Fore boosts ATM switch capacity

Fore Systems has introduced an OC-48c ATM switch that addresses the burgeoning bandwidth needs of public and private network operators.

The vendor's new ForeRunner ASX-4000 switch-which can scale to more than 100 Gb/s and features 40 Gb/s of non-blocking capacity-is designed to be used in the backbone of large enterprise networks or by carriers operating Internet protocol (IP) networks.

"One of the features that is attractive to [service providers] is the fact that we have full port density," said Tom Murray, Fore's product line manager for ForeRunner. "IP services have the fastest growth rate because people are trying to get to market with unique services."

The traffic management characteristics of the ASX-4000-which transport delay-sensitive constant bit-rate and variable bit-rate data without affecting bursty traffic-carry over from Fore's existing switches, all of which are based on the vendor's ForeThought code stream, Murray said.

"People are concerned both about overall size of the switch and with how it's managed," he said. "We have certain features in our code stream that are very unique to service providers."

One industry analyst noted that the switch's market positioning points to a trend of traditional enterprise vendors pushing equipment toward the public network.

"This is definitely a crossover box," said Melinda LeBaron, research director at The Gartner Group, pointing out the product's functionality as an edge switch for carrier networks. "You could easily do some type of striation and use it to feed the bigger switches."