Californian neighbours StrataCom Inc, based in San Jose, and Santa Clara-headquartered SynOptics Communications Inc, have announced an alliance for enterprise-wide Asynchronous Transfer Mode networks. The companies say they will develop technologies to connect local and wide area Asynchronous Transfer Mode networks to create enterprise-wide Asynchronous Mode networks without costly intermediary devices. The alliance says it will address four key areas including the establishment of a path for building Switched Virtual Circuit-based Asynchronous Transfer Mode networking across the wide area with interoperability between SynOptics’ LattisCell and StrataCom’s BPX Asynchronous Transfer Mode switches, providing users with a means to achieve Switched Virtual Circuit functionality using existing public network capabilities that do not currently support Virtual Circuits. Also planned is development of Frame Relay and T1/E1 Asynchronous Transfer Mode interfaces for SynOptics’ LattisCell switch to provide wide area network links between it and StrataCom’s switches without the use of a router, while the companies will also integrate SynOptics’ Optivity and StrataCom’s StratView Plus network management systems to enable managers to manage their networks as a single entity; and integrating common flow control and class of service schemes to optimise network performance across local network and wide area network connections. The four areas of joint development outlined by the companies are also being addressed by the ATM Forum, of which both StrataCom and SynOptics are members. As part of the relationship, the two companies report that they will be demonstrating an enterprise-wide Asynchronous Transfer Mode network capability at the NetWorld + Interop show in Las Vegas next month. The demo is expected to highlight the interoperability between the two companies’ switches, with SynOptics’ LattisCell providing users with Switched Virtual Circuit communications in the local network arena, and StrataCom’s BPX switch transporting Virtual Circuits across a network connecting SynOptics switch sites in a way that can migrate to full Switched Virtual Circuit capabilities as public Switched Virtual Circuit services become available, say the partners. Separatelym SynOptics is expected to launch its smallest hub to date later this month. The new product, an Ethernet, Simple Network Management Protocol-managed hub, will be aimed at very small users said a company source.
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