The Cisco® I-Flex approach combines shared port adapters (SPAs) and SPA interface processors (SIPs), providing an extensible design that enables service prioritization for data, voice, and video services. Enterprise and service provider customers can take advantage of improved slot economics resulting from modular port adapters that are interchangeable across Cisco routing platforms. The I-Flex design maximizes connectivity options and offers superior service intelligence through programmable interface processors that deliver line-rate performance. I-Flex enhances speed-to-service revenue and provides a rich set of QoS features for premium service delivery while effectively reducing the overall cost of ownership. This data sheet contains the specifications for the Cisco 4-Port and 2-Port Clear Channel T3/E3 SPAs.

Demand for high-capacity corporate backbones, for high-speed access to the global Internet, and for trunking connections for service provider internetworking has led to a growth in clear channel T3/E3 connections that has outpaced all other types and speeds of leased lines. This growth places tremendous strain on service providers and network managers who must provision and manage new T3/E3 connections. The Cisco Clear Channel T3/E3 SPAs for the Cisco 7304, 6500, 7600, and 12000 Series Routers offer high-density, highly manageable T3/E3 line connectivity and termination. With integrated line-interface data service units (DSUs) that allow T3/E3 lines to be directly terminated on a Cisco router, the Cisco Clear Channel T3/E3 SPAs simplify T3/E3 line management, reduce provisioning costs, and make valuable rack space available.

The Cisco Clear Channel T3/E3 SPAs are designed to provide direct connectivity to T3/E3 lines for full-duplex communications at the T3 rate of 44.736 MHz or E3 rate of 34.368 MHz. They are available in 2- and 4-port options. The ports are configurable as either all T3 or all E3. To support the widest range of operational environments and to offer the greatest flexibility in provisioning clear channel T3/E3 connections, the Cisco Clear Channel T3/E3 SPAs take a groundbreaking step and bring together proprietary subrate and scrambling features of T3/E3 DSU vendors Quick Eagle Networks (formerly Digital Link), Larscom, ADC Kentrox, Adtran, and Verilink. Subrate support in the Cisco Clear Channel T3/E3 SPAs maximizes the application of these products in service provider environments for tiered T3 services. By simultaneously supporting interoperability with a wide range of third-party DSU vendors, the Cisco Clear Channel T3/E3 SPAs offer the flexibility to support installed equipment without committing customers to a proprietary solution.

The Cisco Clear Channel T3/E3 SPAs are hot-swappable and support service-transparent online insertion and removal (OIR), allowing removal of the SPA without impacting the interface processor and other SPAs.