Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Bolt Beranek & Newman Inc’s Systems & Technologies Division has introduced the T/10 Frame Relay Access Device, a new version of its T/10 Integrated Access Device designed to address the growing Frame Relay branch office communications market. According to the company, the T/10 Frame Relay Access Device provides the functionality of an Internet Protocol router, an X.25 packet switch, and a legacy SNA network access device in one product. Each T/10 Frame Relay Access Device comprises an Intel Corp 80960 communications processor with 6Mb of RAM and up to six communications modules of interface types including: two-port V.35, 150bps to 2Mbps; four-port RS-232 (V.24), 75bps to 19.2Kbps; one-port 802.3, 10Mbps; two-port X.21, 150bps to 2Mbps; two-port RS-449, 150bps to 2Mbps; and one-port 802.5, 4Mbps or 16Mbps. The offering is said to offer per-port protocol configuration, supporting simultaneous execution of multiple access protocols, including IBM BSC 3270 and 2780/3780, IBM SNA/SDLC, SNA/LLC, async, X.25, HDLC and TCP/IP. The product also reportedly supports Simple Network Management Protocol Management Interface Base MIB II and can be managed from any commercially available Simple Network Management Protocol-compliant network management system. It also supports an enterprise Management Interface Base enabling management of all X.25 and Frame Relay resources. Based on a modular scalable design, the T/10 Frame Relay Access Device is further said to support Internet Protocol and X.25 switching for small stand-alone networks; SNA/X.25-over-Internet Protocol and Internet Protocol-over-X.25 routing; X.25 packet assembler-disassembler functions, with integral local area network support; local network-to-local network routing; and local network interconnection via Frame Relay. It is also said to support the emerging new DLSw Data Link Switching standard, enabling users to route legacy traffic from IBM SNA networks over non-SNA, Internet Protocol or X.25 networks. The T/10 Frame Relay Access Device is available immediately from Bolt Beranek & Newman. Pricing will go from $5,500 to $10,000, depending on configuration.
