Southborough, Massachusetts-based Chipcom Corp has unveiled InfiNET, claiming it to be the first integrated family of packet-switching systems based on a core ‘switching fabric’. According to Chipcom, InfiNET unifies all its switching systems, including the ONcore Switching System (CI No 2,470), and the Galactica Network Switching Hub and StarBridge Turbo Network Switch lines it acquired through the buy-out of Artel Communications Corp last March (CI No 2,358), into a single switching family. The initial InfiNET products include an application for Chipcom’s ONdemand network management system; new modules and software for Galactica; and new Switch Modules for ONcore. The new SNMP-based management application, ONdemand SwitchCentral, is said to deliver graphical configuration management and monitoring for the Galactica and StarBridge products. It will be compatible with future ONcore System packet-switching and Asynchronous Transfer Mode products. According to the company, it can either run as a stand-alone system, or integrated with ONdemand, and is also said to provide port-level management and monitoring capabilities that enable users to set defined filters for data control and to monitor port statistics. The Galactica Ethernet 10Base-FB Module provides new Ethernet-over-fibre communications for the Galactica hub. while the Galactica Single Mode Fibre Distributed Data Interface Module is said to enable users to bridge 24 Ethernet segments simultaneously to a remote FDDI backbone ring at distances of up to 12 miles. The Galactica Embedded Software Version 3.0 is said to feature Fibre-to-Fibre Distributed Data Interface switching, enabling connections to more than one FDDI backbone, custom filters and ‘extensive’ local console management, enabling complete system control of the Galactica for users that prefer terminal-based management.
Internetworking
The ONcore Multiprotocol Switch Modules come in single-slot and dual-slot versions, and are said to provide local area network packet switching and internetworking for ONcore. The single-slot module connects up to six of eight Ethernet segments on the ONcore System back plane, while the dual-slot version can also support up to two optional input-output boards for connections to additional Ethernet or Token Ring networks. The two-slot version will also support future InfiNET wide area network, FDDI and Asynchronous Transfer Mode input-output modules, says the company. Both RISC-based modules are said to support transparent local-to-local area network packet switching, with full translation and Source Routing Transparent bridging. Wide area network internetworking support includes the Point-to-Point Protocol, Frame Relay and X.25. Multiprotocol routing support includes Internet Protocol, Internet Package Exchange and DECnet. ONdemand SwitchCentral will ship in 90 days for $4,000. The Galactica 10Base-FB and Single Mode Fibre Distributed Data Interface Modules, priced at $12,400 and $17,000 respectively, and Galactica Embedded Software Version 3.0 will ship in 45 days, for $750. Finally, the ONcore Multiprotocol Switch Modules will be available in 60 days, with prices starting from $10,000.
