New IP switch scheme joins the fold

NEC became the latest entrant to the Internet protocol switching debate with its IP Switching over Fast ATM Transport (Ipsofacto) scheme for mapping IP to asynchronous transfer mode virtual circuits.

Ipsilon Networks first introduced a version of IP switching last year and has since signed up about 20 vendors. Cisco Systems has promised its own version - tag switching - to be included in its routers later this year. Toshiba announced its cell switched routing technology at the beginning of the year.

NEC's Ipsofacto is interoperable with Ipsilon's IP scheme as well as asynchronous transfer mode switches running the standard IP over ATM or multiprotocol over ATM stack. Ipsofacto processes the first IP packet to set up a switched virtual packet and moves the following IP packets directly to the ATM switched network. The ATM switch can then run a dual IP/ATM stack so that service providers can offer connectionless IP or guaranteed quality of service ATM offerings.

An exclusive Web site feature by Ken Pyle. Network planners are looking at "virtual copper pairs" or the use of electronics to extend the life of their embedded copper plant. www.internettelephony.com

ATM flow control from Cascade Cascade Communications is shipping a new family of processor cards for real-time flow control to manage traffic jams in asynchronous transfer mode networks last week. The flow control processor cards for the CBX 500 ATM switch automatically adjust traffic flow at the edge of the network to ease downstream congestion.

Allies for integration Sync Research and Nuera Communications are partnering to integrate data, voice and fax over frame relay. The multiyear alliance focuses on developing integrated serves based on Sync's FrameNode multiservice FRADs and a module version of Nuera's voice compression and packet transmission technology.