All in One Box

Quad Research's 1System offers an integrated, standard rack-mounted system for ISPs with switches, routers, servers, and storage in one package.

by Wayne Kawamoto [May 22, 2000]

QUAD Research is introducing a patent-pending Internet infrastructure hardware platform that's specifically designed for service providers.

The 1System is engineered for Network Equipment Building System (NEBS) compliance. It combines scalable carrier-class communications/switching, application/Web serving, high-speed fibre channel storage, and integrated systems management, into a single, standard nineteen-inch rack-mounted chassis.

According to Quad Research, the 1System is flexible in that it may also be deployed as a series of optically connected rack-mounted enclosures using fibre channel as the network fabric to form a single integrated large-scale system.

The company claims that its 1System proprietary design and architecture offers previously unrealized communications performance between all key components in the processing chain. The 1System offers subscriber access connectivity from T-1 up to OC3, and is scalable from 384 internal modems to 16,128 internal modems.

Also, the company says that a single 1System chassis can house up to 10 single board computers, which can provide unprecedented processing resource capacity in a dense form-factor, and delivers optimized communication and processing throughput. This allows service providers to offer subscribers a high level of service with the least amount of management overhead and physical space.

QUAD Research also says that it is the first company to provide all of the hardware components (switches, routers, servers, and storage) needed to operate an ISP or ASP in a single, seamlessly integrated, standard rack-mounted system.

"Our 1System occupies a fraction of the physical square footage (22" H x 17" W x 23" D) when compared to traditional implementations with separate hardware components from separate vendors," says Mike Pagani, Vice President of Marketing for QUAD. "The 1System simultaneously reduces bottlenecks and incompatibilities between critical components with its internal CompactPCI and Fibre Channel connections between all active devices and dramatically reduces overall packet latency due to its high-speed, optimized interconnected bus architecture and network fabric."

Pricing and Availability
Pricing ranges from $50,000 on the low-end, to $300,000 on the high-end, depending on the configuration. Current availability is for beta customers, and full production units are slated for release in July.

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