Extreme Networks broadens carrier portfolio with new BlackDiamond 20804 Ethernet Transport switch

The new BlackDiamond 20804 Ethernet Transport switch increases network longevity by enabling carriers to gracefully expand video and other services on their network, provides the pro-active service management tools carriers need to delight their subscribers, and helps lower the carriers cost of ownership with a next-generation solution that is easy to operate.

"Carriers around the world are deploying next-generation networks to enable an array of services that fulfill subscribers' increasing expectations for an outstanding service experience. Our new BlackDiamond 20804 Ethernet Transport switch joins the BlackDiamond 20808 to offer a broad range of Ethernet Transport solutions that will provide carriers with lasting value as they deploy next-generation networks,"

said Aziz Ala'ali, Regional Director for Extreme Networks, Middle East & Africa.

For Tier 2 and Tier 3 carriers migrating from SONET/SDH and 1 Gigabit Ethernet rings to 10 Gigabit Ethernet rings, the BlackDiamond 20804 provides industry-leading 120 Gbps per slot line-rate switching capacity in a 4-slot chassis, supporting up to 32 line-rate 10 GE ports per chassis today, with ample bandwidth for future 100 GE IO Modules, and is designed for future switch fabric upgrades to enable 480 Gbps of switching capacity per slot.

Video service delivery is accelerated with innovative multicast quality of service hardware resources, help to ensure video multicast traffic gets to the subscriber no matter how busy the network. Support for Provider Backbone Bridges enables carriers to scale their aggregation networks using reliable, industry-standard Ethernet protocols. The BlackDiamond 20804's outstanding bandwidth capacity, software functionality and hardware assisted service acceleration combine to increase carrier network longevity by enabling carriers to gracefully expand video and other services on their network without forklift upgrades as service requirements continue to grow.

"Video is the 'killer' app--in every sense of the word--both for driving increasing traffic demands and as a source of service provider revenue growth. Our recent residential services report shows that by 2011, the service provider revenue for video services will surpass voice services, but will be marked by high programming costs and tight margins. Specifically designed for the move from SONET/SDH to next-generation Ethernet transport, Extreme's BlackDiamond 20804--with its multicast quality of service, 10GE ports, and service management tools--is especially suited to small and medium size operators providing video services," said Michael Howard, co-founder and principal analyst, Infonetics Research.

The BlackDiamond 20800 Series of Ethernet Transport switches includes the new BlackDiamond 20804 and the eight-slot BlackDiamond 20808. To simplify network operations, reduce technician training time, and reduce cost of network spares, the BlackDiamond 20800 Series use the same power supplies, IO modules and management modules. This operational simplicity allows carriers to lower total cost of ownership by starting small and re-using initial investments as the network grows.


The BlackDiamond 20804 Ethernet transport switch will be available in the first quarter of 2010.