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Riverstone Networks Delivers Next Generation Web Switches
Introduces Hardware Based Upper Layer Web Switches
\266 IA 1100 and IA 1200 Deliver Wire-speed, Infinitely Scalable Web Switching With Real-Time Load Balancing and Session Persistence
SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 1, 2000-- Riverstone Networks, the leader in metropolitan area network infrastructure, today announced the general availability of the IA 1100 and IA 1200 Web switch. These second generation web switches deliver web, application hosting, and load balancing solutions that are optimized for application and content delivery in colocation centers.
``Content Hosters and Application Service Providers need high performance solutions that can keep pace with the dramatic growth in Web traffic,'' said Romulus Pereira, President and CEO of Riverstone Networks. ``The first generation of web switches was based on software. Although these boxes supported many useful features, the implementation of their use compromised network performance. Our customers indicate that as traffic volume continues to increase, they need a real-time solution that does not impact overall performance while completing transactions. The IA 1100 and 1200 are hardware based, second generation Web switches that meet customer needs by combining upper-layer functionality - Layers 3-7 - with wire-speed throughput.''
In addition to industry leading load balancing functionality, the IA 1100 and 1200 are the only Web switches to include Intrinsic Persistence Checking(TM) and Comprehensive Server Checking(TM). These unique real-time features ensure that Web traffic can be directed to the appropriate content and application servers dynamically without the need for complicated configuration scripts or delayed session connections. Through these patent pending techniques, the IA family avoids the performance bottlenecks that hamper legacy Web switches using Secure Socket Layer (SSL) ID or Cookie-based load balancing techniques.
``Service Provider customers are concerned about the potential invasion of privacy caused by the uncontrolled insertion of Cookies when using e-commerce sites,'' said Erik Suppiger, Technology Analyst at Chase H&Q. ``Consequently, many Service Provider customers are disabling Cookies on their browsers. Riverstone's dynamic Intrinsic Persistence Checking is unique in that it does not require Cookie insertion or delayed-connection spoofing. It is the only Web switch that allows shopping cart transactions to be completed correctly with no performance degradation--regardless of browser configuration.''
About Intrinsic Persistence Checking(TM)
This patent-pending mechanism ensures that traffic for e-commerce applications such as Web shopping carts are always directed to the same content server. This is performed at wire speed without the need for delayed session connections in order to check Cookies or Secure Socket Layer (SSL) identifiers. Intrinsic Persistence Checking(TM) is achieved by dynamically tying groups of Internet users to multiple destination application ports using patent-pending Sticky Port(TM) technology. Riverstone Networks is the first Web switching vendor to attack this problem with a real-time solution that meets the needs of large hosting environments, and since each packet has the intrinsic information necessary, the Riverstone solution easily scales to bursts in traffic.
About Comprehensive Server Checking(TM)
The Internet Appliance does far more than simply check that a server is able to receive packets, it also checks for the correct operation of the content and data base servers. Comprehensive Server Checking(TM) is confirmed by periodically retrieving standard Web pages using HTTP requests and running background CGI scripts to make sure Layers 3-7 are correctly operating before handing off potentially revenue-generating Web transactions.
Pricing and Availability
The IA 1100 provides twenty-four (24) 10/100 Mbps Ethernet ports and two (2) 1000 Mbps Gigabit Ethernet ports. It is designed for small to medium content provisioning sites and is priced at $11,995. The IA 1200, designed for larger volume hosting sites, provides eight (8) 1000 Mbps Gigabit Ethernet ports, and is priced at $12,250. Both products support Intrinsic Persistence Checking(TM) and comprehensive load balancing, all while ensuring the availability of downstream content servers through Comprehensive Server Checking(TM). The IA 1100 and 1200 are shipping today.
About Riverstone Networks
Riverstone Networking equipment enables metropolitan service providers, Internet service providers, content and application providers to rapidly deploy, high-speed, service rich infrastructure. Riverstone's products facilitate rapid subscriber growth, prevent subscriber churn, and increase operator profitability, through an unsurpassed combination of versatile connectivity, flexible IP Services, massive scalability and ease of deployment. Sold in more than 40 countries, Riverstone products are based on a unique combination of ASIC technology and battle tested software. Riverstone solutions are deployed in some of the world's largest networks - including British Telecom, Genuity, MCI WorldCom, MAE West Ames, Earthlink, Telefonica, and BellSouth. Riverstone Networks is backed by Silver Lake Partners, the Partners of Integral Capital, Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers and Cabletron Systems (NYSE:CS - news). Please visit us at www.riverstonenet.com. |
