12 February 2003 -- Riverstone Networks, Santa Clara CA, USA, demonstrated its portfolio of multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) technologies in a multi-vendor interoperability test at the MPLS World Congress, last week in Paris.
Riverstone's MPLS technology is already deployed world-wide, enabling carriers to increase revenue through the delivery of advanced services.
Recently, Riverstone announced that Telefónica de España is deploying its RS routers in a nationwide deployment, known as eBA, or e-Broadband Access, to deliver MPLS-based virtual private network (VPN) services to Spain's largest enterprises.
"MPLS was initially deployed in carrier networks strictly for traffic engineering purposes," said Carsten Rossenhövel, managing director of the EANTC.
"With increasing carrier acceptance of the technology, more robust MPLS implementations and continued efforts on the part of vendors to increase interoperability, MPLS is now proving itself as a revenue-generating technology through which services can be created and delivered."
Organised by the MPLS Forum, an international organisation driving worldwide deployments of MPLS networks, and by EANTC, an internationally recognised test lab, the MPLS event brought together 13 vendors to demonstrate MPLS application and services interoperability.
During the interoperability tests staged in Berlin in late January, Riverstone's RS 8000 routers demonstrated a high level of scalability for both Layer 2 point-to-point tunnels and Layer 3 VPNs. At the MPLS World Congress, the 13 vendors recreated those tests in a live showcase.
"Interoperability demonstrations are key to carrier acceptance and deployments," said Andrew Feldman, Riverstone's vice president of corporate marketing and development. "We are already seeing early adopters such as Telefónica and neos Networks delivering MPLS-based VPN services - a trend that will continue to grow as carriers recognise the revenue potential of these services."