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GT-48004A Four Port Switched Fast Ethernet Controller
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Revision 1.0
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1.
Functional Overview
The GT-48004A is a high-performance, low-cost, Switched Fast Ethernet Controller that provides packet switching
functions between four, on-chip, 10/100Mbps, auto-negotiated ports and the 2 Gbps Fast PCI backplane. The GT-
48004A uses the innovative GalNet Switching Architecture to allow expansion to additional Ethernet and Fast Ether-
net ports.
The GT-48004A is a higher-speed derivative of the two-port GT-48002A. Two GT-48002A functional blocks are inte-
grated into the GT-48004A and the following enhancements are added:
The DRAM bus bandwidth is doubled from the GT-48002A (35 ns EDO DRAMs are used versus 70 ns on the
GT-48002A)
A 66MHz Fast PCI bus is used for interconnect on the GT-48004A versus a standard 33MHz PCI bus on the
GT-48002A. Galileo will be offering the GT-64120 device which will bridge between 64-bit MIPS processors
and Fast PCI.
From a software standpoint, the GT-48004A looks like two independent GT-48002A devices, thus making software
migration extremely simple for customers already using GalNet Architecture Devices.
The GT-48004A integrates two GT-48002A Fast Ethernet Switch units, and each unit is given separate access to the
PCI bus. This means that from a hardware point of view, the GT-48004A looks like two GT-48002A devices sharing the
“bussed” PCI signals. Non-bussed PCI signals (like IdSel*) are brought to separate package pins. See below for more
details.
Some features were deleted from the GT-48002A functionality in the GT-48004A. The parallel LED interface was
removed due to pinout constraints. The RMON FIFO support was also removed; primarily because it is almost never
used and it take 2 pins. All RMON/SNMP counter functionality remains in the GT-48004A.
1.1
The GalNet Switching Architecture
The GalNet Switching Architecture is based on a proprietary messaging protocol using the industry standard PCI bus
as a medium. GalNet devices are designed to connect seamlessly allowing packets to be switched between devices
without processor intervention (see
Figure 1). Each GalNet device acts as an intelligent agent, sharing information
between all other devices in the system. For example, when one GalNet device learns a new address, it automatically
updates all other GalNet devices via the NEW_ADDRESS message. GalNet messages are defined as
write-only
(request/response) in order to achieve the maximum bandwidth from the PCI bus.
The GalNet Architecture Family currently consists of three products: the GT-48001A (eight ports of 10BaseX), the GT-
48002A (two ports of 100BaseX), and the GT-480031 (two ports of 100VG-AnyLAN). In addition, Galileo Technology
provides a number of other complementary PCI interface products for popular microprocessors.
1.2
Fast Ethernet Ports
The GT-48004A integrates four Fast Ethernet ports. Each port works at 10/100Mbps (half-duplex) or 20/200Mbps (full-
duplex). Four Media Independent Interfaces (MII) are provided for glueless connection to off-the-shelf PHY chips. The
GT-48004A supports full auto-negotiation for capable PHYs. Therefore, the speed (10 or 100 Mbps) and duplex (half or
full) which the PHY resolves to operate is automatically reported to the GT-48004A in both managed and unmanaged
systems. The port can also be forced to operate in a certain mode, if so desired. Each port includes the Media Access
Control function (MAC) and six LEDs for Link Status, Collision, Receive Transmit, Half/Full Duplex and Receive Buffer
Full indications. The GT-48004A incorporates full MII management support. The MDC/MDIO pins are directly con-
trolled by the CPU.
1. The GT-48003 is now obsolete.