美國博通公司（Broadcom）宣布，已同意斥資37億美元收購下一代網(wǎng)絡半導體供應商NetLogic微系統(tǒng)公司（NetLogic Microsystems），交易預計將于2012年上半年完成。 NetLogic總部位于美國加州圣克拉拉，主營業(yè)務包括為4G無線網(wǎng)絡提供芯片。博通表示，此次收購有助于擴展其基礎設施產(chǎn)品組合，補充入若干新的產(chǎn)品線和技術，包括知識型處理器、多核嵌入式處理器及數(shù)字前端處理器。 博通對NetLogic的收購價為每股50美元，比后者周五收盤時股價溢出57%。 該交易目前已獲博通、NetLogic兩家公司董事會批準，按收購成交慣例有待國內(nèi)外行業(yè)監(jiān)管部門以及NetLogic股東的批準。 “該交易符合博通股東所有層面上的意圖——戰(zhàn)略契合、領先技術和財政上揚。”博通公司總裁兼首席執(zhí)行官斯考特·麥格雷戈（Scott McGregor）表示。 博通還重申了其2011年第三季度的業(yè)務預期。該公司預計其收入將為先前業(yè)績指導范圍的19億美元至20億美元中間水平。同時該公司還預計到第三季度末其持有的現(xiàn)金及現(xiàn)金等價物約為42億美元，高于第二季度末的38億美元。 博通成立20年以來進行了多次收購交易。此前博通高管曾在接受記者采訪時表示，該公司的收購策略主要基于收購先進技術、領先團隊。同時據(jù)了解，此次博通收購NetLogic的交易規(guī)模為近年來半導體行業(yè)少有，略次于去年德州儀器65億美元收購國家半導體。 本文下一頁：EE Times專訪博通CTO {pagination} EE Times專訪博通CTO Samueli EE Times：你們以前的收購都集中在小公司，這是否標志著收購戰(zhàn)略的變化呢？ Samueli：這是迄今為止我們最大的收購，也是我們收購的第一家上市公司，但它不代表在戰(zhàn)略上的改變。在過去的5-10年，我們曾經(jīng)考慮過收購一些上市公司，但從來沒有像這次這么認真的去考慮。 你不能做太多的“這種規(guī)模的收購”。這填補了我們在高端嵌入式處理器的短板。在未來，當我們積累了足夠的競爭資本后，將恢復到原來的“濃縮就是精華”類型。那樣會更有趣。 EET：這筆交易背后的故事是什么？ Samueli：我們一直在尋找目標公司，這是一個非常積極主動的過程。在我們的歷史上，已經(jīng)收購了約50家公司，約每季度一個或兩個。這些被收購的公司IT，設施，人力資源都已經(jīng)全部到位。但他們都是50-100人的小公司。 對于三到五年計劃，我們一直想進入到高端的嵌入式處理器市場。這是一個我們的產(chǎn)品組合中的短板，而他們恰恰有最佳路線圖。 EET：為什么不選擇Cavium？他們有那么多的市場份額，市值還比較低。 Samueli：[Cavium]當然是有可能的。我們著眼于公司的長期路線圖，包括初始階段。我們不是為了短期收益，而是人才與產(chǎn)品的長期投資。 我們相信，NetLogic的XLP處理器系列將會是最好的。這是我們對未來的賭注。 XLP的quad-issue, 四線程，無序（out-of-order）核心在行業(yè)中是最高性能的核心之一。它在一個芯片中容納2到20個內(nèi)核，一塊電路板可容納高達160個內(nèi)核的可擴展性，對我們非常有吸引力。 此外，他們的基帶知識（2009年收購了IDT）可以補強我們的寬帶交換機。 EET：NetLogic會改變其設計流程嗎？ Samueli：從我們評估看來，它的工具和鑄造廠有著很多共性。我不希望任何重大改變。他們有了更多的IP分享和重復使用機會。 EET：你有沒有為他們的產(chǎn)品和您的IP庫為基礎的新的集成產(chǎn)品的計劃呢？ Samueli：在短期內(nèi)暫時沒有。他們還會繼續(xù)其現(xiàn)有的路線圖。在中期，有機會混合使用IP，但我們不希望太具破壞性。一旦我們把所有聰明的設計防到一起，他們就會衍生出新產(chǎn)品和有趣的想法。 EET：今天你們和NetLogic在硅谷的第一次會議如何？ Samueli：這是一個積極性很高的會議，大家提出了很多問題。他們好奇我們?nèi)绾巫鰳I(yè)務，我們?nèi)绾螄@一個中心工程團隊，去提升我們的設計，要知道我們在世界各地設有68個芯片設計中心。 EET：NetLogic的XLP二代將使用28nm技術。博通現(xiàn)在有正在進行的28nm設計嗎？ Samueli：我們有幾個開發(fā)中的28nm產(chǎn)品。所有中央工程團隊現(xiàn)在都在致力于28nm產(chǎn)品，包括模擬和RF。我們的交換機目前都是40nm的，一旦他們他們進入量產(chǎn)，我們所有的設計團隊將把重心轉移到28nm上。基帶和應用處理器也是如此。 我們與代工廠的合作包括：臺積電，GLOBALFOUNDRIES和聯(lián)華電子。臺積電處于強勢地位（在28nm方面）。目前還不清楚它們將如何進入14nm，而且20nm的雙重暴光（double patterning）面臨的問題是太昂貴了 。一切都變得困難，因為你要發(fā)展到下一個節(jié)點。 EET：您對EDA供應商有愿望清單（wish list）嗎？ Samueli：很多。在每一代新設計工具中都有很多問題，有些甚至不存在于前一代。由于工具數(shù)量增長，我們需要實現(xiàn)工具流程和接口的無縫對接。我們還需要可以處理縮放的工具，因為我們芯片中有接近10億的晶體管??。 EET：您如何看待有關ARM為基礎的服務器，這是否是當今的另一大COMMS基礎設施概念？ Samueli：這是一個有趣的市場，ARM和MIPS都有可能去搶占。它與軟件生態(tài)系統(tǒng)息息相關。如果該軟件是存在的，它就不需要那么多的硬件架構。你會看到一些其他架構在未來幾年出現(xiàn)，但不是我們現(xiàn)在的重點。 編譯：Luffy Liu 本文授權編譯自EE Times，版權所有，謝絕轉載 參考英文原文：Broadcom to buy NetLogic for $3.7 billion，by Peter Clarke;B'com's Samueli on NetLogic and more，by Rick Merritt

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{pagination} Broadcom to buy NetLogic for $3.7 billion Peter Clarke LONDON – Communications chip company Broadcom is set to buy NetLogic Microsystems for $3.7 billion net of cash assumed. Under the agreement, shareholders of NetLogic Microsystems Inc. (Santa Clara, Calif.) will receive $50 per share. Broadcom is a market leading fabless chip company with a foundation built on broadband communications. The acquisition extends Broadcom's portfolio in such areas as knowledge-based processors and multi-core embedded processors. The transaction has been approved by the Broadcom (Irvine, Calif.) and NetLogic Microsystems boards of directors and is subject to customary closing conditions, including the receipt of domestic and foreign regulatory clearances and the approval of NetLogic Microsystems' stockholders. The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2012. "This transaction delivers on all fronts for Broadcom's shareholders - strategic fit, leading-edge technology and significant financial upside," said Scott McGregor, Broadcom's president and CEO, in a statement issued by NetLogic. "This is a strong win for customers, for shareholders and for NetLogic Microsystems employees," said Ron Jankov, NetLogic Microsystems' president and CEO, in the same statement. Broadcom said by the end of the third quarter of 2011 it expects to have approximately $4.2 billion in cash and cash equivalents on hand, up from approximately $3.8 billion at the end of the second quarter. B'com's Samueli on NetLogic and more Rick Merritt SAN JOSE – Henry Samueli, chief technology officer of Broadcom, shared his thoughts on the company's $3.7 billion bid to buy NetLogic following his first meeting with NetLogic employees in Silicon Valley. EE Times: Does this mark a change in your acquisition strategy previously focused on small companies? Henry Samueli: This is by far our largest acquisition and our first of a public company, but it's not a change in strategy. We've looked at acquiring numerous public companies in the last 5-10 years, but never got too serious about any of them. You can't do too many [acquisitions of this size]. This fills a huge hole in the high-end embedded processor space for us. For the foreseeable future we'll revert back to smaller, tuck-in type deals as we build up our war chest. There are so many interesting companies out there. EET: What was the story behind this deal? Samueli: We're always looking at companies; it's a very pro-active process. We have acquired about 50 companies in our history, that's about one or two per quarter. We have the process down pat for IT, facilities, HR--it's all in place. But historically it's been smaller 50-100 people companies. For three to five years we have wanted to expand into the high-end embedded processor space. That was a hole in our portfolio, and they had the best road map. EET: Why not Cavium which has more market share and a lower market cap? Samueli: [Cavium] certainly was a possibility. We looked at the long term road maps of all the companies out there, including startups. We are not doing this for short-term gains, but for a long term investment in the people and products. We believe NetLogic's XLP processor line will be the highest performance one out there. We are betting on the future. The XLP's quad-issue, quad-threaded, out-of-order core is one of the most high performance cores in the industry. It's scalability to put two to 20 cores on a chip and 160 on a board was very attractive to us. Also, their knowledge-based processors [acquired from IDT in 2009] complement our broadband switches. And their Optichron acquisition in wireless complements our own recent acquisitions in microwave backhaul and small cells. We are now developing a very significant portfolio in wireless infrastructure. EET: Will NetLogic have to change its design flow? Samueli: From our due diligence, it looks like there's a lot of commonality in tools and foundries. I don’t expect any significant changes. They just have a lot more opportunity in IP sharing and reuse now. EET: Do you have any plans for new integrated products based on their offerings and your IP libraries? Samueli: Not in short term. They will pursue their existing road maps. In the medium term, there are opportunities to mix and match IP, but we don’t want to be too disruptive. Once we put all the smart architects together, they will come up with interesting ideas for new products. EET: How was your first meeting at NetLogic in Silicon Valley today? Samueli: It was an all hands meeting and very positive with great questions. They were curious about how we do business, how we scale up our design infrastructure around a central engineering team to deal with 68 design centers around the world contributing to chip design. EET: NetLogic's XLP II will use 28nm technology. Does Broadcom have many 28nm designs in progress today? Samueli: We have several 28nm products in development. All central engineering is now working on 28nm libraries, including analog and RF. Our switches are 40nm today, and once they are in production the entire design team is off working on next gen which is 28nm. The same is true for basebands and applications processors. We work with all the foundries—TSMC, Globalfoundries and UMC. TSMC is in a strong position [at 28nm]. It's still unclear how they all will implement 14nm, and the whole issue of double patterning at 20nm is expensive--everything gets exponentially more difficult as you move to next node. EET: Any wish list for your EDA vendors? Samueli: Plenty. There are many new tools in each generation to solve problems that didn’t even exist in prior generation. As the number of tools grows, we need help making the tool flows and interfaces seamless. We also need tools that can handle scaling as we approach billion-transistor chips. EET: What do you think about ARM-based servers, another big comms infrastructure concept out there today? Samueli: It's an interesting market that ARM and even MIPS has the potential to address. It's all about the software ecosystem. If the software is there, it doesn’t matter so much about the hardware architecture. You'll see some alternative architectures appear over the next several, but that’s not our focus for now.