Redback Networks announced a new software release that enables its SmartEdge platforms to receive high bandwidth tunnels from broadband wholesalers. Specifically, the new software enables the sending, receiving or balancing of wholesale broadband L2TP tunnels, including L2TP Network Server (LNS), L2TP Access Server (LAC) and L2TP Tunnel Switch (LTS), on the SmartEdge edge router. The new enhanced L2TP functionality includes:
- a new level of reliability for maintaining the individual sessions within L2TP tunnels, even in the event of a hardware failure. Traditional LNS solutions can fail-over L2TP tunnels in the event of a hardware failure, but all individual subscriber sessions are lost. The enhanced LNS for the SmartEdge platform now ensures that tunnels and individual PPP sessions remain intact and uninterrupted in the event of a line card fail-over.
- enhanced LTS for the SmartEdge platform with the same ability to fail-over individual sessions. As an LTS, wholesale connections from a provider can be load balanced between separate LNS units.
- integration between the L2TP tunneling functions and MPLS VPNs on the same platform. VPN tunnels can now connect seamlessly with L2TP tunnels.
Redback said that unlike other platforms, the LNS and LTS functionality is built directly into the SmartEdge software and does not require a separate line card or resource card. The function is performed entirely in software. The LNS functionality can be integrated with edge routing and broadband subscriber management on the same platform. Redback provides full support for sending or receiving subscriber traffic to or from MPLS VPNs for LNS terminated sessions.
Redback said these capabilities enable ISPs to consolidate elements of their networks that are currently separate and boost overall reliability, scalability and ease of operation. http://www.redback.com