Why PicOS® Switches Should Choose Broadcom Chips?
Updated at Jun 26th 20241 min read
In the world of networking, switch chips play a significant role in ensuring fast and seamless data transfer. These tiny components are the heart of the switches, ensuring that network traffic flows smoothly and efficiently. This blog post will explore the importance of the switch chip in PicOS® switches, highlighting their roles, applications, and why Broadcom chips are chosen to enhance their performance.
The Importance of Switch Chips
Let's take a look at a switch or router box. Usually, these devices feature a high-performance switch chip mounted on a circuit board, equipped with fans and power supplies to ensure proper operation. The number of front panel ports varies based on the device's bandwidth, and these ports are used for connecting cables via pluggable modules like optical transceivers. A control plane CPU, which commonly runs a Network Operating System (NOS) like SONiC or a proprietary NOS, manages these devices. Above the NOS, various application stacks are executed.
In summary, the switching chip is a fundamental component of a switch, crucially influencing its performance. This chip determines various key aspects, such as the speed of the interfaces the switch can support, the number of interfaces available, and the overall capabilities and features of the device. Essentially, the switching chip plays a pivotal role in defining the switch's operational efficiency and functionality.

Introduction to Broadcom and Its Network Chip Series
In today's rapidly evolving technological landscape, the selection of switch chips plays a crucial role in determining the overall performance, scalability, and reliability of a company's network infrastructure. Why has Broadcom emerged as a standout among the numerous chip companies?
Broadcom Inc., founded in 1961, is a global technology leader specializing in the design, development, and supply of a wide range of semiconductor and infrastructure software products.
The networking chip at the heart of the switch/router determines the effectiveness of the box. Broadcom collaborates with customers from various industries, and this extensive experience has equipped it with the ability to provide networking chips for diverse markets.
Name | Product Positioning | Definition | Features |
Tomahawk | Hyperscale data centers and high-performance computing (HPC) networks. | Designed to meet the high throughput and low latency requirements of hyperscale data centers, suitable for scenarios such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence and big data. | High port density, support for 100G/400G, high bandwidth and low latency. |
Trident | High-end data centers and enterprise core networks. | Switches and routers for high performance and high scalability, commonly used in top-of-rack (TOR) and core switching applications in large data centers. | High-density 10G/25G/40G/100G ports, support for advanced network features. |
Hurricane | Small and medium-sized enterprise networks. | Suitable for enterprise-level switches and routers, providing lower density interfaces such as 1G/10G suitable for small and medium-sized enterprise environments or edge devices of large enterprises. | Balance between performance and cost, suitable for medium interface density. |
Helix | Access layer and edge level applications. | Used in VoIP, network storage, home network and small and medium enterprises, usually provides Gigabit Ethernet (GigE, 1G) interface. | High cost performance, basic network management and security functions. |
Wolfhound | Low-power, low-cost IoT devices. | Designed for low-power, low-cost IoT devices, providing flexible connectivity options. | Low power consumption, small size, multiple wireless protocol support. |

Three Questions on Why FS Chooses Broadcom Chips
Q1: How long has the company invested in the development and manufacturing of networking chips?
A: Broadcom has been designing, innovating, and supplying networking chips for over 30 years.
Q2: What about the reliability and stability of Broadcom chips?
A: Broadcom chip solutions have the advantages of high-speed data transmission, low latency and high throughput, which help improve the performance of campus network switches and ensure high performance and high stability.
Q3: How do Broadcom chips enhance network scalability?
A: Broadcom chips offer excellent scalability with multiple uplink configurations, enabling seamless network expansion and upgrades.
FS selects Broadcom chips due to Broadcom's longstanding track record of innovation, substantial investment in research and development, significant revenue contribution from networking, and extensive experience in the development and manufacturing of networking chips. These factors collectively ensure reliable, cutting-edge, and high-performance networking solutions for FS.
The Perfect Combination of PicOS® Switch and Broadcom Chip
FS PicOS® switches offer high-performance networking solutions for enterprise networks with its S5810 and S5860 series switches, both utilizing advanced Broadcom chips.

S5860 Series
The FS S5860 Series Layer 3 Managed Switches, equipped with Broadcom's Hurricane chips (BCM56170), are next-generation high-performance and highly secure 10 Gigabit Ethernet switches. Powered by advanced Broadcom chips, these switches offer features like MLAG, PoE++ and multiple uplink options. These enterprise switches come with high-performance hardware and comprehensive functions to ensure easy operation and network reliability for various deployment scenarios. They can be applied in the enterprise network design of a traditional three-layer structure of core layer, aggregation layer, and access layer, seeking to improve scalability, performance, flexibility, resiliency, and maintenance.
Model | Broadcom Chip | Ports | Switching Capacity | Forwarding Rate | PoE | MLAG Support | PicOS® Support | |
Hurricane | BCM56170 | 20x 1G/10G SFP+ | 4x 10G/25G SFP28, 2x 40G QSFP+ | 760 Gbps | 565 Mpps | ✔ | ✔ | ||
24x 100M/1000M/2.5G/5GBase-T |4x 10G/25G SFP28 | 440 Gbps | 327 Mpps | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |||
24x 100M/1000M/2.5G/5G/10GBase-T, 4x 10G SFP+ | 4x 25Gb SFP28 | 440 Gbps | 327 Mpps | ✔ | ✔ | ||||
24x 100M/1000M/2.5G/5G/10GBase-T, 4x 1G/10G SFP+ | 4x 10G/25G SFP28 | 760 Gbps | 565 Mpps | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |||
48x 100M/1000M/2.5G/5G/10GBase-T, 4x 25G SFP28 | 2x 40Gb QSFP+ | 1.32 Tbps | 565 Mpps | ✔ | ✔ | ||||
48x 100M/1000M/2.5G/5G/10GBase-T, 4x 10G/25G SFP28 | 2x 40G QSFP+ | 1.32 Tbps | 565 Mpps | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
S5810 Series
Engineered with cutting-edge Broadcom chip, these powerful switches provide switching capacity of up to 176 Gbps and forwarding rates of 132 Mpps. Furthermore, the series embraces future-ready networking by offering full IPv4/IPv6 dual-stack support, empowering businesses to seamlessly transition between protocols without sacrificing performance or security. This versatility makes the S5810 series switches an ideal choice across a spectrum of industries, from Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and telecommunication giants to the fast-paced worlds of retail, sports, entertainment, and manufacturing.
Model | Broadcom Chip | Ports | Switching Capacity | Forwarding Rate | PoE | MLAG Support | PicOS® Support | |
Helix4 | BCM56340 | 48x 10/100/1000BASE-T | 4x 1G/10G SFP+ | 176 Gbps | 132 Mpps | ✔ | ✔ | ||
BCM56340 | 48x 1G SFP | 4x 1G/10G SFP+ | 176 Gbps | 132 Mpps | ✔ | ✔ | |||
BCM56340 | 48x 100/1000BASE-T RJ45 | 4x 1G/10G SFP+ | 176 Gbps | 132 Mpps | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||
BCM56342 | 24x 10/100/1000BASE-T RJ45, 4x 1G RJ45/SFP Combo | 4x 1G/10G SFP+ | 136 Gbps | 102 Mpps | ✔ | ✔ | |||
BCM56342 | 28x 1G SFP, 8x 1G RJ45/SFP Combo |4x 1G/10G SFP+ | 136 Gbps | 102 Mpps | ✔ | ✔ |
Conclusion
Switch chips are pivotal to the performance, reliability, and efficiency of network switches. FS PicOS® switches, equipped with Broadcom chips, deliver superior data transmission capabilities, low latency, and energy-efficient operations. Combined with the advanced PicOS® operating system and the AmpCon™ centralized management platform, these switches enhance network performance, reliability, simplified management, and security. FS PicOS® switches stand out as a valuable choice for enterprises looking to optimize their network infrastructure.