Cisco cleans up again: Strengthens service provider grip with ATM

HarvardNet, Avista Communications and Info Avenue this week will reveal their network lineage and detail plans to deploy ATM multiservice switches that also support IP applications, all using equipment from Cisco Systems.

HarvardNet is using Cisco's BPX 8680 IP+ATM multiservice switches and Cisco's 12000 GSR to power its network running from Maine to Virginia. The switches are multiprotocol label switching (MPLS)-enabled.

"The equipment enables us to offer a suite of intelligent services," said Larry Jarvis, chief technology officer for HarvardNet. "The customer makes the decision on when they want to purchase additional bandwidth."

Customers also can specify traffic priorities. "It is like a dashboard. If you want to change and reselect, it will dynamically adapt to that," Jarvis said

The ability to prioritize was a deciding factor for wholesale ISP Info Avenue. "The ease of operation of all the equipment didn't hurt, either," said Ann DiSilvestre, Info Avenue president and chief operating officer. The provider recently completed the first phase of its deployment of the switches.

For Avista, which targets Tier 3 and Tier 4 markets, the scalability and flexibility of the equipment were big draws. "The fact that we can pack high speed and low speed [into the same box] was huge," said Chad Skidmore, director of business development for Avista. "It helps us extend into more rural markets."

Avista is testing Cisco's multiservice switches and hopes to deploy them soon, he added.

Cisco, which advocates migrating to IP, sees the equipment as a path for IP-focused service providers that are looking at offering voice services. "It will open a lot of doors," said Rob Redford, director of marketing for Cisco.