Toshiba and Cisco Complete Interoperability Testing of Label-Switching Technology

4 May, 1998


LAS VEGAS-- Toshiba Corporation and Cisco Systems, Inc. today announced the successful completion of interoperability testing of their label-switching technologies. The interoperability testing between Toshiba's Cell Switch RouterTM(CSR) technology and Cisco's Tag Switching technology is expected to accelerate the standardization of Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) within the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF).

Interoperability testing between CSR and Tag Switching was conducted at the Cisco lab in Chelmsford, Mass. from February to April, 1998. The tests and related demonstrations included Toshiba's CSR products, the Cisco 7500 and 7200 series routers, LightStream(R) 1010 ATM switches and Cisco BPX(R) 8600 series wide-area network switches. The tests used Tag Switching and the Tag Distribution Protocol (TDP) between the CSR and Cisco switches. The CSR performs translation of its Flow Attribute Notification Protocol (FANP) and TDP.

Toshiba plans to demonstrate this interoperability at the Networld+Interop trade show in Las Vegas May 5-7, 1998, and at Networld+Interop in Tokyo June 3-5, 1998.

"This is a significant milestone for Tag Switching interoperability," said Tom Downey, director of product marketing for Cisco's Routed WAN Business Unit. "Since MPLS is largely based on Tag Switching, this joint work between Cisco and Toshiba will help advance MPLS interoperability as the standard is finalized."

Kaoru Kubo, group executive of the Information/Communication Platform and Products Group at Toshiba Corporation, said, "The success of the interoperability test could not have been achieved without the excellent cooperation between the Cisco and Toshiba teams. I expect this proof of the interoperability of the two company's label-switching technologies to contribute greatly to the widespread acceptance of MPLS."

Tag Switching will ship in early May and will be supported on the Cisco 7500 and 7200 series routers with Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, packet-over-SONET, high-speed serial interface (HSSI) and Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) interfaces. Tag Switching is also currently supported on the Cisco LightStream 1010 ATM switch and will be available on the Cisco BPX 8600 series wide-area network switch in June 1998.

The Cell Switch Router is currently shipping and supported on Toshiba's Core Router CSR5300 and Edge Router CSR3300. Today, CSR has been implemented for field trials and system evaluation purposes in many carrier networks around the world.

About Cisco Systems

Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet. News and information are available at http://www.cisco.com.

About Toshiba Corporation

Headquartered in Tokyo, Toshiba Corporation is a leader in information and communications systems, electronic components, consumer products and power systems. Among its achievements are the largest share of the world portable PC market. Toshiba's world wide web site is located at http://www.toshiba.co.jp/.


  • BPX, Cisco, Cisco Systems, the Cisco Systems logo and LightStream are registered trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. in the U.S. and certain other countries. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners.

  • CSR, Cell Switch Router and the Cell Switch Router logo are trademarks of Toshiba Corporation in Japan and certain other countries.


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