Redback Networks this week extended its edge router portfolio with a low-end version designed for small points-of-presence
and remote central offices.
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The SmartEdge 100 Service Gateway is a two rack-unit (2RU) form-factor multi-service broadband aggregation platform that combines
carrier-class IP routing with subscriber management capabilities. It is intended to enable the delivery of residential triple-play
broadband services, including VoIP, real-time video and content delivery, and business Ethernet services such as MPLS- and
Virtual Private LAN Service-based VPNs.
SmartEdge 100 delivers up to 12Gbps of throughput with 8 million packet/sec of performance. It has two fixed Gigabit Ethernet
ports that support copper or fiber connections, and two FlexSlots that support modular, subscriber-facing Ethernet media interface
cards (MIC).
The supported MICs are 12-port 100 FX or 10/100 TX Fast Ethernet interface cards.
The SmartEdge 100 addresses network segments — such as the access layer — where fewer subscribers and ports are required,
Redback says. In addition to remote central offices and smaller POPs, the router is designed for new network deployments such
as wireless network aggregation and back-haul, and multitenant units such as university dormitory, hospitality, healthcare
and government organizations.
The SmartEdge 100 includes all of the modular operating system software and programmable hardware capabilities of the higher-end
SmartEdge 400 and 800 models, Redback says. It performs subscriber management for up to 8,000 simultaneous subscribers, with
traffic management, eight queues of Hierarchical Quality of Service per subscriber, 16,000 virtual LANs (VLAN), and multicast.
Analysts say it will allow service providers to extend subscriber management and service routing closer to the user without
having to construct a separate Ethernet aggregation layer to keep the costs of increasing subscriber density in check. Specifically,
the SmartEdge 100 will go up against other low-density, fixed configuration devices such as Cisco’s ME 6500 and 3400, Alcatel’s
7250 service aggregation system and Riverstone’s 15100 and 15200 aggregation routers.
Redback has experienced some recent success in carrier edge routing. It has a significant contract with BellSouth for that carrier’s next-generation broadband build out; and grew sales 36% in the fourth quarter of 2005, according to Dell’Oro Group. Its revenue market share almost doubled in 2005, from 3.6%
to 6.4%, according to Dell’Oro.
SmartEdge 100 is scheduled to ship in the second quarter. Pricing was not disclosed.
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