Ascend Archive
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Re: (ASCEND) GRF: up to it?

On Tue, 25 Nov 1997 15:39:04 -0600 
 Scott Kozicki <SKozicki@BlueStar.net> wrote:

> I'd like to hear from any GRF users out there. We're looking at trying
> to replace several core routers with one box. It'll need to terminate
> several T1's to backbones and frame relay clouds, an OC-3 ATM SONET
> line, an SMDS line, and (ideally) act as a 100Base-T switch. It should
> also make toast and print money. =)

The GRF doesn't do SMDS, and why you;d want to use that aborted protocol
is beyond me.

At COLT Internet I designed a network like this:

We connect our customers to a Nortel Passport [but you could use a 9000]
using Frame Relay. We use FRF8 [If I remember correctly] to cross connect
Frame relay into ATM vcc's. We send them down an STM-1 [OC3C] on SDH into
the back of the GRF. This works extreemly well.

The great thing about this setup is that we are able do upgrades and special
cases very easily. Ascend ATM card needs some work on it though. [It would
be real nice if the GRF ATM people called me as we believe we have found a 
few major bugs. All my requests meet with silence :(]

We've also delivered 45M ATM circuits over G.703 to Cisco 4000 series 
routers [HEY ASCEND ANY CHANCE OF A LOW COST DS-3 ATM PIPELINE/GRF? :-)]

> What I'd like to know is, can the GRF handle it? Who's the competition
> in this arena and why is the GRF better? What are my limitations in
> terms of performance and growth? I don't want marketing-speak. I want
> real-world opinion. Feel free to email me directly if you don't want to
> go on record.

The GRF can proccess the packets. What it can't do is display you
a nice gui to point and click to set it up. The GRF needs
concentration and patience.

[ + add Matt's comments about maturing a product here].

Regards,
Neil.
--
Neil J. McRae. Alive and Kicking.       Domino: In the glow of the night.
neil@DOMINO.ORG        NetBSD/sparc: 100% SpF (Solaris protection Factor) 
  Free the daemon in your <A HREF="http://www.NetBSD.ORG/">computer!</A>

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