The ZX4500P with OpenArchitect™ is the most advanced and flexible embedded CompactPCI switch in the world. No other switch can match its state-of-the-art management software suite, featuring the latest Request For Comment (RFC) protocols and switching applications. No other switch can approach the High Availability features employed in the OpenArchitect software and implemented in the robust hardware design.

Engineered for High-Availability CarrierClass™ telecommunications systems employing the PICMG 2.16 CompactPCI Packet Switched Backplane (CPSB) standard, this 6U switch provides line-rate Layer 2 switching and Layer 3 IP routing, plus Layer 4-7 packet classification and filtering for telco chassis. The integrated OpenArchitect software environment provides a broad range of the latest “out-of-the-box” protocols to establish extensible routing, control and management policies. The switch also eases and enhances remote manageability by incorporating the Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) standard.

The ZX4500P with OpenArchitect combines the performance of a silicon-based switching fabric with flexibility of software-managed routing policies. The switching fabric component integrates 24 10/100 Mbps Ethernet ports and dual 1-gigabit Ethernet ports. The switching fabric maintains the forwarding table on silicon, providing the capability to switch and route 6.6 million packets per second – full line rate performance on every port.

The CompactPCI Packet Switching Backplane (CPSB) standard developed by the PCI Industrial Computer Manufacturer Group’s subcommittee 2.16 (PICMG 2.16) defines an embedded Ethernet environment for telco chassis. This environment includes two switch fabric slots that, with the ZX4500P, create a dual star Ethernet network to up to 18 node slots (23 node slots in an Extended CPSB chassis). Placing the ZX4500P in a fabric slot provides embedded Ethernet services to each node card across the Packet Switching Backplane of the chassis. A ZXRTB04 rear transition board (RTB) can be added in the rear of the fabric slot to provide four external 10/100 Mbps Ethernet ports in addition to the already available front-access dual 1-gigabit Ethernet ports. A standard configuration places one ZX4500P in each of the two fabric slots, for creation of a redundant, high availability system.

The ZX4500P, and a corresponding ZXRTB24, can also be used in a CPSB node slot as a “stand alone” switch providing 22 external 10/100 Mbps Ethernet ports. This configuration connects two of the switch's Ethernet ports to the Packet Switching Backplane (one port is routed to any switch in Fabric slot A, and one to Fabric slot B), and provides 22 external 10/100 Mbps Ethernet ports and dual front access 1-gigabit Ethernet ports. Using several ZX4500P switches in this configuration in a chassis employing HotSwap and redundant power supplies creates a "switching farm" with a very high MTBF and MTTR.

The OpenArchitect software component – open source Linux, IP protocol stack, control applications and the OA Engine – runs on an embedded Motorola MPC8240 PowerPC microprocessor. OpenArchitect provides extensive managed IP routing protocols and other open standards for switch management. Examples include network services; Virtual Redundant Router Protocol; Routing Information Protocol; Open Shortest Path First; Border Gateway Protocol; IP Multicast, Quality of Service and Class of Service; access control lists; and management via Simple Network Management Protocol MIBs , Common Open Policy Services and web.

OpenArchitect also provides system and IP protocol software for the related ZX4500 switch, designed for standard CompactPCI chassis, so configuration scripts and applications developed for that switch also work with the ZX4500P.

The OpenArchitect software environment enables rapid porting of other UNIX/Linux-based protocols, including open source RFCs. It also enables the development of application-specific protocol configuration scripts. This extensibility and access to the open source networking software provides OEMs and integrators low cost, rapid development environment for creating new value-added services.

The ZX4500P has High Availability hardware features for advanced telco applications. The switch implements the PICMG 2.1 Full HotSwap support. This feature provides field replaceable capabilities where a switch can fail and be replaced without impacting the operational performance of a chassis.

Also supported is the new Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) PICMG 2.9 standard for message-based interfaces that monitor the physical health characteristics of the ZX4500P. The switch provides operational status information to an IPMI management application. End customers benefit with advanced notice of potential problems.

The ZX4500P also implements the Media Dependent Interface called Auto MDI-X allowing the use of standard or crossover cables without any mismatch of TX or RX pairs. This IEEE standard makes cabling – especially between switches – faster and less error prone.