And they want to be able to manage systems remotely. High-end devices in this space include Ascend Communications Inc.'s MAX TNT and Advanced Computer Communications Inc.'s Tigris, both of which support as many as 672 calls, and RAScom Inc.'s RAServer 2900, which supports up to 720 calls. But savvy professionals are looking for more than just a lot of ports. The number of ports doesn't matter as much as how well the ports handle calls. They don't need one huge, centrally located device.
Large corporations tend to be dispersed.
They need multiple midrange boxes. The box can be low density, but it needs to be high availability. Meeting the need Other vendors have RAS boxes with less capacity that aim to provide carrier-class reliability. For example, Shiva Corp. sells a box it calls carrier-class, but the product, LanRover Access Switch, supports only about 100 calls. Kristie Henderson, product-line manager at Shiva in Bedford, Mass., says this is enough for most of those users.