23 September 2003 Ottawa, Ontario Lightwave--Nortel Networks is introducing next generation capabilities on its Ethernet over fiber products, and adding two new products to its optical Ethernet portfolio. These enhancements will enable service providers to offer optical Ethernet switched services such as voice over IP, videoconferenceing, and collaborative computing to more users.
The new products, available in the first quarter of 2004, include the Metro Ethernet Services Unit 1800 and Metro Ethernet Services Module 8668 for Nortel Networks Passport 8600 Routing Switch. These modules will give service providers a scalable solution capable of supporting hundreds of thousands of end customers. The products will enable a ring-based, switched Ethernet solution with 50-msec resiliency, which is the generally accepted industry benchmark for carrier-class services. This Ethernet ring solution will offer an efficient means to aggregate customer traffic with cost-effective Ethernet switches. Additionally, Metro Ethernet Services
Module 8668 will work with stacked virtual local area network technology to ensure multi-vendor interoperability.
"Nortel Networks is a leader in developing solutions that enable carriers to deliver optical Ethernet service," said Mark Bieberich, senior analyst, Yankee Group. "As service providers continue to make progress in delivering Ethernet-based services, they are asking how vendor solutions can help them drive revenues and offer the security, scalability, and reliability levels they require. The solution that Nortel Networks is announcing today addresses these issues while providing the flexibility to fit into a variety of network scenarios."
Nortel's Preside network management for automated provisioning, troubleshooting, and performance management is used to manage both products. Additionally, these products will support a tool for service assurance called VPN Continuity, enabling providers to ensure service uptime and verify service
level agreements.
Nortel is also upgrading the OPTera Metro 1000 series of Ethernet Service Modules with the capability to fit into ring-based topologies, as well as features like per class-of-service rate enforcement, automatic node discovery, and dynamic service provisioning. These capabilities will offer flexibility for native Ethernet access solutions, whether in a greenfield or legacy infrastructure.
The comprehensive optical Ethernet portfolio enables delivery of Ethernet services across service provider and enterprise networks. Nortel is the only vendor that provides a complete set of Ethernet services via Ethernet over fiber, Ethernet over SONET/SDH and
Ethernet over WDM, according to the company.
In 2002, Nortel was the worldwide leader in the Ethernet DWDM and SONET multiservice provisioning platform equipment segments of the optical Ethernet market, according to market researcher IDC.