Network Processors

CHAPTER 4 Access and Home Networks

In the previous chapter, we described converged networks technologies that are used mainly in the core networks. In this chapter, we discuss access and home networks, those networks that are attached to the networks described in the previous chapter. Access and home networks are the simplest in term of technology and complexity, yet they are the most expensive part of the entire infrastructure. These networks also use converged technologies, and they make the connections between customers and their devices with the long-haul networks. We dedicate a chapter to these networks because equipment in these networks is increasingly based on network processors, as bandwidth and complexity reach a degree that justify ...