Ascend Archive
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Re: (ASCEND) IDSL and 4048
I need an @ascend.com to verify this, But I'm almost sure that the
4048's and the 4004 are the same box, Just hashed out so you can't use
the extra WAN ports 3 & 4. Someone also said that the 4048 and 4004 have
different power supplies.
I checked out the data-sheets on both of these products and they are
exactly the same.
They may be different, the 4048 was released in my opinion to battle
head to head with the PM3.
Note: I'm basing this on what I have heard from Ascend, I used to receive
ton's of 4004's sometimes they would arrive with Wan Ports 3 & 4 unavailable
I was told that they accidently shipped me a 4048 when I called Ascend
HQ, I was given a simple hash and BAMM I then had a 4004.
Of course lets not forget everything is driven by marketing :) And I could
see why Ascend would like to see everyone migrate to the 6000, as no
company like to support legacy hardware. (P400 :)
Jason Nealis
Director Internet Operations / Network Access
Erols Internet (An RCN Company)
On Sun, 10 May 1998, Central NOC wrote:
> Joseph Bridgewater commented:
>
> >4048's can not be upgraded to 4004. That's what Ascend means by
> >"fixed" configuration - no upgrade path for the platform.
>
> In reply to Jason Nealis' suggestion:
>
> >>Couldn't he easy upgrade that unit to a 4004 with some Hash Codes
> >>though?
>
> ...In reply to Kevin Smith's statement:
>
> >>> No. The MAX4048 is a fixed configuration box that will ONLY accept
> >>> 3 x 16Mod modem cards. IDSL on the 4004/TNT is more common....
>
> ...In reply to Richard Safran's question:
>
> >>>>I'm considering using spare 4048's for IDSL. Do the 4048's accept
> >>>>the IDSL cards?
>
> Here we go again. The crowd of peasants is forming, equipped
> with the standard-issue assortment of pitchforks, torches, and
> blunt instruments. The crowd will soon march upon Ascend
> corporate headquarters, in classic monster movie fashion.
> The issue is, once again, "upgrades". Last time, it was K56flex.
> This time, it is IDSL.
>
> Let's get real. If the 4048 has no upgrade path, this means
> that the phrase "fixed configuration of the 4048" is a oxymoron.
> The configuration of the 4048 is BROKEN, not "fixed".
>
> 1) Jason's observation seems on-target. The
> extremely identical hardware appears to
> indicate that the only difference between
> a 4048 and a 4004 is a few hash codes. (And,
> as I recall, a less "beefy" power supply,
> but I could be mistaken). Therefore,
> upgrades seem to be a matter of Ascend's
> deliberate choices. In the past, the 4004 was
> the top of Ascend's line, so there may have been
> good reasons for limitations on the 4048.
>
> 2) The Max 4xxx series is at "end of life", now
> that the 6xxx series is released. There is
> no reason to "protect" the 4004 any longer.
> It is now clearly a "midrange" product.
>
> 3) Many sites with limited budgets or limited
> plans bought the 4048. Plans change, budgets
> get increased. Regardless, if they wave
> money at Ascend, Ascend should not be so foolish
> as to refuse the money, since this defeats any
> efforts made to build brand loyalty.
>
> 4) Even if the 4048 limit is STILL 3 cards, why
> cannot the 3 cards be IDSL cards? If this does
> not work TODAY, I would consider the 4048 in
> question to be in need of repair.
>
> 5) If Ascend's marketing types had any panache
> or style, they would realize the obvious -
> the installed base of 4048 users is a potential
> GOLDMINE for "end-of-life" treatment, not a group
> to dismiss. The buyer of a 4048 is the Ascend
> customer MOST LIKELY to be in the market for
> additional capacity, simply because of the limits
> of the 4048. Who gets his money when Ascend says
> "no"?
>
> 6) In the case at hand, the customer (Richard Safran)
> wants to BUY MORE PRODUCTS FROM ASCEND. He wants to
> USE THESE PRODUCTS WITH OTHER ASCEND PRODUCTS.
> Ascend says "no", thus loosing a customer for IDSL
> and perhaps loosing a customer for any/all future
> Ascend products.
>
> I fear that Ascend, like my past masters at AT&T Bell Labs, can
> never be accused of marketing. Sad, isn't it?
>
> The following approaches would both be highly profitable, and
> prevent 4048 customers from buying their next chassis from
> Lucent/Cisco/whatever. They are approaches that should be
> blindly obvious to even the casual observer:
>
> a) (4004 Price) - (4048 Price) = Upgrade Price
>
> If I worked for Ascend, this little
> trick would get me promoted to "VP of
> Thinking Clearly". It would also be
> fair. It would also be very profitable,
> and eliminate many concerns that exist
> about Ascend's ability to compete at the
> lower end of the market.
>
> b) 4048 IDSL (only) upgrade
>
> For a fee, keep your 3 modem cards
> in place, and be able to add some
> number of IDSL cards, but no more
> modem cards. A lower-cost way to
> make a 4048 look like a real product
> rather than a "teaser". Since 4048s
> somehow support K56/V.90 cards, it
> is hard for a customer to accept that
> the box simply cannot support IDSL cards.
>
> c) Trade In a 4048, Get A Non-Trivial Discount
> On a 4004, 6000, or TNT
>
> This is called "customer retention".
> This allows Ascend to claim that the 4048
> is the bottom of a "scalable family",
> rather than yet another dead-end box.
>
> A gutsy approach would credit the full
> purchase price of the 4048 against the
> more expensive 6000/TNTs.
>
>
>
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