Asante Technologies 8000 user manual IntraCore Architecture Overview, Core Switching Engine

1 Introduction

This chapter introduces the IntraCore architecture, then gives a description of the chassis and the various modules that can be installed in the IntraCore 8000. There are also tables of the key features, default settings, and specifications of the IntraCore 8000, and explanations of the different LED indicators used by the various modules.

IntraCore Architecture Overview

Asanté has developed the IntraCore™ Architecture to meet the needs of multi-service networks that support all applications and data types. The architecture is standards-based and provides

Gmulti-vendor inter-operability

Ga migration path from current systems

Ginvestment protection

With the IntraCore Architecture, Asanté has found innovative ways of embracing industry standards and technology advances to create products capable of meeting real world requirements for converged, multi-service networks.

The overall design incorporates a family of tightly integrated ASICs, designed as system building blocks. These building blocks enable the rapid development of advanced networking systems that are timed to meet market requirements. The architecture ensures consistent high performance as systems scale their capacity and feature capability. This approach extends the useful life of the system and protects customer investments.

The Core Switching Engine

The Core Switching Engine is the centerpiece for all IntraCore products. Based on advanced silicon ASICs, the Core Switching Engine is a high performance, non-blocking, multi-gigabit switching fabric with scalable bandwidth capacity. The Core Switching Engine is data format independent and can support either frame or cell based interfaces. This capability is becoming increasingly important as enterprise (primarily frame-based) and service provider (primarily cell-based) networks move closer together.

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