Scorpio Communications Inc, New York has launched the Stinger Asynchronous Transfer Mode Switching Platform Family, claimed to provide Asynchronous Transfer switching offerings that dramatically reduce product development times. Available next month, the products will offer from 1.28Gbps to 10.24Gbps bandwidths. Each can be adapted by an OEM customer for a range of Asynchronous Transfer Mode-based communications equipment, said the company. Scorpio’s Stinger Platforms consist of Asynchronous Mode switching fabric boards, a chassis, a high-performance backplane, plug-in processor modules and power supplies. The backplane features Scorpio’s Open Bus Architecture, which supports plug-in and non-Asynchronous Mode interface boards. A full suite of software modules, including signalling, hardware drivers, and a Simple Network Management Protocol-based agent are also available, said the firm, along with a Network Management Console package running under HP OpenView. Features include a non-blocking and fully scalable architecture claimed to provide a low-entry cost, incremental bandwidth and port expansion; high-reliability architecture with N+1 fabric redundancy; provisions for chip redundancy, power supply redundancy and hot swappable modules; VCC and VPC switching; full multicast capability; support for four service classes; SVC and PVC support; Simple Network Management Protocol network management agent; User Network Interface and PNNI compliance; and the StingerView Network Management System. The Stinger Platform prices begin at $5,000.
