It wouldn't be a bad idea from where I sit.
Thanks for your input, however, I would like to deflect the ATM subject to
Mike Winn, our tech Guru, around here :-)
John LoBianco
More from MRVC perspectus_____________________________________________________________
The Company offers a family of network, switching and related products that
enhance LAN performance and facilitate the migration to next generation
technologies such as Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet and Asynchronous Transfer
Mode ("ATM"). MRV's MegaSwitch family of switching products range from complete
switching systems to stackable switches which upgrade performance of existing
LANs by relieving congestion of overloaded transmission speeds without requiring
replacement of existing technologies. In addition, the Company offers GigaHub, a
multi-platform switchable hub, and MegaStack, a LAN stackable hub, as well as a
network management system and a number of other products that support network
connectivity. MRV also offers a series of DirectIP switching products that
provides intranets with cost effective switched networking solutions.
The Company also offers a family of optical transmission components and
modules designed for transmission over fiber optic cable. These products enable
the transmission of voice, data, and video across fiber and are also used in
optical fiber test equipment. The Company's products include discrete
components, such as laser diodes and LEDs, and integrated components such as
transmitters, receivers and transceivers. The Company's components are used in
data networks, telecommunication transmission and access networks.
ENTERPRISE NETWORKING SOLUTIONS
MRV offers its customers a family of network, switching and related
products that enhance LAN performance and functionality and facilitate the
migration to next generation technologies such as Fast Ethernet, Gigabit
Ethernet and ATM.
The MegaSwitch Product Family. The Company's MegaSwitch products are a
family of Fast Ethernet switches which are marketed under MRV's NBase trade
name. The MegaSwitch products range from complete switching systems to stackable
switches which upgrade performance of existing LANs by relieving congestion of
overloaded network segments, enable full duplex and flow control and provide an
easy, cost-effective migration to higher transmission speeds without requiring
replacement of existing infrastructure. The MegaSwitch I, which was first
introduced in 1995, is a family of three Fast Ethernet switches, which enhance
the bandwidth of the corporate backbone to support higher traffic levels. These
systems are scalable and compatible with a wide range of existing network
protocols and technologies. The Company's MegaSwitch II products, introduced in
1996, are designed for corporate, campus and metropolitan deployment as a cost-
effective method of connecting existing networks with higher-speed backbones and
are based on "Any Speed to Any Speed" Ethernet switching, including Gigabit
Ethernet with access to ATM. Fast Ethernet, Gigabit and ATM uplink modules
incorporate InterSwitch VLAN capabilities. InterSwitch VLANs enable the network
administrator to define separate VLANs spanning multiple switches in order to
achieve optimal network performance and serve multiple workgroups.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
PRODUCT NAME APPLICATION AND FUNCTIONALITY
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C>
MegaSwitch II This cost-effective stackable switch is a 12 port, high performance
switch which provides an uplink to ATM and Gigabit Ethernet backbones,
supports Ethernet/Fast Ethernet traffic by automatically configuring
for 10 Mbps/100 Mbps, provides for zero packet loss even at extended
network links of up to 110 km and incorporates VLAN capability. This
switch can be used as an upgrade for an existing workgroup or as a
fully configured enterprise switch.
MegaSwitch I These stackable switches, with up to 13 ports, provide a migration
path to upgrade from a legacy 10 Mbps LAN to a 100 Mbps network. These
switches provide segmentation of 10 Mbps shared LAN and higher speed
server or backbone connections enabling interconnection of workgroups
or high-speed workstations.
</TABLE>
Hubs and Network Management. To implement network segments, the Company
offers GigaHub, a multi-platform switchable hub, and MegaStack, a stackable hub.
In addition MRV has developed and offers MegaVision, which enables management
and control of its switching products and hub products.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
PRODUCT NAME APPLICATION AND FUNCTIONALITY
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C>
GigaHub This enterprise network solution for medium to large corporate
networks requiring both shared and switched connectivity in a mixed
protocol environment, provides a 12 Gbps modular enterprise switching
hub, supporting Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, FDDI, ATM and Token Ring, as
well as voice and point-to-point protocols, and allowing integration
of LAN distribution and switching in a single hub.
MegaStack This high-speed stackable hub system implements Ethernet and Fast
Ethernet LAN segments, provides performance for mission-critical and
bandwidth-intensive applications, connects from 12 to 180 users, is
stackable with fiber optic connectivity to remote locations and offers
plug-and-play convenience and built-in auto-partitioning for instant
isolation of network failures.
MegaVision This full-featured network management system provides affordable and
comprehensive management and control of all MegaSwitch and MegaStack
products and automatically detects and monitors any SNMP compliant
devices. It operates on all major NMS platforms including Windows 3.1,
Windows 95, Windows NT Client, Novell NMS, HP/Open View for Windows or
UNIX.
</TABLE>
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Related Networking Products. The Company also offers a number of other
products supporting network connectivity. Examples of such products are
summarized in the table below.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
PRODUCTS DESCRIPTION AND FUNCTIONALITY
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C>
Fiber Optic These products consist of Ethernet and Fast Ethernet fiber optic
Transceivers and transceivers that enable campus or metropolitan deployment of Ethernet
Converters or Fast Ethernet networks through fiber optic interconnection of LANs
to a distance of over 100 km, and multimode to single mode fiber
converters for FDDI, ATM and SONET that extend the range of FDDI, ATM
and SONET via fiber.
Token Ring These products consist of multimedia Token Ring hubs with fiber, coax,
UTP and STP connectivity which extends the distance between segments
of Token Ring networks, and fiber optic transceivers with multimode
and single mode fiber, which allow flexible implementation of IBM
midrange and mainframe terminal connectivity.
Midrange Connectivity These products consist of Twinax Star panels, multiplexers and
repeaters which allow flexible implementation of IBM mid-range and
mainframe terminal connectivity.
</TABLE>
Gigabit Ethernet. Gigabit Ethernet aims to support the extension of
Ethernet and Fast Ethernet standards to higher speeds while insuring full
interoperability with existing networks. The Company recently developed an
advance in Gigabit technology which it proposed to the GEA and which proposal
was accepted in November 1996. The Company's technology maximizes bandwidth
utilization and doubles the span of the network while also providing for delay
sensitive applications such as video. At the core of this technology is the
ability to "save" one frame during a collision event. This way, at least one
frame transmitted will reach its destination, thereby doubling throughput. The
key advantages to the Company's Gigabit Ethernet implementation include
guaranteed bandwidth utilization not influenced by collision, multimedia support
and superior quality of service.
DirectIP Switching. The Company has developed, and recently introduced as
part of its MegaSwitch product line, a series of DirectIP switching products
which provides the control and security of traditional routing with the
performance of switching.
OPTICAL TRANSMISSION PRODUCTS
The Company offers a family of optical transmission components and modules
designed for transmission over fiber optic cable. These products address
transmission of voice, data and video across fiber and are also used in optical
fiber test equipment. The Company's products include discrete components, such
as laser diodes and LEDs and integrated components such as transmitters,
receivers and transceivers. The Company's components are used in data networks,
telecommunication transmission and access networks. Management believes that the
Company is benefitting from three major demand trends in this area: first, the
growth of the market, especially computer networking and the access networks, by
both LECs and cable TV providers; second, the convergence of datacom and
telecom; and third, as transmission speed and capacity grow, a larger portion of
all networks traffic is transmitted via fiber optic versus copper wires.
Discrete Components. Discrete components include laser diodes and LEDs.
Every fiber optic communication system utilizes semiconductor laser diodes or
LEDs as its source of optical power. Laser diodes and LEDs are solid state
semiconductor devices that efficiently convert electronic signals into pulses of
light of high purity and brightness. The Company believes that its lasers and
LEDs, which can carry data over distances in excess of 20 km are among the most
powerful in their wavelength range in terms of optical power coupled into single
mode fiber.
Integrated Components. The Company's integrated components include an LED
and laser based transmitter/receiver product line, designed for computer
networking applications and data link products designed for SONET and ATM
transmission standards. This product line consists of products compatible with
31
<PAGE> 34
single mode fiber optic cable, which is more suitable for long distance and
high-speed transmission than multimode fiber optic cable. As most currently
available data link modules are designed for multimode fiber optic cable, the
Company has designed its products to be adaptable, providing for easy conversion
from a multimode type data link to a single mode optical fiber.
Products for the Access Network. The Company offers a line of products that
addresses the rapidly growing deployment of the access network. These products
include fiber optic transmission by both LECs and cable TV providers to address
the increasing demand for telephony, Internet access and interactive cable TV
services. The following is a brief description of these products.
FTTC: Telephone and High-speed Internet Access. The Company is shipping a
new "Bi-directional" optical transmission and reception module for two-way
simultaneous transmission of telephony and data over one fiber instead of
the two fibers normally used to transmit and receive information. This
product is integrated into the DISC system currently deployed by Bell South
in one of the largest FTTC projects in the United States.
Downstream Cable TV. The Company has recently engaged in new business
opportunities for linear lasers and receivers for cable TV and believes its
products are well positioned to serve this market. The Company further
believes that the upgrade of existing cable networks and the deployment of
fiber by the telephone companies to provide cable TV delivery services is
expected to increase the demand for the Company's products.
Return Path Laser Transmitters. The Company's return path laser
transmitters send video, voice and data signals from the end user to the
cable TV operator. For interactive applications such as cable modems and
Fast Internet access, a cable network must have two-way optical
transmitters and receivers in place before those services can be offered.
Most of today's cable networks still have just a one-way downstream path.
DFB Laser Module for Cable TV (Narrowcasting). The Company offers DFB laser
modules with high power and stable analog transmission which enable cable
TV operators to send different signals to individual end users, a
capability known as narrowcasting.
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