NEW DELHI, INDIA: Extreme Networks, Inc., today announced the BlackDiamond 20804 Ethernet transport switch, the latest addition to  the BlackDiamond 20800 Series of  high-performance, carrier Ethernet switches.

The BlackDiamond 20800 Series of Ethernet Transport switches include the new BlackDiamond 20804 and the eight-slot BlackDiamond 20808. 

"Carriers around the world are deploying next-generation networks to enable an array of services that fulfill subscribers' increasing expectations for an outstanding service experience," said Suresh Gopalakrishnan, vice president and GM, Scalable Products Group for Extreme Networks.

 "Our new BlackDiamond 20804 Ethernet Transport switch joins the BlackDiamond 20808 to offer a broad range of Ethernet Transport solutions that will provide carriers with lasting value as they deploy next-generation networks."

The switch addresses the challenges faced by small and large carriers worldwide as they deploy next- generation networks to meet today's service demands with a network that will last well into the future, said a press release.

It increases network longevity by enabling carriers to gracefully expand video and ossther services on their network, provides the proactive service management tools carriers need to delight their subscribers, and helps lower the carriers cost of ownership with a next-generation solution that is easy to operate.

For Tier 2 and Tier 3 carriers migrating from SONET/SDH and 1 Gigabit Ethernet rings to 10 Gigabit Ethernet rings, the BlackDiamond 20804 provides 120 Gbps per slot line-rate switching capacity in a 4-slot chassis, supporting up to 32 line-rate 10 GE ports per chassis today, with bandwidth for future 100 GE IO Modules, and is designed for future switch fabric upgrades to enable 480 Gbps of switching capacity per slot, the release said.

The BlackDiamond 20804 Ethernet transport switch would be available in the first quarter of 2010.