ANDA Networks offers a line of products--collectively called EtherTone--targeted to service providers. The MEF 9/14 certified products allow providers to deliver Ethernet services to their subscribers--including Internet access, VoIP, transparent LAN connectivity, etc.--over the existing SONET/PDH/SDH delivery infrastructure.

Key to the EtherTone product line's features is its ability to leverage X.86 and/or GFP (Generic Framing Protocol) technology, which maps Ethernet frames directly into SONET/PDH/SDH payloads (into a single, SONET/PDH/SDH virtual connection), as opposed to provisioning them to a dedicated TDM time slot. According to the vendor, this mapping mechanism increases the provider's bandwidth efficiency; allowing them to deliver services to subscribers in increments as small as 64 Kb/sec and allowing them to provide service to customers over their existing fiber infrastructure.

The EtherTone products themselves consist of gear targeted to both the carrier for the delivery of such transmissions and the customer premise allowing for the reception of the transmissions. Various devices are supplied, offering connectivity options bridging from one type of interface to the other, including:

- EtherReach 1000 series: The newest entry in the line. The EtherReach 1000 is 1U Network Termination Equipment in fixed configurations, offering Gb fiber or copper interfaces on both the subscriber and provider side of the connection. Models are expected to be available offering from 1 to 4 10/100/1000BaseTX or 1000SX/LX/ZX/BX subscriber interfaces, and single/dual 10/100/1000BaseTX or 1000SX/LX/ZX/BX or 100BaseFX - 1310nm SM network interfaces.

- EtherReach 2000 series: Fixed configuration customer premise equipment with dual 10/100BaseTX ports on one side for subscriber LAN connections, and G.SHDSL, DS1\E1, DS3\E3, or DS3\E3, and OC3/STM1 connectivity on the provider side (depending on the model). Some 2000 Series entries have a 100BaseFX SFP port on the LAN side.

- EtherEdge 4000 series: A modular offering with 6 interface slots (4 subscriber, 2 provider) targeted to multi-tenant building or CO/POP traffic aggregation deployments. Provides up to 24 10/100, 100FX, GigE, DS3/E3, CHDS3 (DS1s'/E1s') and OC3STM1 ports on the subscriber side and multiple DS3, OC3/STM1, OC12/STM4 and GigE ports on the provider side.

- EtherSLAM 5000 series: These are for carriers/enterprises, and primarily serve as "expansion shelves" for the EtherEdge 4000, enabling the aggregation of hundreds of lower speed (sub 100M) EtherReach 2000 devices over bonded SONET/PDH/SDH infrastructure. As of this writing, two EtherSLAM 5000 devices are listed. Both have dual GigE ports connecting to the EtherEdge 4000 GigE subscriber card; and on the other side of the traffic flow are 6 channelized DS3 ports (supporting 168 T1) or 2 channelized STM1 ports (supporting up to 126 E1 and 6 E3).

All but the EtherReach 1000 series offerings are available now; those are expected to be available in June.

Visit the ANDA Networks Web site for further details.