To complement the chassis launch, Alcatel has crafted hardware and software options that can be rolled out across all four of its service edge router designs.
In hardware, the company is introducing two half-slot media device adapter (MDA) cards for channelized operation. The MDAs include a 12-port channelized DS-3/OC-3 card, as well as a single-port, channelized OC-12/STM-4 card. Each of the cards supports 512 channels as well as frame relay, PPP, multi-link PPP and bridge control protocol encapsulation. The cards also come with an on-board network processor that can perform on-card multilink bundling.
Multilink bundling is typically handled by sending streams to a centralized processor. But Alcatel has opted for a distributed model in its new module architectures, implementing the company's homegrown network processor on card to handle multilink bundling tasks.
"This frees up the centralized processor to do other things," Newell said.
In addition, Alcatel is supporting coarse wavelength division multiplexing through the release of small-form-factor pluggable (SFP) modules for its 7750 platforms. These modules operate over the 1,470- to-1,610-nm range, deliver up to 70 km, and can be used to establish point-to-point Ethernet links over optical rings.
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