Ascend Archive
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Re: (ASCEND) Why TNT?

>From: Del Hines <list@cyberback.com>
>This question is for you larger ISPs using TNTs.  It may be more suited on
>the inet-access list, but it is an Ascend only question....

Can a small ISP who went for a TNT participate? ;-)

>Other than the fact that a TNT can terminate a T3, why would you spend
>the money for a TNT when you consider that their 48mod cards are so much
>more expensive than a Max 4048?  Then add the chassis, WAN cards, ISDN,
>etc...

In our particular case, we opted for the TNT for a few reasons. Here's a few:

A minority of our clients use modems; most use ISDN. The per-modem cost was
therefore less of an issue.

We needed to terminate multiple T1 and Frame Relay circuits. We were
comfortable with our 4000 (although the TNT turned out to be far
different). The 4000 series just doesn't scale for that anywhere near as
far as the TNT does, even with stacking. And stacking falls under the OSPF
heading: your mileage may vary.

We were very happy with Ascend's support. All else being equal, we wanted
to stay with them. Are you listening, Ascend? We purchased a TNT because of
your support. Certainly not because the 4000 was totally reliable or
anything. ;-)

We wanted to use an integrated solution, rather than multiple specialized
boxes, perhaps from different vendors who love to play pass-the-buck and
with different interfaces.

We wanted to be able to terminate everything, PRI, Frame, and T1 in a
single DS-3 when the time came. Only the TNT.

So now we've run the TNT since April '97. How's it been? Overall, far more
reliable than the 4000. In some ways less mature, but more stable overall.
It has certainly _never_ spontaneously reset itself, dropped OSPF, lost
modems, all of which the 4000 has been guilty of.

And Ascend's support is even better with the TNT that with the 4000 series.
They really seem to appreciate that people need these things to _work_. I
call in and open a ticket. I never bother to wait in the queue, because I
often get a call back within ten minutes. And the TNT support people know
their stuff. No front-line dweebs, of whom even Ascend has a few.

A final measure of our faith in the TNT is this: we're about to migrate all
remaining users from the 4000 to the TNT. Anyone wanna buy a used 4000?

Peter Lalor
Infoasis
plalor@infoasis.com
http://www.infoasis.com/
415-459-7991 x102
415-459-7992 fax


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