“Routers hit open road in software”
“The rollout of a multiprocessor “service gateway” last week
from Shasta Networks Inc., tools in the works from startup Abatis
Systems Corp. and the announcement of a Linux-based router from MRV
Communications Inc. all suggest that the next big focus in
public-network design will be programmable platforms for Internet
Protocol networks.”
“Meanwhile, a new Linux-based router from the combined Nbase and
Xyplex divisions of MRV Communications takes the notion of carrier
empowerment a step further. NRV’s OSR8040 router bears the Open2
moniker, which Nbase-Xyplex chief executive Phillippe Szwarc said
refers to two degrees of openness: the software programmability of
a Linux platform and an open cell-based switching fabric that can
scale from 40 to 160 Gbits/second while letting carriers optimize
bandwidth usage for their network applications.”