Mountain View, California-based Hughes LAN Systems has introduced a new range of Ethernet switching and Asynchronous Transfer Mode modules for its Enterprise Hub. The family includes an Asynchronous Transfer Mode Ethernet switch Module, an Asynchronous Transfer Mode Network Interface Module with a modular multimode fibre-based Sonet STS-3c (155Mbps) interface, and a 1.6Gbps ATM Backplane. The Ethernet Switch Module reportedly provides dedicated 10Mbps to each of its eight 10Base-T ports. According to the company, it interfaces to the Enterprise Hub’s ATM Backplane, providing Asynchronous Transfer Mode backbone access for workgroups, servers and other hubs. It is also said to interface to the hub’s Ethernet backplane, where traffic can be bridged or routed to Ethernet, Token Ring, FDDI or wide area network backbones. Each conversion on the module is said to be configurable as a normal bridge port with up to 4096 learned addresses, a dedicated port with a single address, or as a secure port only permitting authorised access. The Asynchronous Transfer Mode Network Interface Module features two external private User-to-Network Interface ports for hub-to-Asynchronous Transfer Mode and hub-to-hub configurations, and a third Asynchronous Transfer Mode backplane port. Hughes says it will support the Private Network-to-Network Interfaces standard when fully specified by the Asynchronous Transfer Mode forum. Physical interface support for DS-3 and STS-3c over Category 5 Twisted Pair is planned in the near future. The 1.6Gbps ATM Backplane is said to support all types of network traffic, including all ATM Adaptation Layers, permitting support of packet data, video and voice traffic within the Enterprise Hub. Hughes says it will enable users to configure point-to-point, point-to-multipoint, and multipoint-to-multipoint connections. The ATM Backplane is $2,500, with the Network Interface Module priced at $6,000 and the Switch Module at $3,000; they will be out in the fourth quarter.
