September 1998

I would say that the majority of people who pick up a phone to place a call, or click on a mouse to send an e-mail really don't care about how the job gets done - so long as it gets done. To them, computers and networks and telephones are conveniences, not obsessions. To them, a router isn't a data switch; rather a tool that turns lumber into molding. A CSU is the French acronym for the former Soviet Republics. The local area is their lawn. The wide area is their neighbor's lawn. You get the point.

This roundup is not for them.

However, if you've been tasked with the unenviable job of integrating the heretofore disparate voice and data or video or fax networks currently employed in your enterprise, then read on. In this feature you will find a great many products that merit some closer attention. Now, this is by no means the most exhaustive survey ever created on networking or integration equipment, but it's the best place for you to start looking at solutions. You'll undoubtedly recognize many of these companies and their products. You might be introduced to some new players as well.

We've arranged the products into several categories: Network devices (switches, routers, and such); Building blocks (boards and software to build whatever solution you need); Gateways (it seems that these magic boxes do everything, so how could we exclude them?). One notable exception: Video conferencing. Regarding these products and solutions, check this space next month, when our roundup will feature the best of those types of solutions.

Again, this roundup is a starting point and should serve as a reference for you in you research. Read on. Get the basics. And then contact the vendors whose products interest you. Surf the Web. Do your homework (your competitors are doing just that as you read this) and you will most certainly be rewarded with a well thought out solution that's right for you.

--Greg Galitzine

Network Devices

Total Control

The Total Control platform features SNMP management, Ethernet and Token Ring support, and high-performance access concentration with dial-up and dial-out services. Total Control offers the ultimate in flexibility with modular architecture, featuring cards that can be software upgraded or "swapped" to accommodate new technologies and changing remote access needs. The system design ensures minimized downtime because the hot swappable cards can be removed and replaced while the system is running.

ISU 2x64

The ISU 2x64 can be viewed as a dual modem that supports two applications, simultaneously and independently, up to 64 Kbps on each DTE interface. For high-speed applications over 64 Kbps, a single DTE interface can achieve rates up to 128 Kbps. The ISU unit supports video conferencing and audio broadcasting at 128 Kbps, as well as dual modem replacement. A rackmount version satisfies applications where multiple communications devices are required at a central site, such as modem pooling, Internet access, bulletin boards, and host data center applications. The ISU is also designed to communicate with V.34 modems. For network testing, the unit responds to loopback commands from a Central Office.

NetLinker 7x

Users can manage the router locally using a Windows 95 or NT 4.0-based GUI or any HTML Web-based manager. As far as security is concerned, the NetLinker 7x offers the following features:

• IP packet filtering firewall.
• ISDN connection timer control.
• PAP and CHAP authentication protocols.
• Password security.

In addition, automatic switch type and SPID detection eliminate the need for technical expertise, while diagnostic capabilities provide ISDN connection and hardware tests. An event log provides detailed information for cost tracking and diagnostic purposes.

Ascend Signaling Gateway

The first release of the ASG will help carriers offload data traffic from voice switches and route calls directly to a data network. This will lower their infrastructure cost to upgrade the voice network for increase in data traffic. The combination of the ASG and MAX TNT (Ascend's remote access concentrator product) acts as a low cost switch for data traffic. The second release will enhance the functionality of the ASG by integrating voice over IP (VoIP) services into the ASG. This includes adding H.323 stack and gatekeeper functionality to the ASG. This integration will allow VoIP calls to be transferred transparently between the voice and data networks.

Versalar Broadband Access

The Versalar Broadband Access products are fully SNMP manageable and feature powerful provisioning and management tools to ensure high performance and highly reliable operation. The products are easily configured, monitored, and controlled via Bay Networks Optivity family of network management applications. The Versalar Broadband Access product line complies with Data Over Cable Service Interface Specifications (DOCSIS) standards, which define standards for networking equipment that will be attached to the cable plant (i.e., the cable modem and the cable modem termination system).

VNswitch 900FF

Both new products deliver Layer 3 IP routing at the rate of 100,000 packets per second in addition to simultaneous line rate Layer 2 switching, eliminating the need to purchase separate routers to provide the same functionality. This integrated approach is ideally suited for IP routing at the workgroup/departmental network level.

MCX 8800 Series WAN Switch

The MGX 8800's universal chassis scales from DS0 to OC-48c/STM-16 speeds with 45 Gbps switching throughput. The flexible form factor easily accommodates a mix of high-density narrowband and broadband interfaces enabling network engineers to collapse multi-box solutions onto a single platform. The MGX 8800 wide-area switch gives service providers the ability to offer their customers a tremendous breadth of WAN services, including Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), voice-over-IP, frame relay, extranets, intranets, managed voice-and-data services, SNA outsourcing, and provisioned data, voice, and video.

Access Plus F50ip Gateway

The F50ip's base-unit configuration comes with two analog voice channels, a serial data port, an Ethernet port, and a frame relay network port. The product can run both VoIP and frame relay concurrently, allowing network routing on a call-by-call basis for optimal call quality and minimum transmission cost. Calls can also be routed between VoIP and VoFR sub-networks within a larger network. The F50ip offers Nuera's SNMP agent, which facilitates robust configuration statistics, diagnostics, and alarm management.

Hotwire MVL System

The Hotwire MVL System's design reduces installation and operational costs by eliminating the need to roll trucks to each location to install POTS splitters, rewire the house, and condition the phone line. Known as a splitterless modem, the Hotwire MVL Modem transforms the existing copper wire phone line into multiple virtual lines, which, along with lifeline voice services, offers up to 8 additional virtual lines to support a variety of high-speed digital services simultaneously.

WebSwitch 1608

To provide optimum performance over the WAN, the company offers a voice compression module. Each WebSwitch has 16 analog extension ports that support traditional analog phones. No gateway is needed, and H.323 support is available for users who wish to employ Ethernet phones or PC telephony clients such as NetMeeting.

T1 Integrator

The product also offers Local Call Routing functionality. This enables the routing of all 911, 411, local, and toll-free calls over local loop lines, while routing all other voice and data traffic over the single T1 line. This feature is especially intriguing for ILECs, CLECs, and NSPs because it allows them to offer local toll service without deploying local switches in every city.

Building Blocks

TAP-800 Family

The TAP 804, with 12 DSPs, is designed for T1 line interface situations and can offer up to 24 channels of G.723.1 voice compression and decompression for voice over IP applications. A complete and open software development environment supports the TAP-800 family multiprocessor hardware architecture.

MSP/CX

When combined with an optional M.100-compliant stream processing SDK, Commetrex' MSP/CX becomes an open hardware/software environment for the media processing software developer. This compliance enables developers to develop to one open portable environment, rather than multiple proprietary environments.

DM3 IP Link

Furthermore, support for standard transport mechanisms such as Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), User Datagram Protocol (UDP), and Real Time Protocol/Real Time Control Protocol (RTP/RTCP) is embedded in the DM3 IPLink product firmware. The DM3 IPLink product also has a sophisticated packet recovery algorithm.

VIPER-12 548/PC

VFDR Software Solution

The VFDR transparently compresses telephony signals (i.e., from a conventional handset) to the baseband data rate for transmission over a digital link. Once received on the other end, the signal is reconverted to analog and transmitted for conventional processing by the receiving handset.

H.323 Gateway Server Toolkit -- GX1000

Typically, the toolkit software runs on DSP boards with an API to the host processor (the API library is independent of the type of DSP board used in the gateway). This has a tremendous advantage of keeping the toolkit software independent of the type of DSP board used. The toolkit also offers several options for gateway applications to support speech, fax, and the H.323 protocol. All options incorporate network echo cancellation, DTMF tone detection and regeneration facilities, in addition to full-duplex speech compression and decompression.

CTPlus Voice/Fax Board

In addition to four TrueSpeech coprocessors, the board has four fully programmable 14,400 bps Rockwell fax modems. Each modem supports full duplex data transmission, the AT command set, and ITU-T Group 3 fax specifications. CTPlus supports Microsoft's TAPI and works with many of today's most popular telephony programming tools to speed application development. CTPlus is designed to run in the Microsoft Windows NT Server or Workstation 4.0 (Service Pack 3) environment. Each multi-port CTPlus board provides four channels of enhanced call processing and fax services in a single ISA-bus computer slot.

Fusion 2.0

7The Fusion IP telephony platform consists of an Alliance Generation (AG) DSP board for PSTN network interface and media processing, an AG Realtime/2 daughtercard for real time vocoding, and a TX Series board, which handles IP routing and data protocols. Fusion supports a full T1 in two ISA slots, and up to four T1s in a single chassis.

Gateways

Clarent Gateway 3.0

The Clarent Gateway 3.0 incorporates the latest generation of DSP technology from Audio Codes and Phylon, and will use quad (four-channel) T1/E1 telephone interface technology from Natural MicroSystems. Clarent Gateway 3.0 will also support industry gateway standard G.723.1, and G.729 compression/decompression (codec) algorithms. In addition, Clarent offers real-time fax capabilities, SS7 integration, and a suite of products that integrate voice and fax over virtual private networks.

CTVoice

A major feature of Comdial's product is the CT Voice: Manager, which performs all of the configuration, administration, and operation of the gateway network. Complex tasks such as configuring a DNS server, Web server, or FTP server can be executed quickly and efficiently from a single program and on a single terminal anywhere on the network. The solution's H.323 compliant software supports real-time integration of voice, video and data for collaborative workgroup applications -- such as Microsoft NetMeeting - over the network.

The solution was developed for Comdial's computer telephony platforms in partnership with Array Telecom. In fact, in mid-July, Comdial acquired the privately held Array Telecom. By so doing, Comdial gains ownership of all intellectual property associated with Array's Internet telephony products and related assets, including VOIPgate.com. VOIPgate.com is a DSP-based IP telephony software solution that enables users to place long-distance phone and fax calls from their existing phone system over any IP network. Certain key design engineers have signed employment contracts and will be relocating to new Comdial offices to be established in Northern Virginia' s high technology corridor in 1999.

eStream (with Internet Call Waiting)

eFusion's Internet Call Waiting and other Enhanced Internet Services applications work over the single telephone line installed in most residences, and users need only employ a standard multimedia PC equipped with an H.323-compliant Internet phone like Microsoft NetMeeting or Netscape Conference.

Tempest DVG

A recent addition to Tempest IP Telephony System is Franklin's Billing & Authorization Server. The Server provides a centralized, easily managed invoicing facility for a network of Tempest Data/Voice Gateways. When a call is placed, the Billing & Authorization Server has two primary functions: It authenticates the user code (PIN number) and verifies that the account has sufficient credit; then it sorts through the available options to route the call by the timeliest and most cost-efficient means possible.

Enterprise Interaction Center

EIC enables organizations to manage all of their interactions on a single NT server with tight integration to other BackOffice products including Exchange, SQL Server, and IIS. Its multi-threaded, Java-based engine is capable of processing thousands of telephone calls, e-mails, faxes, Internet chats, Web call-back requests, Internet telephony calls, and other interactions per hour. Unlike traditional ACDs, EIC can queue and distribute not only incoming telephone calls but e-mails, faxes, chat sessions, and the like.

Vocal'Net Telephony Gateway

The current version of Vocal'Net allows local or remote configuration over the IP data network for programming multiple locations worldwide, and also offers a call accounting package (InsideTrack), which provides the ability to define and run custom reports as well as several predefined reports. Future enhancements to Inter-Tel's telephony gateway include: Increased capacity of up to 96 ports per server; Support for H.323, G.723.1, G.729a, Voxware, and elemedia; as well as a Fax gateway, fax broadcast, and a video gateway.

V/IP Phone/Fax IP Gateway

V/IP uses ClearVoice technology with ITU standard G.729 voice compression, silence suppression, background noise regeneration, echo cancellation, and robust voice switching. V/IP converts a voice call into a digital signal at 8 Kbps. IP overhead increases this to 17 Kbps. The silence suppression technology (which only uses bandwidth when a person is talking) then reduces the voice signal to an average of 7 Kbps. As for flexibility, V/IP Gateways transmit over any LAN/WAN via Ethernet, FDDI, frame relay, or ATM.

NeTrueLink

The NeTrueLink software automatically selects the least cost routing path for each message based upon the PSTN rates and the Internet access charges. To guarantee communications quality, the product takes advantage of the latest technology in message processing, conversion and compression. NeTrueLink applies an encryption to the transmission to completely secure the contents. In addition, if the destination fax machine or phone is temporarily out of service, the system automatically tries the message later and will continue to do so for a predetermined number of times.

BS1200 Internet Voice Gateway

Oki Network Technologies
785 North Mary Avenue
Sunnyvale, CA 94086
Ph.: 408-737-6383
Web site: www.okint.com

Oki's BS 1200 provides 8 Kbps voice signal compression for efficient circuit bandwidth use as well as high-quality voice transmission supporting the ITU G.729 CS-ACELP speech encoding/decoding industry standard. A DNS server maintains conversion of telephone numbers to IP addresses and the gateway is easily installed and maintained using standard FTP and TELNET protocols. The BS1200's all inclusive, one-box design eliminates the hassles associated with complex integration of software, interface boards, and computer hardware.

Internet LineJACK

Using built-in CallerID and Quicknet's exclusive Internet CallerID feature, the Internet LineJACK directly integrates with the most popular contact managers like Goldmine and ACT! Users can automatically look up a caller before they answer, or dial directly from their contact manager and log all their calls whether on the Internet or a local telephone line. The Internet LineJACK allows the conferencing of an Internet phone call with a call over a local telephone line to the local phone.

VocalTec Telephony Gateway

The combined voice and fax services offered by the VocalTec Telephony Gateway provide a scalable communications solution capable of meeting the needs of businesses both large and small, including corporations with multiple offices, Internet Service Providers offering value-added services, telecommuters, and call center operations.