Procket Networks, a start-up based in Milpitas, California, announced commercial availability of its PRO/8801 router, its first product in a series. The Procket platforms are based on a customized chipset that includes a fully programmable 40 Gbps network processor and a Terabit Switch Engine. The scalable chipset can be used in platforms that range from 80 Gbps to 960 Gbps. The first PRO/8801 router features 80 Gbps of total capacity and can support up to 40 high speed interfaces in a chassis that takes up 1/8 of a rack. The PRO/8812 router, which will ship later this quarter, features 960 Gbps of total capacity and a forwarding rate of 1.2 billion packets per second. The routers support OC-3c, OC-12c, OC-48c, OC-192c, Gigabit Ethernet and 10 Gigabit Ethernet interfaces. All Procket routers use common line cards and media adapters, and the company estimates that its systems offer a reduction in power consumption and floor space of up to 50%. Pricing for the PRO/8801 starts at US$65,000, while the PRO/8812 starts at US$237,000.
Procket's software is designed with self-monitoring, self-correcting, self-configuring, and self-protecting features. The company said its software is portable, platform- and processor-independent, and fully interoperable with existing IP routing software, including MPLS. Procket may license its PRO/1 software to partners and allow customers and/or third parties to add additional applications.
Procket said that its platform is deployed or in trials with more than 20 major service provider and enterprise customers worldwide. Service provider deployments include NTTPC Communications (part of the NTT Communications Group), which will use the routers in its core IP network, and PacketExchange, a U.K.-based network service provider. NTT/Verio is evaluating the Procket platform.
http://www.procket.com
- As of March 2002, Procket Networks had raised $272 million in funding.
Procket Networks was founded in March 1999 by Dr. Sharad Mehrotra and Dr. William Lynch, both of whom were lead designers of Sun Microsystems' UltraSPARC processor designs; as well as Dr. Tony Li, who previously served as a Distinguished Engineer and Project Lead at Juniper Networks. Randall Kruep became CEO of Procket in February 2001. He was previously senior vice president of Worldwide Customer Operations for Redback Networks.
