Multiservice Switch
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Multiservice Switch or MSS is a Nortel line of routers, historically called Passport, designed for carrier core and edge routing. They run the Passport Carrier Release operating system.
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[edit] Features
Some core features of the Multiservice Switch series are:
- MPLS with BGP VPNs
- RFC2764 VPNs
- SONET/ATM, Frame Relay and Ethernet Media Support
- IPv4 Routing (layer 3)
- Layer 3 Traffic Management
[edit] Architecture
The Multiservice switches are made up of a shelf of 16 cards. There are two key types of card to consider:
- the Control Processor or CP is the switch fabric processor: it controls shelf functionality, as well as controls routing as well as manages the provisioning interface;
- the Function Processor or FP is in essence a line card, but there is processing logic and queue logic on the card. This allows for packets to be directly manipulated on the FP, decreasing the load on the CP.
A shelf can have up to 2 CPs (1 master, 1 hot spare) and 14 FPs (including hot spares).
The MSS has historically gone through two generations of Fabric Control Processors, starting with the i960 initially, and later moving to PowerPC.
[edit] Models
The Multiservice Switch line is divided into several different models. This division is both historical and technical.
[edit] MSS 15000/20000
The top of the line switch with a backplane capable of in excess of 50 Gbit/s of data transfer. This is the latest revision to the MSS line.
[edit] MSS 7400
One of the original Passport switches, the MSS 7400 has a significant historical installed base. Based on a rudundant dual 800 Mbit/s backplane. The MSS 7400 has several different configurations available, ranging from two slots up to a full shelf of 16 slots.
[edit] MSS 6400
Similar to the MSS 7400 series.
[edit] Supported Media Types
There are a number of media types supported by the Multiservice Switch, both modern and historical. For example, Nortel offers line cards that provide Packet over SONET and ATM at OC3 through OC196 speeds (depending on the fabric capacity). As well, Frame Relay and other historical TDM interfaces can be purchased. More recently, Ethernet has become a focus for these switches, and 10/100 Base-T and 1000 Base-T media types have been supported (again depending on the fabric capacity).
[edit] Other Uses
The MSS chassis and architecture is an integral part of Nortel's CDMA and Alcatel-Lucent's (through acquisition) UMTS solutions. These switches run enhanced versions of Nortel's Passport Carrier Release software, but effectively are Multiservice Switches.
