Metro networks have phone gear like digital cross-connects, which manage high-and low-speed traffic, and synchronous optical network (Sonet) systems, which come from fiber-optic phone networks.

FORBES: The God Box

The top-of-the-line Sanshara drives employ synchronous NAND technology and deliver the best speed and performance available in flash-based storage.

ENGADGET: Modbook Pro to launch with SSD storage, up for pre-order October 3rd

These boxes took in low-speed, asynchronous data from the field and packed it into high-speed (9600 bits per second, it seems quaint now) synchronous trunks.

FORBES: The Fall Of The Texting Empire

Built from the highest quality components, it employs synchronous NAND flash technology capable of more than twice the performance of the average asynchronous SSDs, delivering the best speed and performance available in flash-based storage for both uncompressed and compressed files.

ENGADGET: Baseline Modbook Pro gets its RAM, storage and screen sensitivity doubled, stays at $3,500