Abstract

PairGain Technologies commissioned The Tolly Group to verify LANE interoperability with the FORE Systems ForeRunner ASX-200BX ATM switch and to validate key performance elements of the AVIDIA ACX-100 ATM Switch. Testing was performed in March-April of 1997. 

Although there are clear advantages in retaining a homogenous ATM environment throughout the network, customers with ATM backbones often deploy non-ATM desktop connections due to cost considerations. In this project, The Tolly Group quantified selected functions and performance characteristics of the switch that allows cus-omers to implement a cost-effective end-to- end ATM solution. 

Test results show that the ACX-100, a 25 Mbit/s ATM switch, interoperates with FORE Systems LANE services at a per port cost in the price range of Switched Ethernet. Furthermore, benchmarks conducted by The Tolly Group also verified that the ACX-100 is capable of delivering line-rate throughput. Even with the switch fully populated and all interfaces active, cell delay and jitter characteristics of the switch were consistent and low.