marc@aria.UU.NET (Marco S Hyman) (11/03/90)
Ascend Communications, Inc., is introducing the first systems designed to link host computers to the Public Switched Digital Network (PSDN) via ISDN. The *Pipeline* is the premiere in a series of Ascend products that provide access to PSDN services for existing and emerging applications. Each Pipeline consists of a base system, a selection of interface cards, and resident management software. The base system includes a system controller, power supply, and a high-speed switching backplane, which connects the system controller with the interface cards. There are two models of base systems: the Pipeline 17 holds up to 16 interface cards, and the Pipeline 4 can hold 3 interface cards. All Pipeline systems can be mounted in standard 19-inch racks. Pipeline 17 models can distribute data from the individual 64 kbit/s ISDN B channels to as many as 480 host interface sessions, and the entry-level Pipeline 4 models can support up to 64 sessions. Interface cards available in the first Pipeline release include Network Interface Cards (Basic Rate) and Host Interface Cards (Circuit-Switched with DMI Mode-2 rate adaption and Packet-Switched X.25 with integrated PAD). Basic Rate Network Interface Cards support up to 16 ISDN Basic Rate Interfaces per card. Support for ISDN Primary Rate is planned for a future release. Pipeline Basic Rate and Packet-Switched X.25 Interface Cards support AT&T 5ESS and Northern Telecom DMS-100 central office switches and have been tested for conformance by Bell Communications Research, Inc. (Bellcore), the AT&T FACT Lab, Ameritech, and Illinois Bell. Packet-Switched Host Interface Cards support CCITT X.25, X.3, and X.29 protocols and offer both provisioned and on-demand ISDN X.25 over the B channels. In this release, the Circuit-Switched Host Interface Cards support AT&T-compatible DMI Mode-2 rate adaption; support for the de jure standard, CCITT V.120, is planned for a future release. Both models of Host Interface Cards support up to 32 ports per card, each running asynchronous bit rates of up to 19.2 kbit/s full duplex. All interface cards are interchangeable between Pipeline models. Pipeline systems are available immediately; pricing depends on the configuration. The Pipeline 4 Starter System, supporting 4 Basic Rate lines and 32 X.25 packet-switched sessions, is $16,000. The Pipeline 17 Starter System, supporting 16 Basic Rate lines and 32 X.25 packet-switched sessions, is $22,250. For more information contact: Jay Duncanson Ascend Communications, Inc. 1160 Battery Street, Suite 324 San Francisco, CA 94111 (415) 397-9015 -- // work: aria!marc@uunet.uu.net uunet!aria!marc // home: marc@dumbcat.sf.ca.us {ames,sun}!pacbell!dumbcat!marc