NETWORK ELEMENTS UNVEILS MULTI-PROTOCOL PROCESSOR FOR 10 GBPS APPLICATIONS
Network Elements, a start-up based in Beaverton, Oregon, introduced a multi-protocol processor for 10 Gigabit Ethernet LAN and WAN (10GbE), 10 Gbps Packet-over-SONET (POS) and 10 Gbps SONET/SDH optical networking.  The multiprotocol design would enable a single line card design to be flexibly provisioned, using software to enable exactly the protocol processing features appropriate for a given application.  Network Elements’ 2 million gate chip supports 200 configurable features spanning 10 protocols and interfaces.  The 10GbE processor provides 802.3 flow control, MAC encapsulation, and PCS coding capabilities.  The POS processor provides HDLC/PPP encapsulation, HDLC transparency processing, and POS coding functions. The SONET processor provides programmable section, line, and path termination for OC-192c. The monitoring processor accumulates Ethernet packet statistics per IETF RFC 1757, with enhancements for POS compatibility.  Network Elements plans to incorporate the chip into a Multi-protocol Module for 10GbE, POS and SONET applications, which is slated for sampling in Q3, 2001.  The module will also include optical PHY support to provide a complete protocol termination and monitoring solution for Layers 1 and 2 of 10Gb/s network interfaces.   http://www.networkelements.com 
Network Elements, May 2, 2001

• In January, Network Elements secured $77 million in venture capital, bringing its total funding to $100 million. Strategic investors include Intel Communications Fund and Nortel Networks.  Additional investors include Credit Suisse First Boston Private Equity, Western Technology Investment, New Enterprise Associates and Alloy Ventures.

CISCO DEBUTS ONS 15540 METRO DWDM PLATFORM
Cisco Systems introduced its ONS 15540 Extended Services Platform (ESP), a high-end metro DWDM platform supporting a number of networking and storage protocols including Gigabit Ethernet, ESCON, FICON, Fibre Channel, and SONET, all initially running transparently.  The 12-slot ONS 15540 chassis, which is targeted at either enterprise or service provider networks, provides up to 32 protected wavelengths per fiber pair, operating at variable speeds from 16 Mbps to 2.5 Gbps, for a total capacity up to 80 Gbps per system.  All wavelengths are in the C-band, with ITU 100 GHz spacing.  Deployment options include point-to-point, hub-ring, and mesh-ring topologies.  Optical Add/Drop Multiplexing (OADM) modules enable customers to add or drop multiples of 4, 8, or 16 wavelengths at a time.  The Cisco ONS 15540 ESP leverages an additional, dedicated lambda, called the Optical Supervisory Channel, to provide performance monitoring and troubleshooting for each fiber the system uses.  Metromedia Fiber Network (MFN) and AT&T Solutions are evaluating the platform.  Base pricing starts at $67,000.  http://www.cisco.com
Cisco System, May 2, 2001

GLOBAL CROSSING SELECTS CISCO FOR OC-192 BACKBONE BUILD-OUT
Global Crossing will deploy Cisco's new 12410 and 12416 Internet routers for a global OC-192 IP backbone.  The companies said the platforms would provide the bandwidth necessary for next-generation IP services such as MPLS-based VPNs, IP QoS, and Voice over IP.  Financial terms were not disclosed.  http://www.cisco.com
Cisco Systems, May 2, 2001

• In February, Cisco introduced its two new high-end service provider platforms:  the Cisco 12410, a ten-slot chassis that supports 20 Gbps throughput per line card; and the Cisco 12416, a 16 slot chassis with a 320 Gbps switch fabric.  Both models are based on a distributed system architecture that is designed to deliver line rate performance for IP and MPLS forwarding when fully loaded with sustained throughput for all prefix sizes.  The design uses a dedicated 25 Mpps (million packet per second) forwarding engine supporting priority-based congestion control, dedicated low latency queuing, and packet sequence integrity required for premium services such as voice over IP (VoIP).  The 12400 Internet routers also can use new OC-192c/STM-64c Very Short Reach (VSR) interfaces for intra-POP connectivity.

ALCATEL ADDS SYMMETRIC DSL TO EXISTING DSLAMS
Alcatel announced the availability of industry standard-based high-speed symmetric DSL to its Alcatel 7300 Advanced Services Access Manager (ASAM) and the Alcatel Litespan Next Generation Digital Loop Carrier (NGDLC) with integrated DSL platforms.  The new line card, which is based on the ITU G.shdsl standard, supports symmetric bandwidth of up to 2.3 Mbps on a single wire pair or 4.6 Mbps on two pairs, and can reach customers as far as 48 thousand feet away from the service provider's equipment node (using repeaters).  http://www.alcatel.com/vpr/?body=/latestnews/02052001_3uk
Alcatel, May 2, 2001

QWEST READY TO DEPLOY TELLIUM’S OPTICAL SWITCH IN ITS OC-192 NETWORK
Qwest completed testing of Tellium’s Aurora Optical Switch and will deploy the core grooming 512-port switch as part of its all-optical OC-192c Internet network.  Financial terms were not disclosed.  Qwest also agreed to evaluate Tellium’s third-generation platform, the Aurora Full-Spectrum switch, which is being developed to scale in port count, bit rate per port, and raw capacity.  http://www.qwest.com 
Qwest, May 2, 2001

• Tellium’s Aurora optical switch provides wavelength grooming and wavelength interchange, as well as optical restoration in the event of a fiber cut.  The Tellium platform allows service providers to cross-connect optical signals while bypassing the SONET/DCS layer.  The Tellium switch can optically cross connect up to 512 OC-48s or 128 OC-192c/STM-64 ports for a total switching capacity of 1.28 Tbps.   It features a fully redundant switch architecture with I/O port protection (1:N user programmable), dynamic wavelength management, optical line protection switching of less than 50 msec, SONET performance monitoring, optical ring restoration and optical mesh restoration software.
• Last September, Tellium filed registration papers with the Securities and Exchange Commission for an initial public offering (IPO).
• Also last September, Tellium announced that Qwest agreed to test its platform and had been granted certain rights to purchase pre-IPO equity in the company.  Tellium also announced that Cable & Wireless signed a five-year, $350 million contract to deploy Tellium's optical switches in its global IP backbone.  Earlier in the month, Tellium announced the first commercial shipment of its Aurora Optical Switch to Extant, a facilities-based company providing carrier transport services.
• Tellium has previously disclosed that its third-generation Aurora switch will integrate its current opto-electronic-fabric-based optical-layer crossconnect with the all-optical switching capabilities of a MEMS-based platform.  The MEMs mirror arrays would allow for bit-rate and protocol independence.  Opto-electronics would be used for network-manageability, including performance monitoring, connection-verification, fault-isolation, automatic topology-discovery, multicast capabilities, sub-rate grooming and in-band signaling.  Tellium said the platform would be OC-768-ready when it is introduced in 2001. 

JUNIPER AND SONUS FORM SALES/MARKETING ALLIANCE
Juniper Networks and Sonus Networks formed a sales and marketing alliance targeting integrated voice/data networks.  One joint customer is Zephion Networks, a start-up carrier building an IP/MPLS nationwide backbone to offer packet telephony and network-based services.  http://www.juniper.net/news/pressreleases/2001/pr-010502.html
Juniper Networks, May 2, 2001

BROADCOM INTRODUCES 10GE SERIAL TRANSCEIVER IN CMOS
Broadcom announced a single-chip serial transceiver for connecting 10 Gigabit Ethernet data signals from the optical fiber to Ethernet networks.  Broadcom’s Serial 10-Gigabit Ethernet Transceiver uses the new 10-Gigabit Attachment Unit Interface (XAUI) instead of a Serial Bus Interface (XSBI), which required additional ICs.  The device is implemented in a standard CMOS process.  Broadcom also introduced a four channel, 3.125 Gbps backplane transceiver and Serializer/Deserializer (SerDes) device for next-generation switches and routers.  http://www.broadcom.com
Broadcom, May 2, 2001

SOLIDUM SYSTEMS AND POWER X NETWORKS FORM SILICON ALLIANCE
Solidum Systems and Power X Networks have formed a strategic partnership combining Solidum's sophisticated classification processors and Power X's intelligent, multi-protocol switch fabric.  PowerX’s TeraChannel switch fabric chipset is designed for supporting up to 16 ports at OC-48 data rates.  Support for OC-192 will be added in a subsequent release.  Solidum's classification processors, which currently operate at OC-48, interface directly to other devices in the data path to identify and tag packets at wire speed.  The solutions are aimed at subscriber edge and carrier edge network equipment.  http://www.solidum.com
Solidum, May 2, 2001

VILLAGE NETWORKS COMPLETES INITIAL TRIALS, RAMPS OPERATIONS AND MANUFACTURING
Village Networks has completed initial trials of its Optical Packet Node and is now preparing for deployment this summer.  The company now has approximately 140 employees and has moved their corporate headquarters to a new 75,000 square-foot facility in Eatontown, New Jersey.  http://www.villagenetworks.com
Village Networks, May 2, 2001

• Village Networks’ Optical Packet Node combines packet processing with optical switching in a single network element.  The system leverages a proprietary algorithm driven by high-speed ASICs to provide identification and control of all traffic flows across both the IP and optical domains.  The platform would allow the control of 512,000 optical IP flows in a single shelf, with the ability to scale multiple shelves to over eight million flows.  The per-flow intelligence would enable different service level guarantees as well as sub-SONET speed restoration.  The product's Packet Engine will scale from 40 Gbps to over 640 Gbps and support GbE, OC3 to OC192, POS, ATM, SONET/SDH, MPLS or MP(lambda)S.
• Village Networks has previously disclosed a field trial with Global Crossing.
• The company was founded in 1998 by Dr. Kai Eng, a former Bell Laboratories research department head.
• In October, Village Networks raised $40 million in second round of funding, bringing its total funding to $50 million.  Investors include Spectrum Equity Investors, Geocapital Partners, Acappella Partners, A.C. Capital Associates, Global Crossing Ventures, Intel Capital, The Goldman Sachs Group and PCG Ventures.