Ethernet infrastructure provider Extreme Networks has come out with a new family of backhaul routers.

The company’s new E4G routers offer 10 GB Ethernet, support for Ethernet Automatic Protection Switching (EAPS) and ITU-G.8032 resilient packet rings, in addition to line-rate speeds, making them capable of running at the full capacity of the link.

“If you look at the existing systems that have been deployed today, essentially they’re these 3G systems that are cost-effective but don’t have synchronization or resiliency built in,” says Mark Showalter, senior director of service provider marketing and business development at Extreme Networks. “This is the first class of systems that brings resiliency, synchronization and line-rate Ethernet switching capabilities for 10 GB Ethernet.”

The E4G product family includes the E4G-200Cell Site Router andE4G-400 cell site aggregation router. The E4G-200 router is purpose-built for cell site mobile backhaul and is equipped with the ExtremeXOS operating system, MPLS-TP, VPLS, EAPS and G.8032 resilient packet rings, G.8262 synchronous Ethernet, IEEE-1588, and IP v4/v6routing at wire speeds. The E4G-400 comes with 24 (GigE) ports and an optional 10GB uplink, and also supports T1/E1 backhaul with the optional PWM-16 module.

The E4G products are expected to become available some time this year, but no specific date has been set for commercial release.