Alcatel enhances its Metro Ethernet over SDH capabilities

Feb. 13, 2003

13 February 2003 -- Alcatel is partnering with Native Networks to promote Metro Ethernet over SDH features into Optical Multi-Service Nodes.

13 February 2003 -- Augmenting today's point-to-point Ethernet transport capabilities, Alcatel is using Native Networks' Metro Ethernet technology to introduce enhanced transport and aggregation of Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, and Gigabit Ethernet services, along with Packet Ring functionality.

The enhanced managed Ethernet features can be introduced incrementally through a simple add-on card to existing OMSN networks or equipped as needed in new installations. This approach permits an operator to roll out enhanced Ethernet services only where justified by business conditions.

By teaming the reliability of SDH with the efficiency of Metro Ethernet aggregation, the operator can deliver a robust, "carrier class" solutions.

Operators and service providers will be able to expand beyond simple point-to-point Ethernet to offer more sophisticated multi-point services, such as Virtual Private LAN Services (VPLS), without adversely affecting existing voice and leased-line services.

Rami Hadar, CEO of Native Networks, said, "The combination of Alcatel's market leading next generation SDH systems with Native Networks' core competency and technology, enables us to accelerate the adoption of advanced Ethernet Services through the confluence of Metro Ethernet and SDH."

Jean-Marie Vansteenkiste, President of Alcatel's optical networks activities, said, "The business case for Ethernet over SDH is well understood by today's operators and service providers, and this enhanced functionality will permit customers to incrementally upgrade the value of Ethernet services they are offering.

"These enhancements strengthen the OMSN value proposition and reinforces our leading position in the next-generation, multi-service SDH market."

The success of the OMSN product range is a testimony to Alcatel's ability to deliver next-generation SDH products with the right combination of TDM and data features demanded by the market. Since their introduction, Alcatel has shipped more than 50,000 OMSNs and remains the world leader in the introduction of managed data services over next-generation SDH equipment.

Alcatel's Optical Multi-Service Nodes
Designed for both metro and core applications, Alcatel's Optical Multi-Service Nodes provide world-class next-generation SDH functionality and capacity through aggregation of broadband multi-protocol traffic patterns.

Their deployment allows operators of optical transport networks to achieve the optimal balance between new competitive service offerings and traditional revenue-generating services by introducing a wide variety of data managed services - including top-level differentiated QoS capabilities, variable service rates and traffic congestion management.

Supporting STM-4c, STM-16c and STM-64c concatenated payloads, OMSNs deliver integrated ATM and Packet Ring/MPLS switching, as well as LAN interfaces (Ethernet, Fast Ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet) by integrating ISA plug-in modules. Although configurable as ADMs (Add-Drop-Multiplexers), OMSNs have full cross-connect capability thanks to their symmetrical and scalable architecture.

OMSNs are flexible for use in all network topologies ï¿½ that is: point-to-point, linear chains, multiple rings, meshed networks - and ensure complete synergistic use of hardware items across the systems, from common parts to traffic ports. Additionally, they all have fully non-blocking SDH matrices (HO/LO) and support all standard PDH interfaces.