Madge Networks has announced an ATM-based switched network architecture designed to integrate data and real-time applications over a single network infrastructure, MadgeOne. Madge is aiming to offer a migration path from disparate LANs and PBXs to ATM-based switched networks. Like Bay and Lucent, Madge claims its new architecture will allow preserve investments in existing LAN technologies, by extending the reach of integrated voice, data and video networking into other topologies such as switched Ethernet and Token Ring, as well as existing telephone PBX and video conferencing kit. The company is hoping to ensure that the architecture is completely standards-based. David Palmer-Stevens, director of European regional marketing, said that a number of other manufacturers were supporting the architecture, which is based on existing standards such as Telephony over ATM and TAPI. A group has been formed to work on cell-in-frame and carry out interoperability testing; there are plans to submit the technology to the ATM Forum. Madge claims that existing users can take advantage of many features of the MadgeOne architecture without buying new equipment. Embedded in existing products is four levels of priority and flow control, which means we can provide a best-effort solution to existing customers, said Palmer-Stevens. It won’t be perfect, but it means customers don’t need to completely change their equipment. The various capabilities that go to make up MadgeOne will be released in stages. Quality of service support, call control services, routing services and network management extensions are due in the first half of next year. WAN services access will follow in the second half, and cell-in-frame support should be launched in the first half of 1998.
