Cisco and Litton-Fibercom Partner to Transport Video and Perform Circuit Emulation over ATM Networks

Strategic Insights -

Cisco Systems, a leading global supplier of enterprise networks, and Litton-Fibercom, a manufacturer of high-performance ATM intelligent service multiplexers, have formed a new partnership to enable customers to transport video images and perform circuit emulation over their Cisco-based Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) networks. The dual-pronged alliance calls for both joint marketing and technology sharing between the two companies.

Key Takeaways:

  • The partnership will allow customers to dispense with dedicated analog video networks and use the digital network infrastructure for shared data and video transmission.
  • The combination of Cisco's ATM switches and Litton-Fibercom's CAM multiplexers will enable customers to perform circuit emulation, long-distance interactive teleconferencing, telemedicine, or distance learning without the use of leased or dial-up lines.
  • The partnership will also enable users to connect a variety of services through an ATM network, converting non-ATM signals into ATM cells and multiplexing them onto a single DS-3 or OC-3c ATM UNI.
  • The modular CAM 7650 and 7640 platforms will handle both constant bit-rate (e.g., PBX) traffic and data (e.g., Ethernet or Token Ring LAN) traffic, and accept multiple video streams.
  • Litton-Fibercom's CAM products will allow users to integrate a subset of the Cisco Internetwork Operating System (Cisco IOS) to provide robust multiprotocol LAN interconnection.
  • McLeod Network Services uses both the Cisco and Litton-Fibercom products, citing the combination as an "unbeatable end-to-end price-performance solution."

Statistics:

  • Cisco's LightStream 100 ATM Switch supports 16 modular ATM interfaces and has a non-blocking capacity of 2.4-Gbps.
  • The LightStream 2020 ATM Switch supports ETHernet, FDDI, ATM, and Frame Relay and offers 3.6-Gbps capacity.
  • Litton-Fibercom's CAM 7650 platform supports 4 user service access modules, while the CAM 7640 platform supports 15 user service access modules.
  • The CAM 7650 and CAM 7640 platforms can handle multiple video streams and convert non-ATM signals into ATM cells.

Sources:

  • Cisco Systems, Inc., Steve Bauer, 408/526-4433
  • Ulevich & Orrange, William Orrange or Janis Ulevich, 415/329-1590
  • Litton-Fibercom, Jack Freeman, vice president of sales and marketing.