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RAD to offer complete suite of ethernet-over-SDH/SONET and PDH conversion solutions

Announcement posted by RAD Data Communications 22 Apr 2004

Single source for ethernet over any data rate for carrier and enterprise applications alike
RAD Data Communications today announced a unique set of Ethernet access solutions for service provisioning and carrier backhaul applications over low and high-speed SDH/SONET and PDH circuits that will be on show at CommunicAsia 2004 in Singapore in June.
The new products on display will include Gigabit Ethernet over SDH/SONET and PDH converters, an Ethernet inverse multiplexer and an Ethernet-over-SDH/SONET customer located equipment (CLE) termination unit, which supports advanced bandwidth management functionality such as virtual concatenation, link capacity adjustment scheme (LCAS) and generic framing protocol (GFP). These solutions are all available now to Australia customers.
With the addition of our Gigabit Ethernet converters and the Ethernet over SDH/SONET termination unit, RAD now boasts a wall-to-wall product suite of Ethernet-over-SDH/SONET and PDH infrastructure devices, states Udi Furman, General Manager, RAD Australia. These devices offer both service providers and end users the ability to transport Ethernet services over any data rate from fractional E1/T1 to full E1/T1, up to n x E1/T1 and STM-1, he continues. The benefit is that the industry now has a single source supplier for a range of carrier and campus applications."
New Converters at CommunicAsia: Gigabit Ethernet over SDH/SONET
At CommunicAsia, RAD will be displaying two new high speed Ethernet converters. The RIC-155 GE is a cost-competitive Gigabit Ethernet-over-STM-1 gateway, designed to efficiently deliver GbE traffic over SDH and PDH networks.
The second converter, the RIC-155A, features two Fast Ethernet ports to dynamically convert two different flows of Fast Ethernet traffic over an STM-1 link. Both devices are designed to better utilize the SDH interfaces full payload.
This is an especially attractive alternative for ISPs and carrier backhaul applications, or for carriers seeking new ways to provide high bandwidth Ethernet services to customers. The RIC-155 GE will also support Jumbo Frames of up to 9,000 bytes for higher network efficiency of large file transfers and video streams.
Ethernet over Low-Speed Networks
Much of the access to SDH/SONET networks is over lower speed PDH tributaries, Amir Karo, Director of Product Management at RAD Data Communications said. Few vendors offer carrier-class solutions for transporting Ethernet over fractional E1, E1/T1 or n x E1/T1. RADs introduction of its new RICi-E1/T1 and RICi-E3/T3 Ethernet-to-PDH managed converters, therefore, is an important milestone, because it will allow E1/T1 and E3/T3 lines with PDH interfaces to be fully utilized in transporting enterprise LAN traffic, alternative carrier services and cellular base station backhauling.
The state-of-the-art solution for transporting Ethernet services or connecting enterprise LANs at different locations over different rates PDH links usually requires the deployment of expensive WAN routers. Apart from the high capital expenses, however, this solution also obligates ongoing operating expenses for provisioning and upkeep.
In contrast, RADs new RICi devices are low cost and simple to install. Because they transport traffic transparently, irrespective of protocol, no changes in LAN configuration are required. This simplifies network planning and allows the different LANs connected to the network to function as if they are part of one, large single LAN. In addition, SNMP management support allows simple maintenance and monitoring of the entire network.
New Devices Bridge the Gap Between E1/T1 and E3/T3
Also to be introduced at CommunicAsia is RADs IMXi-4 intelligent inverse multiplexer. The device transports LAN or high speed data traffic across multiple, low cost TDM E1/T1 or SHDSL lines. By splitting traffic onto four E1/T1 or SHDSL links, the product enables transparent LAN services (TLS) or any other high speed data stream to be transmitted over wide area networks. The IMXi-4 transfers Ethernet packets transparently, enabling service providers to use their next generation equipment in a TDM environment. Wireless providers, moreover, can plug their IP-based equipment into the devices Ethernet interface to connect to the Ethernet-based central site over the TDM network.
Optimizing Ethernet Traffic Over SDH/SONET Infrastructure
Enabling customers to connect their LANs over SDH/SONET networks so that they utilize and pay only for the bandwidth they require is a major challenge for service providers, Karo said. This is due to the fact that SDH/SONET networks are optimised for digital voice, not for data. It is a particularly acute problem when there is a need for existing SDH/SONET networks to transport LAN traffic at various transport rates that are not inherent to SDH/SONET.
By provisioning additional bandwidth upon request, at a low granularity of 2 or 1.5 Mbps, SDH/SONET operators are able to offer customers Next Generation services over their existing networks, without any need for forklift upgrades, Karo added. Utilising new virtual concatenation technology at the low granularity of VC-12 (2 Mbps) or VT1.5 (1.5 Mbps) allows multiplexing Ethernet streams in such a way that the SDH/SONET pipeline is optimised for Ethernet traffic.
RAD will also feature at CommunicAsia its FCD-155 Ethernet-over-SDH/SONET CLE. This product uses virtual concatenation to map Ethernet traffic into SDH/SONET virtual containers in multiple increments of n x 2 Mbps (VC12) or n x 1.5 Mbps (VT1.5), up to full wire-speed Fast Ethernet. In addition to delivering Ethernet traffic across the SDH/SONET network, the FCD-155 transports additional TDM channels, up to a total of four E1/T1 lines, a single E3/T3 or a sub-STM-1 line.
About RAD
Established in 1981, privately owned RAD Data Communications has achieved international recognition as a major manufacturer of high quality access equipment for data communications and telecommunications applications. These solutions serve the data and voice access requirements of service providers, incumbent and new carriers, and enterprise networks, by reducing infrastructure investment costs while boosting competitiveness and profitability.
The company's installed base exceeds 8,000,000 units and includes more than 150 carriers and operators around the world. These customers are supported by 19 RAD offices and more than 200 distributors in 105 countries. RAD products were first launched in Australia in 1991, and it has been serving both enterprises and service providers with an array of networking and internetworking products and technologies through distributor channels. RAD opened a local office in Melbourne in November 2003, and appointed Udi Furman as General Manager, RAD Australia to develop the business in Oceania.
RAD Data Communications currently has two distributor partners in Australia, Paclink and Proactive Communication Systems. RAD products are distributed in New Zealand by Agile and in Papua-New Guinea by RADtel.
RAD is a member of the RAD Group of companies, a world leader in networking and internetworking product solutions. RAD Data Communications Australian website: www.raddata.com.au.