Alcatel and Cisco Demonstrate Interoperability Between IP
ATM and Tag Switching
[A bit off topic, but another brick in the B-ISDN wall, nonetheless.]
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June 10, 1998
ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE) via NewsEdge
Corporation -- Alcatel and Cisco Systems, Inc.
announced today interoperability between Alcatel's IP
ATM(tm) solution and Cisco's Tag Switching. This
interoperability will be demonstrated in Alcatel's booth #
4213, June 7-11 at SUPERCOMM '98.
Alcatel and Cisco have been closely cooperating in
several areas of development since their strategic
agreement was announced a year ago. This development
includes joint interoperability testing of Tag Switching
on the Cisco 7200 and 7500 series routers and the
Alcatel1100 HSS(R) Multiservice Switch. Tag Switching
enables the direct application of Internet Protocol (IP) to
Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) switches allowing
service providers with ATM backbones to increase
revenues through the delivery of value-added IP
services to customers. Tag Switching incorporates the
proven scalability of routing with the low cost of
switching to support a variety of Layer 2 technologies
over packet or cell-based networks.
Alcatel's IP ATM solution is an advanced switching
feature of the carrier-class Alcatel 1100 HSS Multiservice
Switch. It is based on Cisco IOS(tm) software and Tag
Switching technology and will fully comply with the
Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) standard when it
is ratified. By integrating Cisco IOS, IP ATM delivers an
unparalleled IP feature set with Internet tested reliability.
IP ATM enables up to 20 times greater network
scalability, unprecedented support for Quality-of-Service
(QoS) levels and high-speed, flexible service
provisioning across large networks. 1-NET Singapore
PTE. Ltd., the world's first nationwide commercial ATM
network, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on
June 4, 1998, to conduct field trials of IP ATM.
"Alcatel's relationship with Cisco has been important in
quickly bringing IP ATM advantages to our customers,"
said Edward Kennedy, vice president of marketing for
Alcatel's Enterprise and Data Networks Division. "With
IP ATM, Alcatel has been able to accelerate the
incorporation of important Internet features into our
carrier-class 1100 HSS Multiservice Switch. We are
seeing a great demand from our telco customers globally
because they realize that, with IP ATM, they can offer
advanced, differentiated IP services and guaranteed
service-level agreements."
"This interoperability demonstration results from the
close collaboration between Cisco and Alcatel to bring
Tag Switching solutions to market," said Tom Downey,
director of product marketing for Cisco's Routed WAN
Business Unit. "By working together, we are accelerating
our mutual goal of achieving industry-wide, multivendor
interoperability for IP and ATM integration through the
MPLS standard."
Tag Switching is shipping and is supported on the Cisco
7500 and 7200 series routers with Ethernet, Fast Ethernet,
packet-over-SONET, high-speed serial interface (HSSI)
and ATM interfaces.
About Alcatel
Alcatel designs, manufactures, and markets complete
telecommunications systems. Activities include fixed
switching networks, transmission systems, access
systems, mobile communications infrastructure, business
networking, submarine cable networks, as well as radio
communications, space, and defense systems. With
operations in more than 130 countries, Alcatel is a
leading-edge supplier in the majority of its businesses. In
1997, the Telecom segment of Alcatel Alsthom registered
total sales of $14.2 billion (FF 82.9 billion).
A white paper which fully describes the features and
benefits of Alcatel's IP ATM solution is available at
www.adn.alcatel.com. Company news and product
information are available at adn.alcatel.com.
About Cisco Systems
Cisco Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq:CSCO) is the worldwide
leader in networking for the Internet. News and
information are available at cisco.com.
Note to Editors: There is an at sign between "IP" and
"ATM" in the product name. IP ATM is a trademark of
Alcatel Data Networks, Inc. 1100 HSS is a registered
trademark of Alcatel Data Networks, Inc. Cisco, Cisco
Systems, and the Cisco Systems logo are registered
trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. in the U.S. and certain
other countries. All other trademarks mentioned in this
document are the property of their respective owners.
CONTACT: Alcatel | Katie Sheldon Hammler,
703/724-2249 | E-mail: Katie.S.Hammler@adn.alcatel.com |
or | Cisco Systems | Erin Bergamo, 408/527-0600 | E-mail:
ebergamo@cisco.com |
