As expected, Lucent Technologies Inc. this week unveiled enhancements to its older multiservice switches designed to increase service capacity for frame relay, IP (Internet Protocol) and ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode).
The upgrades are intended to enable service providers to derive more revenue from the network edge following last month’s introduction of the TMX 880 MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching) core switch. The enhancements were anticipated after a Lucent internal memo was obtained by Network World (US) in which the company apparently admitted neglecting the multiservice edge while developing the ill-fated MSC 25000 core ATM switch, which was killed before it ever shipped.
The extensions, available now, for the CBX 500 and GX 550 multiservice switches include: