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REALNETWORKS
MOVES TO PEER-TO-PEER ARCHITECTURE OF DISTRIBUTED
SERVERS
RealNetworks
introduced a new architecture for digital media delivery that will
use "honeycombs of distributed interconnected servers"
rather than the current paradigm of origin servers to distribute
media streams hierarchically to edge servers.
The RealSystem iQ will use a peer-to-peer, neuralcast
technology to empower all servers to broadcast into the
network, receive content from any other server, and deliver media
to end consumers. Media
would be routed from one server to many via standard network
protocols. RealNetworks
said reliability would be one of the principal benefits of its new
architecture because of its ability to distribute media
streams over different parallel network segments.
Media content can also be injected at any point in the
network and media flows in both directions between servers,
increasing service provider efficiency.
Both satellite and terrestrial distribution are supported.
RealNetworks announced a number of content delivery
networks and other partners already adopting the RealSystem
iQ, including: Akamai, Deutsche Telekom, Digital Island,
Enron Broadband Services, iBEAM, Intel IMS, Madge.web, Mirror
Image Internet, NET-36 (a PamAmSat Company), and Speedera.
http://www.realnetworks.com/
RealNetworks,
December 11, 2000
MICROSOFT
WINDOWS MEDIA PROMISES NEAR-DVD-QUALITY VIDEO AT 500 KBPS
Microsoft released a new Windows Media Audio and Video 8
compression technology that it claims will deliver near-DVD-quality
video at 500 kbps and near-VHS
quality at 250 Kbps with 320x240 at 24 fps resolution.
The compression technology would deliver near CD-quality
music at 48 kbps, one third the size of MP3-fomatted music of
comparable quality. It
is compatible with the existing Microsoft Windows Media Player
versions 7 and 6.4 and will include integrated
digital rights management technology.
A new
Windows Media Encoding Utility Beta for content providers will be
released this week. The
technology also will be included in Microsoft's next Windows
operating system, code-named "Whistler."
Separately, NTT DoCoMo has launched the first commercial
service that uses Windows Media to deliver streamed audio and
video to cell phones. http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2000/Dec00/BuildingBlocksPR.asp
Microsoft, December 12, 2000
ZETTACOM
INTRODUCES OC-192 TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT NETWORK PROCESSOR
ZettaCom, a start-up based in San Jose, California,
introduced a traffic management network processor providing highly
granular quality of service (QoS) differentiation at full-duplex
OC-192 wire speed. The
new ZEN-QM traffic manager silicon device provides a full suite of
configurable algorithms that support QoS differentiation for any
data protocol (SONET, IP,
Gigabit Ethernet and MPLS/ATM).
The device implements CSIX interfaces both in ingress and
egress directions enabling it to be used with third party network
processors or in conjunction with companion ZettaCom devices.
http://www.zettacom.com
ZettaCom, December 13, 2000
- ZettaCom has previously
disclosed plans for a Universal Switch Architecture of silicon
devices for multiservice optical equipment, including a
"ZEST" switch fabric chipset and a "ZEN"
packet processor. Zettacom's
"ZEST" multiservice switch fabric combines static
circuit switching with dynamic packet switching.
It comprises two ICs, one that resides on a line card
and supports line card speeds ranging from OC-12 to OC-192
(full duplex), and another IC for a separate switch card. The
ZEN packet processor is a packet classification and forwarding
engine that performs Layer 2-4 functionality at OC-192 line
rates. A ZEN -
LSP label processor used in conjunction with the ZEN - QM
traffic management chipset performs label classification and
forwarding along with sophisticated buffer management and
bandwidth control for MPLS and ATM protocols at OC-192 line
rate.
- ZettaCom
was co-founded by Daryn Lau, Chris
Bergen and Bob Divivier, all formerly with Cisco
Systems and previously StrataCom. The company has
received first round funding from Venrock Associates, Norwest
Venture Partners and Mr. Wu-Fu Chen.
NET2PHONE'S
IP TELEPHONY TRAFFIC RISES 28% OVER PRIOR QUARTER
For the three months ending October 31, Net2Phone
carried 214 million minutes of paid use, up 28% over the prior
quarter and up 151% over the same time last year.
Net2Phone had over 1.8 million active customers (not
including users via MSN Messenger or Yahoo! Messenger services).
Quarterly revenues totaled $30.8 million, a 24% increase
over the prior quarter, with a net loss was $14.7 million or
($0.25) per share. http://www.net2phone.com/
Net2Phone, December 11, 2000
ZHONE
TO ACQUIRE XYBRIDGE FOR ITS SOFTSWITCH TECHNOLOGY
Zhone
Technologies agreed to acquire Xybridge Technologies, a start-up
developing softswitches, for an undisclosed sum.
Xybridge’s softswitch platform would deliver traditional
class 5 and mobility features, providing call control, telephony
features, applications, and open standards-based service creation
interfaces. Xybridge
also offers a signaling gateway interface -- supporting both North
American and international standard variants -- which bridges next
generation IP networks with legacy circuit switch networks.
Xybridge is based in Richardson, Texas.
http://www.zhone.com/press/archives/20001212.html
Zhone Technologies, December 12, 2000
- In October, Xybridge announced a
mobility management
system for its softswitching platform that delivers foundation
mobility functions of roaming, location updates, subscriber
profile management, inter-system hand-off and Radio Access
Network (RAN) interworking.
- In June, Motorola invested $15
million in Xybridge Technologies and agreed to license its
Universal Services Suite (USS) for mobility applications.
The company was founded in April 1999
by Jawad Ayaz, who was also a co-founder of Telesoft, a
provider of specialized, high-value telecom solutions for
telecommunications equipment and service providers.
OPTXCON
RAISES $12 MILLION FOR LIQUID CRYSTAL OPTICAL SWITCHING
OptXCon, Inc.
(pronounced Op-tix-con), a start-up based in Research Triangle
Park, NC, raised $12.2 million in first round equity financing.
The company is developing liquid crystal-based, all-optical
(transparent) cross-connect systems that switch any input optical
fiber to any output fiber, thereby eliminating opto-electronic
conversions. Product
plans will be disclosed next year.
Investors include ADVA AG Optical Networking, Boston
Millennia Partners, H.I.G. Capital and Corning Innovation
Ventures. http://www.optxcon.com
OptXCon, December 12, 2000
BAND-X
EXPANDS ITS BANDWIDTH TRADING TO FRANKFURT
Band-X, an
online bandwidth trading market, announced the acquisition of
Hanse-X, a German bourse for trading switched minutes of telephony
traffic. Band-X
already operates bandwidth exchanges in London, Paris, New York
and Amsterdam. http://www.band-x.com
Band-X, December 12, 2000
- The
Band-X Web-based exchange provides an anonymous trading floor
for bandwidth, routed IP capacity, switched international
voice traffic, specialist co-location facilities, telecom
recruitment and telehousing and network construction
cooperation.
-
In May, Band-X
raised $40 million in a second-round of venture funding
to expand its operations to the US.
Investors include Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley Dean
Witter Private Equity and Madison Dearborn Partners.
ACCESS360
SECURES $40 MILLION IN FUNDING FOR RESOURCE MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE
Access360,
a software developer based in Irvine, California, secured $41.5
million in second round venture funding for its Resource
Provisioning Management (RPM) solutions.
The company’s software serves as a centralized point of
control that, based on corporate business policies, turns on (and
off) or changes user access to, at present, nearly 50 different
computing systems and applications. Customers include BP Amoco,
E*Trade, Overseas Union Bank, and Sony Electronics.
Investors include Amerindo Investment Advisors, Pivotal
Asset Management, Oracle, VeriSign and Crosspoint Venture
Partners. http://www.access360.com
Access360, December 12, 2000 |
