Alcatel-Lucent (ALU) is bridging a gap in its IP router portfolio with the introduction of two new small form factor routers in the 10gbps and sub-100G capacity range, making it possible for operators to serve smaller communities or add more remote points of presence.
The new 7750 SR-c12 and SR-c4 multiservice routers extend the 7750 Service Router family, which already includes the SR-1 at the low end and the SR-7 and SR 12 and the high end.
“If you look at this from the context of a larger operator, these platforms would really be geared toward enabling services to be delivered to the outer reaches of the network, said Heidi Adams, director of service router product marketing for Alcatel-Lucent. “For smaller operators, it’s the ability to ride on the performance curve. These platforms allow them to deliver more advanced and profitable services, taking into the account the restraints they may have in their access infrastructures.”
Significantly, the 7750 SR-c12 and SR-c4 are powered by the FP2 chipset, Alcatel-Lucent’s own silicon, which delivers network processing and traffic management at speeds up to 100gbps.
Adams said this delivers four times the performance of the competitors. With the new routers, the silicon is being used to power a whole platform, rather than only a card, but the advantage is that it allows support for the higher-speed interfaces coincident with the lower-speed legacy interfaces, she said.
“These are the only two routers on the market that give you the option of 10gigE and low-speed legacy interfaces,” she said, noting the platforms are optimized for Ethernet over fiber, but also support legacy interfaces that depend on copper plant.
The new routers can accommodate the same interface cards as the company’s larger routers. They also include special compact media adapters, which are one-quarter slot size.
The c12 is 5ru high with three horizontal slots, each accommodating two full-size cards or four CMAs. The c4 is 3ru high with only one slot and front access only. It is designed for tight spaces or placement against a wall. Both have 90gbps forwarding capacity and a multicore CPU.
The smaller routers also leverage other capabilities of the larger routers in the family, including support for native IPv6 and Synchronous Ethernet, as well as a common operating system and network management system.
“The elegant integration with the existing portfolio – especially with a single operating system from end-to-end – makes it attractive to operators who are looking to deliver full-featured, high-performance services from their smaller or more remote points of presence in order to drive new revenues,” said Glen Hunt, principal analyst, Carrier Infrastructure, Current Analysis.
