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Sales Update Volume 25, Issue #9 01-NOV-1993
ATM Products -- Digital Announces the Industry-Leading Rollout
Contacts:
Diana Larrea, DTN 226-5209, (508) 486-5209, LKG
Gailyn Casaday, DTN 226-6116, (508) 468-6116, LKG
Bernie Zarin, DTN 226-7265, (508) 468-7265, LKG
Dennis Majikas, DTN 226-6356, (508) 468-6356, LKG
Steve Allen, DTN 226-7223, (508) 468-7223, LKG
Gary Holland, DTN 830-6040, [44](734)206040, REO
HIGHLIGHTS
o ATM, or asynchronous transfer mode, is an important emerging networking
technology for the LAN and WAN
o Digital is advancing ATM technology to support its high performance
computing and networking vision -- no other vendor has a more complete
plan for providing a production-ready solution
o The combination of Digital's networking and systems expertise has enabled
Digital to solve many system-level problems not being addressed by
ATM-only vendors
o Digital has developed unique features for its ATM solutions that,
combined, provide end-to-end network solutions that are reliable and easy
to use
o Digital will be introducing industry leading ATM products over the next
several years. Product rollout begins the first quarter of 1994
CUSTOMER PROBLEM
NOTE: Customers' experience with early ATM products will show that
Digital's ATM technology is the best in the industry. To solve
customers' critical high performance networking problems for the next
few years, selling FDDI and GIGAswitch is recommended. FDDI is a
stable, proven and high performance multivendor technology. With
GIGAswitch, Digital is the only vendor that can provide the
advantages of switching with the reliability of FDDI. GIGAswitch is
also an excellent way for customers to become experienced with
switched based networking today. ATM should be presented as a future
technology, with incomplete standards, that will be supported by
Digital's current and emerging platforms.
Digital Addresses Customers' ATM Concerns and Needs
Today, as customers explore ATM, they need to know that Digital's ATM
solutions address their key concerns:
Customer Concern Digital Response
o Interested in early ATM o Digital is combining its switching
implementation for and LAN expertise to develop robust
competitive advantage ATM LAN solutions:
FOR INTERNAL USE ONLY
but worried that early - Switching experience -- running
solutions will be buggy ATM network with 30 switches
and unpredictable. since 1990; shipping FDDI switch
(GIGAswitch) today
- LAN expertise -- building LANs since
the 1970s
- Solving ATM problems today -- made
several important technical
contributions to ATM Forum
o Digital will sell early ATM customers
a comprehensive package that bundles
in consulting to assure their ATM
solution works, minimizing their risk
o More users and new data o Digital has designed features that
applications being added to will assure ATM LAN stability, even
LAN backbones every year. during network congestion:
Just when LANs have become - FLOWmaster flow control service
essential, businesses have - Digital's Resilient Virtual
started to experience LAN Circuits (RVC)
congestion and instability.
NOTE: Customers who are experiencing LAN congestion today but are hesitant
to use an emerging technology on their production network are ideal
candidates for GIGAswitch (see note above).
o Client/server computing is o Digital's ATM designed for
spreading and brings special client/server
networking requirements. - High performance adapters minimize
latency for rapid RPC response times
- SWITCHmaster queuing for
non-blocking client access to servers
- FLOWmaster flow control designed
for bursty client/server traffic
- High-speed links support
superservers
o Past investments in new o Digital's ATM solutions deliver
technology have not reaped maximum return on investment
expected returns. Will - SWITCHmaster for maximized switch
ATM be the same? throughput (>97%)
- FLOWmaster for maximized link
utilization
- Complete systems and networks
vendor, able to optimize the total
integrated ATM solution, from end to
end. (PROOF: Yielded 95 Mbps at
application level with combined ALPHA
AXPs/OSF-1/FDDI adapters/GIGAswitch
solution)
o Can't afford to interrupt o Digital offers customers the best
service or throw away past migration path to ATM in terms of:
investments when moving to - Flexibility - ability to begin
new technologies such as ATM ATM wherever customer wants to
(separate network, integrated network,
backbone, workgroup, etc.)
- Investment Protection - ATM
capability built into current Digital
FOR INTERNAL USE ONLY
products (DEChub 900 MultiSwitch,
GIGAswitch and DECNIS router)
- Integration of Legacy LANs -
Physical integration via Digital's
current networking products (see last
bullet), software integration via LAN
Emulation
- Customers can take an evolutionary
rather than revolutionary approach
toward ATM without sacrificing
performance
o Worldwide enterprise nets o Digital is uniquely positioned to
contains multiple LAN and design and implement optimal
WAN technologies that are integrated network solutions for
constantly changing and yet customers' businesses
must be integrated into a - Multi-technology vendor -- not
single system biased toward any one technology or
platform
Where can ATM reduce network - Network technical competence
complexity and/or best . 15 years' experience in evolving
enhance network performance? customers' network technologies
. 3 years' experience running 30-
switch early ATM network
. Running one of the largest private
data networks in the world
- Multivendor Customer Services to
work through interoperability issues
in multi-vendor ATM networks
- Focused industry competence, able to
understand particular needs within a
given industry
- Worldwide implementation and
management capability
DIGITAL SOLUTION
Digital's ATM Product Roll-out Plan
Stage Solution Focus Delivery Products
1 High perf. ATM workgroups Q1, 1994 Premises ATM Switch
Switched FDDI to ATM TURBOchannel Adapter
GIGAswitch ATM Line Card
2 ATM LAN Backbones Q3-Q4, 1994 DEChub 900 Module
Integration of legacy LANs Workgroup ATM Switch PCI
Adapter
3 ATM to the desktop 1995 Additional DEChub 900
Modules Additional PCI
Adapters New Line Cards for
ATM Switches DECNIS ATM
Interface
STAGE 1, Q1 1994: High Performance ATM Workgroups & Switched FDDI to ATM
For the first half of 1994, the ATM Premises Switch and TURBOchannel ATM
Adapter will be available in limited quantity and sold as custom packages
that include consulting services (contact: Gailyn Casaday).
FOR INTERNAL USE ONLY
o Premises ATM Switch
The ATM Premises Switch is a high performance switch platform for the
core for ATM networks, with 10.4 Gbps throughput capacity. It is ideal
for backbone and network bandwidth-intensive client/server server
applications. The switch provides thirteen (13) slots for line cards.
Maximum switch configuration is 52 ATM ports (four ports per line card).
Feature Benefit
o Ports on ATM line cards support o Choice of media in
multiple modular Physical Media connecting to ATM networks
Dependent (PMD) interfaces o Ability to accommodate new PMD
standards as they emerge
o Ports can be configured to connect o Flexibility of configuration
to a 155 Mbps ATM LAN or a T3/E3
WAN link
o ATM port interfaces will operate o High speed connections between
at 155 Mbps line speed with ATM nodes
SONET/SDH framing (OC3). This o Compatibility with complying
speed and framing is specified ATM vendors
by the ATM Forum
o FLOWmaster flow control o Maximum utilization of network
service to eliminate cell loss, bandwidth
and thus data retransmissions, o Maximum performance
in heavily loaded LANs o LAN stability even during
congestion
o SWITCHmaster queue management o Maximum utilization of switch
to eliminate head of the line capacity
blocking, so that one port will
not block the flow of data from
other ports into the switch
o Digital's RVCs for rapid o Minimized disruption to
(<100ms) automatic set-up and applications during link
re-routing of virtual circuits outages (High Availability)
without tying up bandwidth when o Plug and Play operation
no traffic is being sent o No management intervention
required when a link fails
o 155 Mbps SONET Adapter for TURBOchannel
The 155 Mbps SONET Adapter for TURBOchannel is a network interface module
that enables DEC 3000 AXP systems to connect directly to ATM networks.
The adapter fits into a single TURBOchannel slot and interfaces to the
ATM network via a multimode fiber optic connection at 155 Mbps line speed
using SONET/SDH framing. The adapter facilitates permanent and switched
virtual circuit connections.
Customers requiring high network bandwidth and/or support for multimedia
applications that ATM networking provides can now connect their DEC 3000
AXP workstations and servers directly to ATM network with the adapter,
running either the OSF/1 AXP or OpenVMS AXP operating system.
Feature Benefit
FOR INTERNAL USE ONLY
o High performance adapter, o Support for bandwidth
operating at network line speed intensive and multimedia
of 155 Mbps applications
o Multimode fiber optic interface o High data rates over
for 155 Mbps over distance w/o reasonable distances while
electromagnetic interference preserving data integrity
o Supports both switched and o Plug and play operation
permanent virtual circuits (VCs)
AND Digital's RVCs
o Supports more than 1000 VCs o Servers can establish
connections to many clients
simultaneously
o FLOWmaster flow control o Maximum use of network
eliminates cell loss and thus bandwidth
data retransmissions
o Performs LAN emulation o Customers can use same
application interfaces to ATM
network as used for traditional
LANs such as Ethernet and FDDI
o GIGAswitch 2-Port ATM Line Card
The GIGAswitch 2-Port ATM Line Card serves two functions:
1) ATM Gateway: High performance gateway service from FDDI to ATM,
either locally or across WAN internetwork. Converts FDDI packets to ATM
cells (and vice versa) using the Digital designed ATM segmentation and
reassembly (SAR) chip.
2) WAN interconnection for FDDI: Extends local FDDI networks to the WAN
internetwork, providing seamless connection from switched FDDI LANs to
high-speed WANs using T3/E3.
Feature Benefit
o Modular PMD interface enables o Flexible configurations
each port on the line card to
be configured independently to
support either 155 Mbps SONET/SDH
or T3/E3
o Supports ATM AAL 3/4 or AAL 5 o ATM LAN and WAN capabilities
framed cells over T3/E3 or o Compatibility with complying
SONET (OC3) ATM vendors
o Supports FDDI over clear channel o Wide Area FDDI-to-FDDI
T3/E3, with HDLC framing o Eliminates need for CSU/DSU
o Compatible with expected ATM
internetworking services
o Will support more than 1000 o Server on ATM backbone can
simultaneous VCs service many clients on FFDI
simultaneously
FOR INTERNAL USE ONLY
STAGE 2, Q3-Q4 1994: ATM LAN Backbones & Integration of Legacy LANs
o DEChub 900 ATM-to-Ethernet Module
The DEChub 900 ATM-to-Ethernet Module will provide internetworking
between Ethernet and ATM. The module will have six Ethernet ports and
one ATM port. Its applications will be in connecting legacy Ethernet
LANs into an ATM backbone LAN and in providing networked clients very
high performance connectivity to servers residing directly on an ATM LAN
backbone.
Feature Benefit
o Member of DEChub 900 Family o Investment protection for
DEChub customers adopting ATM
o Ideal integration point for
legacy Ethernet LANs and ATM
o Can operate as a standalone o Flexible configurations
router/bridge, rack mounted in o Cost effective, yet scales
a cabinet or plugged into the
DEChub 900 MultiSwitch
o ATM port on module operates at o High performance networking
155 Mbps using SONET/SDH framing o Compatibility with complying
ATM vendors
o Workgroup ATM Switch
The Workgroup ATM Switch platform will be a low cost ATM switch package
for high performance workgroups and workstation farms. It will provide
3.2 Gbps of switch bandwidth, with a capacity of up to 16 ATM ports (155
Mbps SONET). The Workgroup ATM Switch will use the same line cards as
the Premises ATM Switch.
The Workgroup ATM Switch will implement Digital's ATM architecture, with
FLOWmaster flow control, SWITCHmaster queuing for elimination of
head-of-the-line blocking, and Resilient Virtual Circuits (RVCs) for
auto-configuration and auto-reconfiguration.
o 155 Mbps SONET Adapter for PCI
The 155 Mbps SONET Adapter for PCI network interface module will enables
PCI bus based systems to connect directly to ATM networks. The PCI bus
will be available on future Digital Alpha AXP systems as well as Intel
platforms and other vendors' systems. The adapter will fit into a single
PCI slot and will operate at an ATM line speed of 155 Mbps using SONET
framing.
Two versions of this adapter will be available. One version will support
multimode fiber cables and the other will support category 5 UTP cables.
Customers requiring high network bandwidth or support for multimedia
applications that ATM networking provides will be able to connect their
PCI based Alpha AXP or Intel systems directly to the ATM network with the
PCI ATM Adapter, using OSF/1 AXP, OpenVMS AXP or Windows NT as their
operating system.
The PCI ATM Adapter will offer the same features and benefits as the
TURBOchannel ATM Adapter (see above).
FOR INTERNAL USE ONLY
STAGE 3, 1995: ATM to the Desktop
o Additional DEChub 900 ATM Modules
- DEChub 900 ATM-to-Personal Ethernet Module
A high density, low cost, ATM-to-Personal Ethernet module that will allow
customers to connect a large number of switched personal Ethernet
stations to an ATM backbone.
- DEChub 900 ATM Switch Module
A multiport ATM switch that will provide ATM connections to desktop
systems. An uplink to ATM network backbones will also be provided. Can
operate as a stand alone switch, rack mounted in a cabinet or plugged
into the DEChub 900 MultiSwitch.
o Additional PCI Adapters
- UTP3 Adapter for PCI Bus
A low cost ATM adapter for PCI-based desktop systems. Will support
category 3 UTP cabling, the most popular office wiring. Thus, the
customer will not need to install special cables to support desktop (PC)
connections directly to the ATM network.
The adapter will facilitate permanent and switched virtual circuit
connections and will employ Digital's RVC technology, enabling plug and
play operation.
The UTP3 Adapter for PCI Bus will be supported by the OSF/1 and Windows
NT operating systems, plus other industry standard network operating
systems.
- 622 Mbps Adapter for PCI Bus
A very high performance ATM adapter for PCI-based data center servers,
operating at an ATM line speed of 622 Mbps with SONET/SDH framing, using
a multimode fiber optic interface. Together with the 622 Mbps SONET ATM
Switch Line Card, this will enable data center servers to meet the needs
of extremely high bandwidth applications and/or to serve many more
clients.
The 622 Mbps Adapter for PCI Bus will be supported by OSF/1, OpenVMS AXP
and Windows NT Operating Systems.
o New Line Cards for the ATM Premises Switch
- 622 Mbps Line Card with SONET framing (OC12)
High bandwidth ATM link for:
- Inter-switch trunking
- High bandwidth services (for example, bandwidth intensive client/server
applications or enabling one server to serve many more clients
simultaneously).
- 2-Port WAN Traffic Filter/Shaper Line Card
FOR INTERNAL USE ONLY
This line card will interface to the WAN internetwork with either T3/E3
or 155 Mbps SONET framing. It will provide security for public WAN
Switched Virtual Circuits (SVCs). It will also perform traffic shaping
for public Quality of Service (QOS) compliance.
o DECNIS ATM Interface
The DECNIS ATM Interface will provide WAN connections to ATM networks for
routing-based LAN internetworks. This interface will provide clear
channel T3 capability and will interface to ATM networks at OC1 or SMDS
networks at T3.
RESOURCES
Internal
Information sheets (on VTX):
o ATM, GIGAswitch, DEChub 900, DECNIS
Presentations (on OPAL):
o ATM Tutorial, Digital's ATM Product Roll-out Plan, Digital's ATM Strategy
and Messages, Migration to ATM, GIGAswitch Overview, High Performance
Networks Applications and Solutions
Notes Files:
o ATM Notes File -- NOTED::ATM
o GIGAswitch Notes File -- SCHOOL::GIGASWITCH
White Paper:
o Digital's ATM Solutions -- a technical explanation of Digital's ATM
architecture and product differentiators (SCHOOL::ATM$PUBLIC:ATM_WP.PS)
External
Contact the authors for additional information.
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