Boxborough, Massachusetts-based Xyplex Inc has announced the 7000 Series of stackable Asynchronous Transfer Mode switches, based on switch technology from Connectware Inc, a unit of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania-headquartered AMP Inc. The company has also revealed a partnership with ZeitNet Inc, under which the latter’s Asynchronous Mode technology will be integrated into Xyplex systems. Said to be the industry’s first stackable Asynchronous Mode switch family, the 7000 Series is interconnected via Xyplex’s StackPlane architecture, which provides a 4Gbps interconnection with a maximum of 10 microseconds latency between any two ports in the stack. The range is comprised of the 7100 family of stackable base and expansion switches and the 7210 ATM/LAN switch to enable local area network segments to be directly connected to the 7000 Series via the StackPlane. The 7100 range comprises the 7110 ATM Switch (12-port TAXI; the 7120 (12-port OC-3); the 7130 (16-port 155Mbps unshielded twisted pair); and the 7140 (16-port 25.6Mbps). In addition, said Xyplex, up to two 7210s can be added to any combination of stacked 7100 switches to provide up to eight switched 10Mbps Ethernet interfaces into the Asynchronous Mode switch stack. The 7000 Series is said to support the ATM Forum UNI 3.0 and 3.1 specifications; Q.2931 for switched virtual circuits; ATM Forum LAN Emulation; and Private Network-Network Interface, PrNNI. On the management side, the company said its ControlPoint, Simple Network Management Protocol application is optimised to support the 7000 Series and operates in conjunction with either SunNet Manager, HP OpenView/Unix or HP OpenView/Windows systems. The series can also be managed by any Simple Network Management Protocol-capable workstation equipped with appropriate 7000 Series Management Information Bases. The 7100 family will be out in the first quarter next year, except the 7120, which will ship this November. Prices start from ú8,900. The 7210, also out in first quarter next year, will list for ú6,000. Meantime, Xyplex has licensed Santa Clara, California-based ZeitNet’s ZATM software technology for integration into its products, including switching and routing modules for its Network 9000 hub, first unveiled back in 1992. The ZATM suite consists of ATM Forum-compliant software modules for IP over Asynchronous Transfer Mode; LAN Emulation; Interim Local Management Interface, ILMI; ATM Adaption Layer, AAL; and support for switched virtual circuits; and signalling. The first product to result from the deal will be an enhancement to Xyplex’s existing Asynchronous Transfer Mode edge router. To solidify the partnership, Xyplex’s parent, Lexington, Massachusetts-based Raytheon Co, has taken an undisclosed equity holding in ZeitNet. Further terms of the agreement were not released.
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