TiMetra Networks, a start-up based in Mountain View, California, unveiled its family of scalable, carrier-class routing platforms for the delivery of new, private data services as well as Internet access. TiMetra believes the introduction of highly granular VPN services requires a fundamental design shift in routing platforms, similar to the change from multiprotocol corporate routers circa 1995 to Internet-class IP routers circa 1998. Rather than retrofit core routers for advanced services such as MPLS tunneling, destination-based billing and VPLS, TiMetra sees an opportunity for "service routers." TiMetra's platform is built using its own fully programmable 10 Gbps Network Processor Array, which is flexible enough for service providers to implement custom service capabilities. TiMetra said its custom network processor represent a significant improvements over ASICs and off-the-shelf network processors. The 10 Gbps Network Processor Array silicon has thousands of ingress and egress queues to enable line rate QoS, accounting/billing, provisioning and diagnostics -- all on a per-service basis for thousands of services per physical port. The 10 Gbps deep packet inspections would allow service providers to offer highly granular Service Level Agreements (SLAs). Integrated OA&M functionality lets providers verify, manage and troubleshoot IP/MPLS data services. A unique Service Mirroring capability can be used to troubleshoot services and capture traffic without having to overlay network analyzers or deploy technicians to remote POPs.
TiMetra's product line includes the 20 Gbps SR-1, occupying 1.5RU of rack space, the 60 Gbps SR-4, occupying 1/7 rack, and the 400 Gbps SR-12, occupying 1/3 rack. The platform scales to density of 600 Gigabit Ethernet or 960 OC-12/STM-4 ports per rack. All three routers use a common set of interface modules and Small Form-factor Pluggable (SFP) Optics. The SR-Series supports Ethernet interfaces ranging from 10/100Mbps to 10Gbps and TDM-based interfaces from T1/E1 to OC-192/STM-64.
http://www.timetra.com
- In May 2003, Alcatel announced plans to acquire TiMetra for approximately US$150 million in stock. TiMetra has been active in the IETF in the development of Virtual Private LAN Services (VPLS), which provide bridged, multi-point WAN connectivity for corporate networks. The companies said TiMetra's platform is complementary to the existing Alcatel 7770 Optical Broadband Exchange (OBX), an IP router for the core of service provider networks. The companies expect the acquisition to close this summer.
TiMetra was founded in 2000 and received $56 million in total funding from Redpoint Ventures and Accel Partners.
TiMetra is headed by Basil Alwan. Prior to founding TiMetra, Alwan was VP & GM of Nortel Networks Enterprise Products Division (EPD), a team of 300 developers and staff primarily focused on scalable Layer 3 switched networks. He joined Nortel through the Bay Networks acquisition of Rapid City Communications, where he was VP of Product Management and Marketing.
