Communications: Single-Chip Controllers Facilitate Resilient-Packet-Ring Systems

Dec. 8, 2004

The simplicity and bandwidth efficiency of Ethernet-based networks merge with the carrier-class features of Sonet/SDH infrastructure in the R-MAC family of resilient-packet-ring (RPR) media-access controllers (MACs). The single-chip R-MAC5 is a standards-compliant 5-Gbit/s RPR MAC that streamlines the integration of RPR into Sonet/SDH rings. It's the first MAC to offer channelization, allowing telecom providers to create virtual RPR rings over the same physical ring and use RPR technology as an overlay to existing Sonet/SDH-networks. R-MAC's built-in channelization and traffic-provisioning capabilities reduce capital and operations expenditures. Main applications include next-generation ADMs, MSPPs, MSTPs, Edge and Core Routers, Ethernet Aggregation Switches, and EPON Optical Line Terminations (OLTs). Contact the company for pricing.

Infineon Technologies AG
www.infineon.com

About the Author

Dave Bursky

Technologist

Dave Bursky, the founder of New Ideas in Communications, a publication website featuring the blog column Chipnastics – the Art and Science of Chip Design. He is also president of PRN Engineering, a technical writing and market consulting company. Prior to these organizations, he spent about a dozen years as a contributing editor to Chip Design magazine. Concurrent with Chip Design, he was also the technical editorial manager at Maxim Integrated Products, and prior to Maxim, Dave spent over 35 years working as an engineer for the U.S. Army Electronics Command and an editor with Electronic Design Magazine.