Fore Systems Inc has filled in one of the few remaining pieces of its Asynchronous Transfer Mode strategy with the launch of the CellPath family of Asynchronous Mode wide area network access multiplexers. Aimed at both corporate customers and service providers, the new members of the family kick off with the CellPath 90 and the 90E, T1 and E1 versions of the same product. Each of these provides one Asynchronous Mode T1/E1 port and either two or four application ports (which include two serial RS-530/V.35/X.21 interfaces, a single channelized T1/E1 interface and an Ethernet port). The product is said to support Asynchronous Mode DXI or Frame Relay internetworking, as well as remote bridging and circuit emulation services for phone, PABX trunking, and videoconferencing applications. Next up is the CellPath 200, pitched at mid-range applications, which provides adaptation and aggregation for over 50 voice, video and data applications onto a single DS3/E3 or OC-3/STM-1 connection. Options include interfaces for analog and digital PABXs, low speed data, and Nx56/64Kbps videoconferencing. Finally, the high- end CellPath 300 is an eight-slot modular system with support for Asynchronous Mode interfaces including T1/E1, T3/E3, and OC- 3/STM-1 single- and multi-mode. It has a claimed throughput of 524Mbps and in common with the rest of the family supports packet data networking and circuit emulation services for legacy applications. All of the products are manageable via Fore’s ForeView network management system. The 90 and 300 are due to ship imminently with prices starting at $6,000 and $20,000 respectively. The 90E, also starting at $6,000, and the 200, starting at $20,000, will follow in the summer.
