Optillion launches hot swappable 10-Gbit/sec Ethernet XENPAK transceiver

5 February 2004 Stockholm, Sweden -- Optillion has unveiled what it claims is the industry's first hot swappable 10-Gbit/sec Ethernet transceiver for direct traffic attachment to SONET/SDH metro networks. The WAN PHY transceiver, dubbed TOP 4010, allows the reach and reliability of optical networks to be combined with the speed and cost advantages of Ethernet, say company representatives.

The TOP 4010 WAN PHY optical module solution (SONET/SDH framed Ethernet) provides carriers and service providers with a flexible growth strategy, as the transceiver can be added at any time. Offered services can be quickly configured either by plugging native or framed Ethernet modules into the equipment's hot-swappable optical ports. Framed Ethernet fully supports the carrier's traditional way of monitoring the equipment, reducing Ethernet to SONET/SDH conversion equipment expenditures while maintaining the quality of the network. The TOP 4010 handles link lengths up to 10 km between the service provider point of presence and the carrier's central office installation.

For manufacturers of high-end switches, routers, and test equipment, Optillion offers the ability to provide equipment that supports both Ethernet and SONET /SDH to meet customer needs in one solution. It enables vendors to offer more modular equipment that has a smooth migration path for growth. With SONET/SDH connectivity and less expensive high-volume Ethernet, equipment can be much more competitively priced to successfully expand market capabilities.

"With the introduction of the TOP 4010 transceiver, Optillion is the first XENPAK supplier with a product portfolio that supports the implementation of both LAN PHY and WAN PHY long-distance transceivers for the growing 10-Gbit/sec Ethernet market," asserts Bertil Kronlund, director of product management.

The 10-Gbit/sec Ethernet WAN PHY is very similar to LAN PHY except for the addition of the WAN interface sublayer. This is a SONET/SDH-compatible framer that allows Ethernet traffic to pass transparently through networks set up to carry SONET/SDH.

Optillion will ship the TOP 4010 to a selected number of partners this month. The company will offer the TOP 4010 transceiver to a broader customer base during March with volume production ramp-up during the second quarter of 2004. The transceiver has been developed in accordance with the 10-Gbit/sec Ethernet standard IEEE 802.3, and in accordance with the XENPAK multi-source agreement.