Aegis Lightwave Introduces Carrier-Grade Optical Layer Monitor.

WOBURN, Mass. -- Aegis Lightwave, a company focused exclusively on providing a wide range of optical channel monitoring solutions to the fiber-optic communications industry, introduced today the Centurion[TM] OLM 8000, a standalone and NEBS-compliant optical layer monitor for cable operators and telecom service providers. The OLM 8000 is designed specifically for remote management of passive DWDM systems and will be on exhibit at NXTComm 2007 in Booth 1945, complete with a live demonstration.

The OLM 8000 is the most cost-effective solution for turning DWDM passives, while in service, into actively managed network elements and can be implemented to avoid complex forklift upgrades to DWDM actives. The OLM 8000 gives operators the DWDM channel visibility needed to effectively manage and scale their passive DWDM networks while they continue to deploy the simple, low-cost and highly reliable DWDM passives of their choice.

The OLM 8000 adds a management layer to DWDM passives and provides effective demarcation at all-optical wavelength handoff locations. It also provides critical performance monitoring at the physical layer where necessary, such as in converged "IP-over-DWDM" or "Ethernet-over-Optical" networks. The OLM 8000 proves-in for cost-sensitive applications such as monitoring "narrowcast" DWDM wavelengths that carry voice, data and video-on-demand services in cable operators' access networks. The OLM 8000 is ideal to retrofit the large embedded base of DWDM passive multiplexers and demultiplexers as well as standalone optical amplifiers. It can be implemented in-service by simply connecting an optical monitoring port on the OLM 8000 to any existing optical test point along a DWDM span, without disturbing the optical transmission line.

"The integration with carriers' network management systems has been seamless and field trials have been a resounding success," said Mark Lourie, Vice President of Marketing, Aegis Lightwave. "Our low-cost optical channel monitor engine enables us to tap into a pent-up demand for affordable remote management of DWDM passives."

The OLM 8000 is 1 RU high and comes with 4 or 8 ports, each capable of monitoring up to 80 DWDM channels on 200, 100 or 50 GHz spacing. The OLM 8000 continuously collects 7 days worth of DWDM channel statistics that can be remotely accessed across a wide area network (WAN) and can be downloaded to an operator's centralized database. The system generates SNMP TRAPS and transmits them over the WAN to a network management system should the optical link degrade beyond the user-configurable threshold crossing alerts (TCA). The system can be managed through an HTTP graphical user interface to provision channels, perform maintenance or view statistics. The OLM 8000 is NEBS, UL and FCC Class 15 compliant.

About Aegis([R]) Lightwave, Inc.

Aegis Lightwave is a privately held company that builds a wide range of cost-effective optical channel monitoring solutions. Based on its Active Thin Films[TM] technology, Aegis is the first company to deliver low-cost wavelength-monitoring components and modules that are easily manufactured using proven methods from the semiconductor industry. Aegis is backed by leading investors and venture capitalists including Vesbridge Partners, Alta Partners, Technology Venture Partners and Megunticook Management. The company is located in Woburn, Massachusetts, USA. More information can be viewed at www.aegislightwave.com.