Cisco builds on AccessPath line: AS5300 access switch at heart of LS3, TS3 solutions

Cisco Systems added two carrier-class, integrated dial access systems to its AccessPath product family last week.

The AccessPath LS3 and AccessPath TS3 incorporate Cisco's new AS5300 access server, introduced in early October. The LS3 and TS3 are designed to let carriers offer value-added services, including virtual private networks and multiprotocol service, at very high performance and port-density levels.

The LS3 is designed for small to medium-sized points of presence and scales from 96 to 384 ports in North America and from 120 to 480 ports overseas. The TS3 scales from 192 to 2016 ports in North America and from 240 to 2520 ports in E-1 configurations. The LS3 is currently available, and the company plans to deploy the TS3 in early 1998.

Cisco also sought to address processing power along with increased port density through its stackable architecture, said Berton Keith, product line manager for AccessPath. "We're adding one new access server with each 96 modems," Keith said, referring to LS3 deployment.

Cisco is using a new AccessPath system controller to manage the LS3 and TS3 systems. The controller allows carriers to manage the system through a single controller and stores data rather than continuously uploading to the network operations center (NOC). That allows management of data uploads to the NOC and prevents data from being lost if the NOC connection is lost.

Cisco's new "building-block" approach is well suited for high-end users who need scalability, said Craig Johnson, analyst with Sterling, Va.-based Current Analysis. But Cisco entered the dial access market late and still must address certain weaknesses, he said.

The lack of an NOC-based management component has hurt Cisco's ability to sell a "soup-to-nuts" solution. Johnson pointed to U S West and BBN as examples. Cisco equipment is prevalent in their networks, but they selected other companies' management systems.

"The challenge for Cisco," Johnson said, "is that the network management is not there."