RAD Unveils Finger-Sized Bridge for Ethernet-over-T1/T3 Transport

At NXTcomm 2007, to be held June 18-21 in Chicago, RAD Data Communications will launch the next generation of its System on an SFP® family of miniaturized Ethernet-over-PDH solutions.

 

“Ethernet service delivery is hot,” states Jacky Acoca, Business Development Manager at RAD Data Communications. “But today’s reality is that many service providers need to use T1 or T3 circuits to reach ‘out-of-footprint’ customers,” he adds. “Until now this has required expensive bridging devices between the switches and the T1 or T3 lines,” Acoca notes. “Enter RAD’s revolutionary MiRICi-T1/T3 bridge on an SFP.”

 

Designed for switch vendors and operators alike, the finger-sized MiRICi-T1/T3 is housed in a standard SFP package complying with the Multi-Source Agreement (MSA). This enables the MiRICi-T1/T3 to be plugged into any Fast or Gigabit Ethernet Device with regular MSA-compatible socket – standard in today’s carrier-class switches – to provide remote bridging over T1 and T3 lines, eliminating the need for any external device. The highly cost-effective MiRICi-T1/T3, moreover, does not require any special software in the host equipment because a highly integrated ASIC permits it to function autonomously. Nor does it require power supply cords, since it draws minimal current directly from the hosting device.

The MiRICi-T1/T3 incorporates enhanced inband management using Web browsing and out-of-band management over an I2C interface. Remarkably, given its miniature size, it offers a full set of Operation, Administration and Maintenance (OAM) capabilities. The MiRICi-T1/T3 supports GFP encapsulation for interoperability with third party GFP-compliant devices as well as bookend connectivity.

The MiRICi-T1/T3 can also be ordered as an interface for PDH networks inside RAD’s new ETX-550 Ethernet aggregator, functioning as the hosting device. This allows the ETX-550 Ethernet aggregator to benefit from the MiRICi-T1/T3’s advanced management. The ETX-550 is designed for fanning out multiple high-speed Ethernet connections to several remote Ethernet Network Termination Units (E-NTUs).

 

“RAD’s System on an SFP is an idea whose time has truly come,” concludes Acoca. “The MiRICi-T1/T3 is ready for prime time.”