Nortel Networks introduced the third generation control and subscriber services modules for its Services Edge Router 5500 (formerly known as Shasta 5000 Broadband Services Node). The modules provide scalability and performance enhancements that enable broadband-optimized routing capabilities to be combined with broadband aggregation and IP services capabilities. These enhancements are scheduled for general availability in July 2004.
Services Edge Router 5500 is designed to increase the performance and scalability of the Shasta product line two-fold, doubling the number of VPNs supported and scaling to 64,000 subscribers per platform while providing QoS guarantees on a per-user basis. Services Edge Router 5500 will provide support for the DSL Forum's emerging TR-059 specification, a framework for delivering tiered IP levels of service over a DSL infrastructure.
SAVVIS Communications which is one of Nortel Networks largest Shasta 5000 Broadband Services Node (BSN) customers, is testing Services Edge Router 5500 in its global IP network. Shasta 5000 BSN is the core wide area network component of SAVVIS' new virtualized services delivery platform, which integrates network, hosting, storage and compute architectures to deliver virtualized managed utility services.
Nortel Networks said the Services Edge Router 5500 complements its recently announced Multiservice Provider Edge 9000 series. For large distributed networks, Services Edge Router 5500 provides subscriber management and personalization at the subscriber edge while feeding into the Multiservice Provider Edge 9000 series, which aggregates Layer 2 and Layer 3 access traffic into the provider core. Services Edge Router 5500 will also be able to serve as a 'services server,' supporting multiple Multiservice Provider Edge 9500 devices to provide security, remote access and other service capabilities. Nortel Networks Services Edge Router 5500 will be fully 'backward compatible' with Nortel Networks Shasta portfolio, which has been deployed in over 200 service provider and large enterprise networks around the world. http://www.nortelnetworks.com
- Nortel Networks unveiled its Multiservice Provider Edge (MPE) 9000 series platform for converging multiple services over an IP/MPLS core. At its customer conference in Miami, Nortel Networks' said its new platform would address the network reliability, service scalability and traffic prioritization shortcomings of current edge routers. Nortel's MPE design will support IP-VPN, ATM, Frame Relay, VPLS, Ethernet and broadband aggregation services for both the consumer and the business market. On the network reliability issue, Nortel is promising "Voice-Grade Reliability applied to all services" based on provides non-stop routing, hitless software upgrades, rollbacks and patching features. A separate Gigabit Ethernet control plane is separately from the data path. The first product in the series will be the MPE 9500, which is positioned for medium to large central offices. It features a mid-plane design with 40 Gbps or 80 Gbps of throughput. Commercial availability is slated for Q4. The company is also developing a smaller, 20 Gbps MPE 9200 version aimed at smaller POPs.
