Newbridge Networks Inc of Kanata, Ontario has become the first to deliver support for the ATM Forum’s embryonic MPOA Multiprotocol over Asynchronous Transfer Mode standard for routing local network traffic across Asynchronous Mode networks. The technology – which is still only at the Baseline Text stage within the Forum – is implemented in version 2.0 of Newbridge’s Vivid software and will be generally available from April 15. Multiprotocol over Asynchronous Mode is designed to build on the Forum’s existing Local Area Network Emulation specification: whereas that provides Layer 2 bridging, Multiprotocol over Asynchronous Mode is designed to handle Layer 3 routing. Although following a recent Forum decision, the Emulation will go into the full Multiprotocol over Asynchronous specification as well. Peter Rauch, assistant vice-president of marketing for Newbridge’s Vivid business unit, reckons risks associated with implementing such an embryonic standard so early are limited: if any changes are introduced prior to the standard’s adoption, it is confident that it can incorporate them easily into Vivid. Newbridge is not planning, however, to incorporate Local Net Emulation support until after the standard is finalized – Rauch says this is is because we started product development with the goal of doing routing, and LANE 1.0 does not offer the extensions that would be able to provide routing functionality. Vivid v2.0 will be offered at no price premium over the existing version, and software upgrade kits will be offered to registered Vivid customers free. Newbridge is also planning to release a Vivid 2.0 Starter Kit – comprising a Vivid Workgroup Switch, a Yellow Ridge Ethernet Switch, Route Server, System Manager software, and an Sbus Network Interface Card – all for $50,000.
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