ADVA Optical Networking Lands Compaq Certification.

Business Editors

RAMSEY, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 21, 2000

ADVA Optical Networking (German Neuer Markt: ADV), a leading global provider of optical networking solutions, today announced that Compaq (NYSE: CPQ) has certified interoperability of ADVA's FSP-II Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexer (DWDM) with its SANworks(TM) Data Replication Manager (DRM). DRM is value-added software for StorageWorks(TM) RA8000/ESA12000 and MA8000/EMA12000 storage solutions. DRM enables customers to replicate data online from local to remote StorageWorks systems over switched Fibre Channel fabrics. Data Replication Manager gives customers the assurance of data protection and business continuance under adverse conditions.

"Today, more than ever, IT managers are concerned with service levels--having data access whenever and wherever needed, even under adverse conditions. Protecting data against loss, and being able to quickly recover when disaster strikes, is critical, and Compaq's DRM addresses that," stated Brian McCann, Chief Sales & Marketing Officer for ADVA. "What's more, Compaq's DRM offers multi-platform support in an extended Storage Area Network (SAN)-based environment. This is a unique feature that sets Compaq apart," he continued. "The business value here is providing the highest data availability in the most cost-effective manner."

Delivery of this capability is predicated on 1Gbps SAN-based fiber connectivity to the remote storage system. Today, many high bandwidth applications require Gigabit performance. Providing that bandwidth for applications operating currently can be extremely expensive. Most large enterprise IT centers have remote clients and recovery sites in metropolitan areas, so the use of ADVA's FSP-II DWDM is a perfect enabler of high bandwidth at a low cost. It delivers the highest performance and reliability for SAN applications such as DRM.

"As business success depends more and more on the availability of customer data, enterprises around the world need more cost-effective solutions for replicating this data over long distances for disaster recovery purposes," said Mark Lewis, Vice President of Compaq Enterprise Storage Software. "The SANworks Data Replication Manager provides customers with the most cost-effective, secure, and efficient interconnect options for implementing business resumption strategies. All this adds up to increased business velocity."

"Compaq's certification of the FSP-II for SANworks' DRM offers IT managers an optimal solution for extending the SAN with the highest integrity and reliability, all at an affordable price," says ADVA's Brian McCann. " Couple optical fiber's performance and DWDM, leverage that performance, and you have an unbeatable combination for SAN parallel processing applications," he continued.

FSP-II is designed to meet the requirements of enterprise markets. It is an affordable DWDM solution capable of accepting a broad range of data rates. The modular architecture is comprised of a rack-mountable chassis and hot-swappable modules selected to meet the requirements of the system environment and applications. The FSP-II system offers a variety of modules to perform specific network element functions such as Conversion, Multiplexing, Protection and Network Management. FSP-II provides seamless migration from point-to-point to linear add/drop to enterprise ring topologies. Utilizing DWDM technology, the FSP-II transparent "fiber-in-fiber-out" interfaces support all data centric protocols, including Fibre Channel, FDDI, ATM, ESCON, Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet, OC-3/-12/-48, STM-1/-4/-16, FICON and Coupling Link. In conjunction with the TDM Channel Module 4 x ESCON, the fully loaded FSP-ll system transports up to 128 ESCON applications.

About ADVA Optical Networking

ADVA Optical Networking is a leading global provider of optical networking solutions to deploy, manage and deliver communication networks and high-speed services for the metropolitan area and enterprise markets. ADVA's product family is used by telecommunication and metro area service providers, as well as enterprises, to provide high-performance connectivity and delivery of high-speed data, storage, voice and video services. ADVA sells its products through a global network of distributors, value added resellers, and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) including Alcatel (Optinex 1690(TM)), Cisco (Metro 1500(TM)), and Siemens (Waveline EL2(TM)). As of August 2000, more than 420 enterprises and 25 service providers have deployed ADVA's equipment.

ADVA is headquartered in Munich (Germany), with R&D centers in Cambridge and York (UK), Berlin and Meiningen (Germany). Worldwide sales offices are located in Berlin, Hannover and Munich (Germany); Cambridge and York (UK); Paris (France), Chicago/Illinois and Ramsey/New Jersey (USA); and Tokyo (Japan). Visit www.advaoptical.com for more information about ADVA Optical Networking.

Published by:

ADVA Optical Networking Inc., Ramsey/New Jersey, USA ADVA AG Optical Networking, Martinsried/Munich and Meiningen, Germany www.advaoptical.com