Mapper IC puts LANs and WANs on SONET networks

Agilent Technologies is claiming a breakthrough in networking for its HDMP-3001 Ethernet over SONET (EoS) mapper chip.

Agilent Technologies is claiming a breakthrough in networking for its HDMP-3001 Ethernet over SONET (EoS) mapper chip.

This application specific standard product (ASSP) enables networking and telecomms devices to offer both local area network (LAN) and wide area network (WAN) ports over existing SONET/SDH networks.

EoS technology is expected to greatly reduce the cost of maintaining corporate networks that span several geographic sites.

The Agilent HDMP-3001 is part of a joint development project with the Wuhan Post and Telecommunications Institute in Wuhan, China and is the first in a family of new SONET-compliant multiprotocol ICs (MPICs) from Agilent.

MPICs take protocol-independent traffic and map it into SONET, providing a simple solution for loading enterprise data traffic onto a SONET metro infrastructure.

The new chip is the first solution to provide full-duplex mapping of Ethernet frames encapsulated into SONET/SDH payload using either the generic framing procedures (GFP) or the link access procedure-SDH (LAPS) protocol.

The HDMP-3001 EoS mapper is for use with Ethernet WAN switch ports, Stand-alone data service unit/channel service unit (DSU/CSU) systems and line cards for SONET add drop multiplexers (ADM) within the LAN and metropolitan access (edge) network.

The edge network is where the carrier-owned WAN meets the corporate-owned LAN.

Agilent's EoS mapper is a highly integrated, layer-2, single-chip solution that provides significantly lower power consumption (typically 0.25W) and a time-to-market advantage over multiple discrete components, in-house ASICs or FPGAs.

Agilent intends to offer additional MPIC products that will address SONET datarates up to 2.5Gbit/s and a variety of protocols including Ethernet, Fibre Channel and packet over SONET, as well as value-added services such as digital video broadcast.

A second EoS mapper is expected to sample in Q1 2002, supporting the OC-48/STM-16 (2.5Gbit/s) standard.

The Agilent HDMP-3001 EoS mapper device is available in production volumes and it is supplied in a 160-pin plastic quad flatpack (PQFP) and supports the OC-3/STM-1 (155Mbit/s) standard.

A developer's kit, including development board, schematics and instructions, will be available in February 2002.

Both the HDMP-3001 and the developer's kit are also available through Agilent's distribution partners.

Back to top