Hammerhead wades into edge

Hammerhead Systems today announced its latest edge solution, the HSX 6000 switch, along with a management platform, the Pegador Network Management System, to back it up.

The switch and NMS are both targeting incumbent carriers looking to migrate existing data services revenue from ATM to MPLS backboned. Specifically, the company is focusing in the density of the HSX 6000, which brings edge capacity up to 120Gb/s full duplex in a quarter RU. Additionally, the switch includes what Hammerhead is calling Service Agile Ports, which allow for software provisioning of any physical port for any service or speed.

Noting the thirst for Ethernet services in the access network, Hammerhead is positioning the switch as a key element that will bridge the existing infrastructures with the new IP-based services. Key to that is being able to take in virtually any type of interface and connect with the same on the other side of the box. In the case of the HSX 6000, that includes T1 to OC-192c/10GbE and frame/ATM/PPP/POS/Ethernet service interfaces.

"We have to be the equivalent of a slip differential," said Houman Modarres, director of product management at Hammerhead. "Exposing a layer 2 interface isn’t the same as running a service."

From an architecture standpoint, the HSX 6000 uses an internetworking internal engine that allows carriers to introduce new Ethernet-based services to their existing frame and ATM customers without cannibalizing their revenue. Hammerhead is claiming that capability as unique in the industry because it is bi-directional, control plane agnostic, and scalable.

"It helps the service provider offer that first Ethernet port to their frame relay customers, which is something they’ve been hesitant to do," Modarres said.