Cell Relay Archive

[ntwk@netcom.com (Network Synthesis)]

Bernard.Guillaumot (guillau@dialup.francenet.fr) wrote:
: Who have informations, pointers, any document source about
: Fast Packet Switching technology used by NT, STRATACOM, ...?

: I'm also interested by tests ideas, ie for acceptance tests.

: Thanks in advance.

: B. Guillaumot


The StrataCom IPX (which I helped design) is a fine product
which uses 24 byte cells instead of 53.  It was one of the first
commercial systems to use FastPacket(tm)-ATM technology.  We were
able to produce a voice/data/frame relay enterprise switch which
proved many of the concepts of cell switching and was a success
in the marketplace.  The technology that we used was almost 
indistinguishable from what has become standardized in ATM aside from
which bit is exactly where.  

The IPX, which was introduced in 1986, has undergone a number of 
incarnations.  It is most applied today as a cell based frame relay
solution for service providers.  It uses the Foresight(tm) closed
loop bandwidth management system, which is similar in spirit to the 
ABR algorithm, within their networks.  They are one of the 
dominant forces in ATM today because of their years of painful
learning experiences in making FastPacket/cell switching 
systems actually work in real networks. 

  Brian Holden
  Integrated Telecom/Network Synthesis
  ntwk@netcom.com