Agilent Technologies Introduces Industry's First Optical Routing and Switching Test System
PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 23, 2000--
Tellium Becomes First User of Agilent System That Speeds
Development and Evaluation of Intelligent Optical Equipment
and Networks
Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE:A) today announced the industry's first system for testing optical switching and routing functions in network equipment and networks. Agilent's new product family allows service providers and equipment manufacturers to test and verify the performance and interoperability of the hardware and software responsible for directing traffic carried on optical wavelengths and for dynamically requesting optical bandwidth across core networks. Tellium, developer of the world's first in-service, intelligent optical switches, is the first user of the new product.
The ability to provide optical bandwidth "on demand" is considered a key requirement for widespread purchase and deployment of optical switching equipment, since current provisioning of optical circuits requires manual updating and can take weeks or months.
Agilent's Optical Routing Test Solution family is the first to focus on testing the "optical control plane," the software protocols and hardware that guide optical functions and communications between multiple switches and routers. The optical control plane plays a key role in fulfilling requests for bandwidth on demand, sharing network topology information and enabling communication between multivendor optical equipment. The system supports testing of evolving OIF/IETF Multi Protocol Lambda Switching protocols and extensions, and is the first to test protocols developed by the Optical Domain Service Interconnect (ODSI) group. Agilent participates in these industry groups, as well as the MPLS Forum.
"We are extremely pleased that Tellium will use our new solution to speed testing and evaluation of their dynamic mesh optical switching systems," said Bill Wood, general manager of Agilent's Advanced Networks Division.
The product is also the first to provide "in-band" testing of optical control plane protocols. In-band transmission permits communications between optical routers and switches to be carried within standard SONET/SDH frame overhead, eliminating the need to dedicate a separate optical wavelength or circuit for control communications, and providing compatibility with widespread existing SONET/SDH infrastructure.
Agilent's Optical Routing Test Solution will enable equipment manufacturers to speed development cycles, and provide independent verification of standards conformance, performance and equipment compatibility. Service providers can use the system for troubleshooting, equipment evaluation and interoperability testing.
U.S. Pricing and Availability
The Agilent E5170A Optical Control Plane Analysis software and hardware platform are available now. Pricing information is available by calling (603) 559-5745. Additional information is available at www.agilent.com/comms/opticaltest.
About Agilent Technologies
Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) is a diversified technology company with approximately 46,000 employees serving customers in more than 120 countries. Agilent is a global leader in designing and manufacturing test, measurement and monitoring instruments, systems and solutions, and semiconductor and optical components. In fiscal year 1999, Agilent had net revenue of more than $8.3 billion. The company serves markets that include communications, electronics, life sciences and healthcare.
Information about Agilent Technologies can be found on the Web at www.agilent.com.
CONTACT:
Agilent
Anne Buckley, 603/559-5746
abuckley@agilent.com
or
Peters & Feldman for Agilent
Lee Feldman, 203/854-6761
leefeld@ix.netcom.com
KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA
BW0260 OCT 23,2000
6:05 PACIFIC
9:05 EASTERN |
