The unique feature of all Centillion 50 / 100
/ 5000BH is, that these switches have an ATM driven backplane. That
means, the Centillions internally work with the ATM data transport technology. There
are proprietary custom processors with Bay Networks SAR ("segmentation and
reassembly") technology (asic´s or dsp´s) on board for realtime protocoll
conversion from and to ATM cells. This works for Ethernet and Token Ring boards. The ATM
boards need no conversion.
So you can connect two Centillions back to back over the mostly
integrated 155 or 622 Mbit ATM fiber line boards, but running Ethernet or Token Ring from
one end to the other end.
Currently this is the absolutely cheapest and most efficient way to
convert 10/100 Mbit switched Ethernet to a single mode or multi mode fiber line over miles
for very small money.
