Re: Ethernet over DS3 Converters

[Justin Shore <justin () justinshore com>]

Brad Fleming wrote:
> My company is searching for some Ethernet over DS3 converters / adaptors 
> for a specific installation. I see several options from Adtran, 
> RAD-Direct, and a couple other (smaller) vendors and was wondering if 
> anyone out there has suggestions or insights.
>
> Our needs are pretty simple:
> We'll need to pass multiple VLANs unless that's simply not possible.
> We'll need copper 10/100 interfaces  on each side.

Hey Brad.  We're doing this with Overture 2200s and 5100s.  However, as 
others have pointed out, they have some issues.  Their redundant PSUs 
for models below the 5x00s are a joke.  A single DC PSU for those models 
requires 1U of space.  The PSU has 2 power sources but is still a single 
PSU.  A redundant PSU requires another 1U of space.  Inside the 19" x 
roughly 8" 1U chassis is a PCB that's about the size of a wallet.  Why 
they couldn't incorporate that into a modular PSU or make the external 
PSU chassis modular so a 2nd PSU didn't take up any more space I do not 
know.  The CLI in the 2200 and 5100 can do a lot.  I must admit that I 
still do not understand it.  They just work and I don't have to mess 
with them very often so I struggle each time I get into one.  I found 
their VLAN grooming to be confusing.  Even tech support wasn't able to 
help in some cases.

The ISG models (34, 45, 140, 180 for example) are completely different 
than the 2200s and 5x000s (I don't know about the ISG 2x models).  They 
were an acquired from another company.  What the others said about there 
being no CLI is right.  They only have a web GUI.  You can't pull off 
their config with common CLI tools like RANCID, CatTools, COSI tools, 
etc.  That's a big deal for us.  That to me makes them feel like 
non-telco grade equipment.  You can certainly book-end the back to back 
but be absolutely certain that you get a config dump from each end every 
time a tech gets into one.  I believe the 34, 45 and 140 models use the 
same PSU as the 2200 above.  They can only connect to a single PSU 
though (the 180 supports 2).  Same caveats as above.

They are generally feature rich; I'll give that to them.  They could be 
an excellent solution if the product was more mature and honed.  Anyone 
wanting to bond T1s with MLPPP on the 140 and 180 back to a router 
BEWARE.  They require BCP.  On most platforms (anything that doesn't use 
a SPA) that requires disabling routing (research BCP configs on 
Cisco.com).  They will work but understand the caveats before trying 
them.  I'm sure that OV will send you demo units if you ask.  I'll send 
you a picture of a 2200 with the PSU setup later tonight.

Justin