIH-01 is explicitly designed and verified for MEF CE 2.0 compliance. It supports all required EVC types (E-Line, E-LAN, E-Tree), per-EVC OAM (802.1ag, Y.1731), dual-rate policing and shaping, hierarchical QoS, and service activation testing per RFC 2544 and Y.1564. Its ViSAA™ architecture ensures hardware-enforced service isolation and SLA assurance across concurrent EVC instances.