COREEXPRESS SECURES $573 MILLION FOR ITS MULTI-ISP EXTRANET SERVICE
CoreExpress, a start-up service provider headed by Michael Gaddis (former CTO of SAVVIS Communications), has raised $573 million in venture funding to build an extranet service that would provide performance guarantees between businesses using different ISPs.  CoreExpress aims to change the fundamental business model of how ISPs exchange traffic.  Currently, ISPs exchange customer traffic as close as possible to the sender on the originating ISP, and the terminating ISP carries the data the majority of the distance to its destination.  CoreExpress will introduce proprietary Internet Data Exchange System (iDES) that offers financial incentives for ISPs to deliver each other's customer traffic with a guaranteed high level of quality.  The architecture will be deployed over a fiber backbone with the latest Nortel Networks optical transport platform and Cisco Systems routers.  Investors include Benchmark Capital, Morgan Stanley Dean Witter, Nortel Networks, Cisco Capital, Amerindo Investment, Bowman Capital, Capital Research and Management Company, Octane Capital, and Technology Crossover Ventures (TCV).  http://www.coreexpress.net
CoreExpress, June 13, 2000

• Bridge Information Systems acquired SAVVIS in April 1999 for $700 million.

ALTEON TO "AKAMAIZE" WEB CONTENT ON-THE-FLY
Alteon WebSystems will develop products that automate the process of manipulating Web content for use on Akamai's global content delivery network.  The new "Akamaization" capability Alteon's Web OS would provide customers the option to transparently offload traffic to Akamai's network by automatically re-coding specific embedded URLs to ARLs (Akamai Resource Locator).  Each URL is changed to the appropriate ARL based on policies pre-configured by the network or site operator.  Products are expected later this year.  http://www.alteonwebsystems.com/press/061300.shtml
Alteon WebSystems, June 13, 2000

AKAMAI MONITORS GLOBAL TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT FOR OPTIMIZED CONTENT SERVICE
Akamai introduced a unique global traffic management service for content providers with geographically distributed Web servers.  The FirstPoint system combines real-time global Internet monitoring with performance data on a content provider's Web servers at distributed locations. By analyzing the data, FirstPoint proactively assembles and continuously refreshes maps used to direct inbound Web traffic so that it reaches the server location best able to handle each individual user request.  Yahoo! and Ticketmaster Online-CitySearch are already using the system to direct traffic to various servers.  IBM Global Services will resell the FirstPoint service. 

• Akamai now has more than 4,000 servers deployed in more than 160 different networks in 45 countries.  http://www.akamai.com/
  Akamai, June 7, 2000

BROADCOM TO ACQUIRE INNOVENT FOR BLUETOOTH TECHNOLOGIES
Broadcom will acquire Innovent Systems, a start-up developer of radio frequency (RF) integrated circuits for short-range wireless data communications, for approximately $456 million (3.0 million BRCM shares).  Innovent Systems' Bluetooth transceivers leverage a patent-pending implementation of RF technology in a standard digital CMOS integrated circuit process.  Its Blutonium product line combines RF, baseband, systems and software.  The company is based in El Segundo, California and was founded in 1999.  Broadcom already held a 13% equity share in the company.  Broadcom said the acquisition would firmly establish it in the wireless space.
http://www.innoventsystems.com/  http://www.broadcom.com/
Broadcom, June 13, 2000

CISCO AND BROCADE TO INTERCONNECT SANS VIA IP
Cisco Systems and Brocade Communications entered into an alliance to connect Fibre Channel-based storage area networks over IP-based MANs and WANs.  Specifically, the companies will develop a Fibre Channel interface for Cisco's Catalyst 6000 switches, and they will certify the interoperability between Brocade's Fibre Channel switches and Cisco's DWDM products.  The companies also agreed to develop additional switch-to-switch connection products in the future.
http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/146/pressroom/2000/jun00/sp_061300b.htm
Cisco Systems, June 13, 2000

• MORE ON SAN EXTENSIONS
  Last week, Gadzoox Networks, a provider of Fibre Channel storage area network equipment, formed a partnership with Alidian Networks, a start-up developing a metropolitan optical network architecture featuring a multiplexing technology that places packets, frames and cells together on the same SONET-framed wavelength.  The alliance will match Alidian's Optical Service Network and the Gadzoox Fibre Channel-to-Gigabit Ethernet router to enable multiple SAN services to be transported on a single DWDM wavelength and delivered to separate customer destinations.  Gadzoox's recently introduced Fibre Channel-to-Gigabit Ethernet router enables Fibre Channel data to be converted to a form which can be transported across the Gigabit Ethernet backbone between SAN "islands."  http://www.gadzoox.com
  
• Last month, Nishan Systems, a start-up based in San Jose, California, unveiled plans to offer high-performance Storage Area Network (SAN) solutions based on IP rather than Fibre Channel.  Nishan's technology would enable existing storage system interfaces, such as SCSI, Fibre Channel, Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop, and the forthcoming InfiniBand interface, to connect to the standard IP infrastructure. Nishan also plans to leverage existing networking standards, such as OSPF, MPLS, and SNMP, along with IP and Gigabit Ethernet.  http://www.nishansystems.com
  
• Also last month, Lucent Technologies announced plans to integrate Vixel's Fibre Channel switching technology into its OptiStar optical product line.  Lucent's OptiStar OC48 and OptiStar OC12 IP network adapter cards allow servers to be connected directly optical backbone network at 2.5 Gbps and 622 Mbps, respectively.  Last October, Lucent also announced a 10 Gbps IP-based OptiStar EdgeSwitch for connecting multiple servers to a backbone network or to one another.  http://www.vixel.com/pressroom/05022000.html

MOTOROLA INVESTS IN XYBRIDGE FOR ITS SOFTSWITCH PLATFORM
Motorola invested $15 million in Xybridge Technologies, a start-up developing a softswitch platform, and announced plans to integrate Xybridge's technology with its own IP-based convergence solution.  Under the agreement Xybridge will license to Motorola its Universal Services Suite (USS) for mobility applications.  The companies hope to demonstrate softswitching integrated with both 3G and legacy wireless networks by Q4.   Xybridge is based in Richardson, Texas.  http://www.xybridge.com/NewsEvents/motorola061300.htm
Xybridge, June 13, 2000

F5 NETWORKS BUILDS ITS BIG-IP CONTENT SWITCH WITH INTEL'S NET PROCESSORS
F5 Networks introduced its next generation, BIG-IP Content Switch designed for managing large amounts of Internet content and traffic at line speed.  F5's switch, which is based on Intel's advanced IXP1200 network processor, offers up to 4 Gbps of aggregate capacity.  F5 will also make the new switching power available to its existing customers as a field upgrade add-in card for their existing BIG-IP Controllers.  http://www.f5.com/news/releases/release061300.html
F5 Networks, June 13, 2000

CONEXANT DEVELOPS DS3 NETWORK PROCESSOR CHIPSET FOR LINE CARDS
Conexant introduced a six-device chipset that performs all of the functions for high-speed digital signal at Level 3 (DS3 and E3) aggregation and internetworking applications over ATM.  Conexant's octal (8-port) chipset uses an integrated network processor as a programmable traffic management and internetworking engine.  The solution, which is aimed at line cards used in multi-service switches, access concentrators and IP routers, is the first product to emerge from Conexant's acquisition of Maker Communications.  http://www.conexant.com/
Conexant, June 13, 2000

• In December, Conexant Systems announced plans to acquire Maker Communications, for approximately $990 million in stock.

METRICOM SELECTS REDBACK FOR ITS NATIONAL RICOCHET WIRELESS NETWORK
Metricom selected Redback's Subscriber Management System for its Ricochet high-speed wireless access service.  Metricom will use Redback's layer 2 tunneling protocol (L2TP) implementation to enable remote access to corporate networks and the Internet.  Metricom's mobile access service uses wireless modems to exchange traffic with intelligent routing microcell radios ("poletops") that are mounted to streetlight or utility poles.  The company recently upgraded its always-on connectivity service to 128 kbps. http://www.redback.com/
Redback, June 13, 2000

• Metricom is currently deploying its MicroCellular Data Network in 21 major markets across the US, and right-of-way efforts are underway in an additional 25 markets.  As of Q1, Metricom had 28,800 subscribers for its older 28.8 Kbps wireless access service. 

AT&T CANADA TO LAUNCH CISCO-BASED ENTERPRISE IP SERVICE
AT&T Canada will launch an Enterprise IP Service billed on a per-port or per-user basis at a fixed monthly rate, with service level agreements, quality of service guarantees, and user-defined guaranteed bandwidth and levels of security.  The services will be provided over a Cisco Powered Network.  http://www.attcanada.com/english/html/newsreleases/index.html
AT&T Canada, June 13, 2000

INARI GETS BACKING OF THOMSON MULTIMEDIA FOR IN-HOME POWERLINE NETWORKS
Inari (formerly Intelogis), a start-up developing powerline networking technologies, closed $12 million in new venture funding, including the financial backing of strategic partner Thomson Multimedia, the fourth largest consumer electronics company worldwide.  Powerline networks will use existing electrical lines within a home to provide connectivity to televisions, VCRs, audio and communications products.  Inari has shifted its business strategy away from end-user products to focus on providing vendors with silicon to develop powerline-enabled modems, gateways, consumer electronics and network interface cards.  Other investors include Globespan, Nth Power Technologies, Zeron Group and Smart Technology Ventures.  The company is based in Draper, Utah.   http://www.inari.com/
Inari, June 13, 2000