San Jose, California-based Cisco Systems Inc and Southborough, Massachusetts-based Chipcom Corp have announced a joint development programme for delivering networking systems based on multivendor standards, Asynchronous Transfer Mode interoperability, and integration of key Cisco technologies into Chipcom products. The plans build on the partnership established between the two five years ago and expanded last year (CI No 2,488). The first part of the deal involves Chipcom delivering RISC-based engines for its ONcore switching system (CI No 2,344) that make use of Cisco Internetwork Operating System technology. These will be out later this year, but no further details were forthcoming. This aspect of the agreement is effectively a sub-set of Chipcom’s Open Hub programme (CI No 2,502), which is intended to allow products to take advantage of the management functionality in the hub, according to Sian Gould, marketing manager of Chipcom. The new Cisco-based engine will enable the integration of Ethernet and Token Ring local networks inside the ONcore system to Asynchronous Mode backbone networks, as well as to high-speed local and wide area networks. This will ensure compatibility of Chipcom’s switched network infrastructure with Cisco’s operating system, say the partners. The companies have also committed themselves to mutually testing and verifying the interoperation of their standards-based offerings for building Asynchronous Mode virtual networks. In addition, their field sales and service organisations will work together to promote the products. Gould dismissed the suggestion that a merger might be on the cards. We certainly have no plans to merge the companies. What we are trying to do is to ensure that the technology we’re offering is as broad as possible, said Gould.
