Sunday, June 22, 2003

Internet Photonics Adds Support for SONET and Fibre Channel/FICON

Internet Photonics has added SONET and Fibre Channel/FICON interfaces to its LightStack MXA, which is a CWDM solution that integrates multiservice support, an optical ADM and "3R" (retime, repeat, regenerate) functions. The LightStack MXA now accepts three types of service modules:


  • SONET/SDH -- four optical ports that can be provisioned for OC-3, OC-12 or OC-48



  • Gigabit Enhancement -- four optical ports that can be provisioned for Gigabit Ethernet or Fibre Channel / FICON



  • Optical ADM -- provides passive add/drop of up to six wavelengths, including support for existing SONET/SDH devices



The Lightstack MXA platform, which measures 1.5 rack units in height, accepts any mix of SONET/SDH, optical Ethernet and Fibre Channel/FICON services on a ring, as well as point-to-point links. The new modules can be provisioned remotely and service rates can be changed on-the-fly.
http://www.internetphotonics.com
  • In March 2003, Internet Photonics introduced a new LightStack Gigabit Services Line Access Multiplexer (GSLAM) designed to aggregate, switch and multiplex multiple services (including managed services) in major cable headends or service provider POPs. The new GLSAM platform, which complements existing LightStack products for remote hub sites or premises, scales to handle 64 Gigabit Ethernet connections. The platform uses Internet Photonics' “SONET WrapAround�? capability in order to preserve existing traffic on a ring without interrupting the service. Optical Ethernet services are inserted onto the fiber using different wavelengths so as not to disrupt the existing traffic. The LightStack also features a VirtualWire capability by which eight GbE services, each with its own circuit-like sub-channel, are multiplexed onto a single 10 Gbps wavelength. Internet Photonics said the LightStack GSLAM is already deployed in a “top five�? cable operator network and is in trials with another operator.


  • In July 2002, Internet Photonics closed $31 million in third round venture financing for its optical Ethernet platform. The new funding was led by ComVentures and included TeleSoft Partners as well as previous investors Sprout Group and New Venture Partners LLC. Internet Photonics has raised $63M since its inception in October of 2000.


  • Internet Photonics is headed by Gregory Koss, who was previously CEO of Sonoma Systems, a developer of ATM access equipment that was acquired by Nortel Networks in 2000. Its technical team is led by Dr. Martin Nuss, who was previously the Director of the Optical Data Networks Research Department at Lucent Technologies.