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I need help with CSU/DSU

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by jabs 1 view

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Hello All, I have to give a presentation tomorrow on the importance of CSU/DSU to a group of new sales people. I don't know where to start! What is an easy way to explain CSU/DSUs to sales people, why it is important? When they are used? What IT managers look for in CSU/DSU products, why use a CSU/DSU and why not? Do IT managers need CSU/DSU units? and similar issues. Any insight you can provideon the subject would be great.

5 replies

by gralfus

That is, why you as opposed to one of your company's techs? The sales reps will have to know why your brand is better than the cometition, so if you don't know the particulars, find someone who does ASAP.

A CSU/DSU is a Channel Service unit/Data (or Digital) Service Unit. It is a device that resides at a customer's premises and is used to convert the digital signal coming from the phone company line (T1, DS3, etc) into a format that is used by equipment at the customer's site.

The CSU part is like a modem, and the DSU does the conversion from one interface type to the DSX-1 interface used by phone company's equipment. The CSU/DSU can also be used by the phone company to do loopback tests to see if the line is working properly.

Using a CSU/DSU is required, but why you would choose one brand versus another is outside my realm of experience. I suppose ease of configuration would be a primary issue, as well as capacity for the number or type of signals being used.

by jabs

Thanks for your response. It is more like a brainstorming session to help them understand how to qualify customer's needs for CSU/DSU. So really the issue is to help them come up with questions that determine whether the client has needs for a CSU/DSU and what would be the signs or indicators that the customer isn't happy with what they have now. I guess my question is what are the problems that CSU/DSUs suffer usually from and how can you determine what a good brand is. Your comment was very useful, but can you think of other issues that people look at when looking for CSU/DSU units and how do you know that a client isn't happy with what they have already.

by mike

More often than not you would use a CSU/DSU to break out voice and data over the same pipe. a MULTI port CSU/DSU would let you do this.

A company might do this IF they find DSX transport cheaper than analog lines and running seperate transport for data.

DS1 = 24 channels, 4 could be used for voice the other 20 for data, dual port csu could feed 4 channels to a pbx, and the other 20 assigned to an IP router serial port.

by hockeyist

Over here service providors usually supply the CSU/DSU with their leased line. Besides converting signals it isolates (electrically) the two sides of the WAN.
LAN===ROUTER===CSU/DSU===LEASED LINE===SERVICE PROVIDOR
Check out http://www.gdc.com/inotes/pdf/sc5000wp.pdf
for a good whitepaper on the subject.

by jabs

Thanks to all thise who provided me with info. I was actually appointed 'champion' of CSU/DSU products in my team. So I welcome any additional comments on this topic.

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