Cabletron Systems Inc, based in Rochester, New Hampshire, has announced what is said to be the first multi-function hub module to provide integrated bridging, routing and fast-packet switching. The ESX-MIM is designed for use with the company’s Multi Media Access Centre series of intelligent hubs and incorporates six Ethernet ports, and a Bridge Router Interface Module for connection to Asynchronous Transfer Mode networks. According to Cabletron, a fully-configured MMAC-8FNB can support up to 49 Ethernet networks using the new module, each with full bandwidth per-port wire-speed performance. The module is powered by dual Intel Corp 80960 microprocessors, and is said to support RMON-based network management applications. The module is the first to use use Cabletron’s Secure Fast Packet Switching technology, a connection-oriented switching implementation said to enable multiple virtual networks to be created within a single physical network, in order to enable any-to-any user communications. Also supported is the Full Duplex Switched Ethernet specification that Cabletron proposed to the IEEE 802.3 committee last year. Available in 90 days, the ESX-MIM costs $9,000.
