[2767] in Commercialization & Privatization of the Internet
sun/isdn, from telecom digest, fyi
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Bob Weber)
Mon May 25 06:39:09 1992
Date: Mon, 25 May 92 06:37:16 -0400
From: weber@world.std.com (Bob Weber)
To: com-priv@psi.com
>From world!uunet!usc!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!news.acns.nwu.edu!telecom-request Mon May 25 06:32:53 EDT 1992
Article: 24090 of comp.dcom.telecom
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Date: Sun, 24 May 1992 13:17:06 -0400
>From: Monty Solomon <monty@proponent.com>
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Re: Basic Rate ISDN Included on Motherboard of SPARCSstation
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Here is some more info on ISDN in the Sun SPARCSstation 10:
(Excerpted from Sun's Worldwide Product Announcement Information)
- What Becomes Available When:
o ISDN
Chip on the motherboard Q3 CY92
ISDN Drivers on Solaris 2.x Q4 CY92 Solaris 2.x
Teleservices API Q1 CY93 Solaris 2.x
Wide Area Networking software Q1 CY93 Solaris 2.x
The chip on the motherboard provides a BRI (basic rate interface) ISDN
connection that is integrated with workstation audio. The drivers
provide a low level interface to the hardware. The Teleservices API
enables application development for workstation/telephony integration
-- providing functions like call setup, transfer, hold, confer, etc.
The API is hardware independent so that it will work with third party
non-ISDN telephony hardware and software. The WAN software enables
data communication -- running IP over ISDN (in other words, applica-
tions that run over ethernet will run over ISDN).
In the first release, Sun will support data communications in the US
(for the AT&T 5ESS switch), the UK, France, Germany and Japan. We
will support voice services in the US (for the AT&T 5ESS switch) only.
ISDN
Q: Why did Sun put ISDN on the motherboard?
A: ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) is a key technology that
enables our vision of integrating desktop tools (such as the
telephone) into the workstation, and enables collaboration with other
people regardless of location. ISDN is the only worldwide standard
for telephone connectivity. By providing this capability to every Sun
user, we are extending our customers' networks worldwide and enabling
a new generation of applications through workstation/telephone
integration. Sun was the first company to include ethernet as a
standard part of every workstation, and now we have further innovated
by bundling ISDN.
Q: What does ISDN do for my customers?
A: ISDN provides worldwide connectivity - customers will be able to
communicate with anyone in the world who has a connection to an ISDN
phone line. Integrating the workstation with the telephone enables a
whole new generation of applications.
Wide Area Networking applications:
- telecommuting
- database/information services access
- still image transfer
- remote back up
Workstation Telephony applications:
- desktop integrated telephony (e.g., answer, dialer,
integrated rolodex, single in-box for email, fax and
telephone messages)
- corporate telephony: telephone capabilities integrated
into corporate applications (e.g., customer service and
financial traders)
- worldwide collaboration (e.g., video conferencing, shared
white board, shared documents)
- remote access (e.g., ability to access information on your
workstation through any telephone using text to speech
and phone integration technologies).
Q: Why is Sun making such a big investment in ISDN when there's very
little U.S. support for ISDN in the near future?
A: ISDN is the worldwide telecommunications standard for telephone and
networking services. Sun is investing in ISDN because it is a key
technology to enable our vision of integrating desktop tools into the
workstation and enabling collaboration with people regardless of
location. More than 50% of Sun's business is overseas - in Japan, the
UK, Germany and France all businesses have access to ISDN. In the
United States 40% of all telephone customers will have access to ISDN
by 1992 and this will increase to 60% by 1994. Metropolitan areas will
be 10-20% higher.
Q: Does ISDN replace Ethernet? Leased lines?
A: No. Ethernet will still be used for Local Area Networks where it
is used today. Large companies who send large amounts of data will
still use dedicated, leased lines between major sites. ISDN provides
users with an inexpensive way to connect to another site -- to a
customer, a supplier, a remote office, or an employee at home.
Q: How many types of ISDN are there?
A: There are three types of ISDN, that each offer different
bandwidths. Basic Rate ISDN offers up to 128 kbps and is generally
available worldwide. Primary Rate ISDN offers up to 2 Mbps, but is
not yet a worldwide standard. Broadband ISDN offers rate as high as 6
Gbps but is not likely to be generally available at least until 1995.
Q: Why did we choose Basic Rate ISDN?
A: Basic rate is the only interface that is standard today. Although
PRI (Primary Rate Interface) provides higher bandwidth than BRI, it is
not readily available and it is expensive today. Third party SBus
boards will provide PRI capabilities.
Q: Does my workstation have to be certified?
A: Yes, Sun is in the process of getting the SPARCstation 10 certified
by the respective regulatory agencies in each country (e.g., the FCC
in the US). The workstation is shipping with a blocking plate over
the ISDN connectors which can be removed when certification is
complete. In the US, the UK, France, Germany and Japan, we expect
certification by Q1 CY93.
Q: How is ISDN integrated with audio?
A: They are very tightly integrated -- which allows users to use a
headphone connected to the SpeakerBox as a telephone. Also, telephony
applications use the audio hardware for input and output, freeing the
CPU for other functions.
Q: Our office phone system is already digital -- why is ISDN important?
A: Your office phone system is digital, but not standard. Most
offices today use their own PBX (private branch exchange) and use a
proprietary digital system offered by the PBX vendor. As with any
proprietary standard, there is no interoperability except between the
equipment from the same vendor. ISDN brings the concept of "open
systems" to telephony.
Q: Does ISDN require special fiber optic cables?
A: No, existing copper wiring will work.
Q: Does SPARCstation 10 support cross-platform audio?
A: Yes, it supports seven different sampling rates -- from 8-bit, 8
KHz voice quality audio to 16-bit, 48 KHz CD-quality audio.
