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VoxTechnologies
Enterprise Network Series
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MainStreet Frame Relay
Release 4.3
Alcatel's 3600 MainStreet Multiservice Bandwidth Manager platform offers
extensive frame relay services as a key component of the Alcatel multiservice
networking solution. With the straightforward and cost-effective addition of a
Frame Relay Engine (FRE), Packet Engine (PE) or Frame Relay Switch with Subrate
Interface Module (FRS/SRIM) card, a 3600 MainStreet node provides comprehensive
frame relay switching capabilities.
MainStreet Frame Relay is a proven service used extensively in public and
enterprise networks throughout the world. It can be used effectively in large or
small networks deploying frame relay alone or in combination with leased line,
X.25 and ATM services. Based on a modular architecture, up to 64 FRE and/or PE
cards can be connected across the 100 Mb/s FASTbus to create a high-capacity
node capable of switching 120,000 frames per second (fps).
MainStreet Frame Relay services include X.25/frame relay/ATM network and
service interworking capabilities, subrate frame relay switching, and
value-added service capabilities such as voice over frame relay with quality of
service, packet fragmentation and reassembly, and DLCI multiplexing. Figure 1
depicts a frame relay solution architecture.
A 3600 MainStreet system with frame relay interworks seamlessly with the
Alcatel 7470 Multiservice Platform (MSP), formerly the 36170 Multiservices
Switch*, to provide an end-to-end frame relay solution, from the customer
premises to the ATM-based multiservice backbone. Both systems are fully managed
by the industry leading Alcatel 5620 Network Manager (NM), formerly the 46020
Network Manager*, allowing the service provider to manage the multiservice
environment from a single platform and console. New facilities can be added in
seconds, rather than weeks, as more subscribers request service.
- This product belonged to the Newbridge family. Newbridge was acquired by
Alcatel in May 2000.
Scalable frame relay switching platform
The 3600 MainStreet supports multiple services including leased line, ISDN
switched services, frame relay and X.25. Adding frame relay services to the 3600
MainStreet platform is as easy as installing an FRE, PE or FRS/SRIM card into
any universal card slot (UCS) in a 3600 MainStreet system. For existing systems,
this can be done as a field upgrade and, in most cases, does not affect service.
The MainStreet Frame Relay service is based on distributed packet processing
architecture. All frame relay switching occurs on the integrated frame relay
cards. As interface bandwidth and capacity requirements increase, the system can
be economically scaled from a few FRE and/or PE cards to up to 64 cards
interconnected across the 100 Mb/s FASTbus.
With the FASTbus option, the 3600 MainStreet system supports an easy
migration from frame relay to ATM networking, as well as their coexistence in
the same network. The frame relay/ATM interworking solution is provided via an
optional rack-mountable MainStreet FRATM Interworking Unit.
Frame Relay Engine card
The Frame Relay Engine (FRE) card is the full-featured MainStreet Frame Relay
switching card. In addition to standard, high-performance frame relay switching,
it offers advanced frame relay features such as quality of service (QoS), frame
fragmentation/ reassembly, DLCI multiplexing, transparent high level data link
control (HDLC) encapsulation and frame stream protection switching (link
management interface (LMI)-triggered reserved alternate path with immediate
diversion (RAPID)).
The FRE card supports up to 62 frame streams with a combined bandwidth of
3.968 Mb/s.
Packet Engine card
The Packet Engine (PE) card is intended for combined X.25 and frame relay
switching applications. The card supports comprehensive X.25 switching
capabilities along with high performance frame relay switching. Subscribers can
easily migrate from one to the other as both services can be used simultaneously
and interchangeably -- ports can be reconfigured through software as service
needs change.
The PE card supports up to 62 frame streams with a combined bandwidth of
3.968 Mb/s.
Frame Relay Switch with Subrate Interface Module card
The Frame Relay Switch with Subrate Interface Module (FRS/SRIM) card is used
primarily for subrate frame relay or X.25 access to MainStreet networks. The
card supports up to 31 frame streams with a combined bandwidth of 1.984 Mb/s.
The SRIM provides economical low speed connectivity with high fan-out sub-64
kb/s frame relay switching. This capability is required for the support of
existing legacy protocol network devices.
FASTbus option
The FASTbus option enables the interconnection of up to 64 FRE and/or PE
cards and multiple MainStreet FRATM Interworking Units to form a high-capacity
frame relay switching node capable of delivering 120,000 fps aggregate switching
performance across 256 Mb/s of access bandwidth. A FASTbus Interconnect Panel
(FIP) and frame relay resource cards are all that is needed to upgrade a 3600
MainStreet system to accommodate expanding frame relay networking needs.
A 3600 MainStreet system with the FASTbus option accommodates access rates
from 1.2 kb/s to full E3/T3, all under the same point-and-click, end-to-end
network management system.
FRATM Interworking Unit
The FRATM Interworking Unit provides high performance frame relay-to-ATM
interconnectivity using a standard E3 or T3 ATM interface. It connects to the
FASTbus ring via the FIP, allowing FRE and PE cards on the 3600 MainStreet
system to connect to an Alcatel 7470 MSP or to a standards-based, third-party
ATM network.
For more information, see the MainStreet FRATM Interworking Unit data sheet.
Advanced frame relay functionality
Voice over frame relay
The FRE card provides an efficient and economical means of switching voice
frames and resolving delay and jitter issues. QoS is used to ensure faster
delivery of voice frames by prioritizing voice traffic over other frames.
Fragmentation is available to reduce the jitter commonly found when voice frames
are mixed with long data frames. DLCI multiplexing eliminates the recurring cost
of multiple PVCs between remote and central locations.
Quality of service
In an environment where there is a need for varying frame relay end-to-end,
the FRE card offers a comprehensive two-step approach. First, the frame switch
specifies a class of service (qualifying) and, second, it specifies tolerable
delivery time (quantifying) for the frame. By qualifying and quantifying the
frames, an effective QoS platform is established. Conforming to the ITU-T X.146
standard, the QoS, along with tolerable delay times, is selected during
commissioning of the frame relay PVC.
Fragmentation
The FRE card platform supports end-to-end frame fragmentation/ reassembly on
PVCs based on FRF.12. This feature allows long frames to be fragmented at the
ingress FRE card and then reassembled at the egress FRE card.
Typically, fragmentation is used when real-time, delay-sensitive traffic such
as voice or video is transmitted on a stream that also carries large data
frames. Multiplexing voice traffic using frame relay increases bandwidth
efficiency dramatically, but fragmentation measures may be required to prevent
the quality of the voice signal at the destination being compromised. This may
occur when transmission of long frames on other PVCs using the link causes short
voice frames to be excessively delayed.
DLCI multiplexing
To reduce the costs associated with provisioning multiple PVCs across public
frame relay networks to interconnect remote and central sites, the FRE card
provides the capability to multiplex many "input" DLCs onto a single
"output" DLC that is presented to the public network. The DLCI
multiplexing feature conforms to the FRF.11 standard and is fully compatible
with Alcatel's 3608 and 3609 MainStreet Frame Relay Access Devices (FRADs) and
3612 MainStreet Narrowband Multiplexer (NBM).
Voice over frame relay access
Alcatel's 3608 and 3609 MainStreet FRAD products are flexible, expandable
frame relay compatible access platforms. They provide customer premises access
to toll quality voice, fax and data services, allowing users to take advantage
of the cost-effectiveness of multiple services over frame relay.
The 3608 and 3609 MainStreet FRAD products are fully managed as part of an
end-to-end solution.
Unique frame relay features
Transparent HDLC-based protocol encapsulation
The feature enables the connection of any HDLC protocol device to the frame
relay network and permits point-to-point connections based on frame relay PVCs.
It can be used to provide connections between legacy protocol devices based on
HDLC such as LAP, LAPB, LAPD, LAPM, SDLC and DSP, as well as proprietary
protocols conforming to HDLC, such as Alcatel's TINP (1100 TPX) and Nortel's UTP
(DPN-100). The feature also supports CPSS over frame relay.
The FRE, PE and FRS/SRIM cards fully support HDLC-based protocol
encapsulation. Subrate HDLC encapsulation is available on the FRS/SRIM card.
Asymmetric CIR
Class of service (CoS) parameters are commonly configured to allow symmetric
rate enforcing to run in both directions. Asymmetric committed information rate
(CIR) allows applications with differing data transfer bandwidth requirements to
be provisioned with separate CoS parameters in the transmit and receive
directions. Systems network architecture (SNA) sessions between terminals and
host are a common application for this feature.
Switched access to frame relay
Support for switched access to frame relay allows service providers to bridge
their ISDN and Switched 56 networks to a MainStreet Frame Relay network. The
MainStreet Frame Relay service provides an interworking function between the
frame relay network and central office switches, which support ISDN and Switched
56 access.
Protection switching
The Alcatel 3600 MainStreet platform provides a number of features to
guarantee network availability. All voice, data, aggregate and subrate
aggregates can be preconfigured with RAPID (reserved alternate path with
immediate diversion) to provide fast rerouting of critical information channels.
The FRE card supports frame stream protection switching based on PVC management
messages (LMI-triggered RAPID). With this feature, RAPID protection is initiated
once the card detects that the stream is out of service.
Other unique features
Other frame relay features include:
- Instantaneous congestion and packet discard notification to aid in
capacity planning and congestion control
- X.25-to-frame relay service interworking available on the PE card
- LMI auto-discovery to simplify configuration and provisioning
Network and Service Management
The Alcatel 5620 NM provides advanced network management and service
provisioning on frame relay and multiservice networks.
The Alcatel 5620 NM offers extensive functionality and ease of use for data
traffic on frame relay and ATM links. It configures frame relay switching
devices, sets up and manages paths, monitors network operation in real time,
displays network synchronization and bandwidth utilization, and performs
diagnostics to isolate and manage problems on the network.
Key frame relay management features of the Alcatel 5620 include:
- Graphical configuration - allows graphical configuration of all frame
parameters, such as congestion thresholds and link management protocols.
- Simple path setup - configuring data link connections (DLCs) to set up
PVCs is a simple point-and-click procedure; the operator only has to select
valid path endpoints over the configured frame relay links and select the
required parameters, including quality of service - the Alcatel 5620 NM
system takes care of all the DLCs.
- Extended path management - frame relay links, paths and DLCs can be
listed, allowing any connection to be easily traced through the network; for
quick diagnostics, the path tracing feature highlights the path of a PVC and
each node it traverses - with a click of the mouse.
Please refer to the Alcatel 5620 NM data sheet for more information.
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