The innovative SFP-format MiRIC-E3 and MiRIC-T3 remote bridges connect Fast Ethernet LANs over framed or unframed E3/T3 circuits. Housed in a Small Form Factor Pluggable (SFP) enclosure, they are designed for quick and simple insertion into any 100BaseFx Ethernet device port with a compatible SFP socket, perfect for applications such as providing transparent LAN services over leased lines and remote branch connectivity over E3/T3 lines or radio links. Running on power derived from the host device, they require no additional power supply. The MiRIC-E3 and MiRIC-T3 are simple and cost-effective alternatives to external, stand alone bridge units or conversion cards for each user device, saving on space, power consumption and cabling, and simplifying management. The low-cost SFP plug format is an ideal and affordable solution for carriers and service providers bridging Fast Ethernet LANs over TDM-based WANs, as well as for similar applications in private enterprise and campus networks. The MiRIC-E3 and MiRIC-T3 permit easy adaptation of equipment with fibre optic Fast Ethernet interfaces for transmission over TDM-based infrastructures. If the transport network changes to Ethernet, the MiRIC devices can be quickly removed and reused elsewhere. The MiRIC-E3 and MiRIC-T3 bridges forward LAN 100BaseFx Ethernet packets to the TDMbased WAN at wire-speed, fully utilizing the expensive E3/T3-rate TDM circuit bandwidth. LAN traffic is transported transparently, thus keeping user LAN settings intact. The bridges handle 64 to 2016-byte frames, including VLAN-tagged frames. On the WAN side, each bridge has a single E3 or T3 interface terminated in a pair of unbalanced 75Ω SMB connectors. To avoid overwhelming the WAN port, a flow control mechanism is activated if the Fast Ethernet traffic exceeds the E3/T3 port's capacity and sends pause packets towards the LAN side. The bridges support Multisource Agreement (MSA) product identification codes. Once plugged in, they begin to operate autonomously without any need for software configuration. The bridges are hot-swappable and feature a special release mechanism for easy extraction from the SFP socket. Basic management of the MiRIC-E3 and MiRIC-T3 devices, including configuration, status and monitoring, is performed over the I²C interface. MiRIC-E3 and MiRIC-T3 operate opposite another MiRIC-E3 or MiRIC-T3 installed on the remote equipment. Alternatively, they can work opposite RAD's RICi-E3 and RICi-T3 Fast Ethernet over E3/T3 bridges or Egate central Ethernet gateways. 
Providing transparent LAN services over E3/T3 leased lines
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