Alcatel OmniSwitch 7000 Raises the Bar in High-Availability for Enterprise Networks.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

CALABASAS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 7, 2002

Alcatel today announced the Alcatel OmniSwitch 7000, a new series of data infrastructure switches designed for the network edge and core. These standards-based switches extend carrier-class availability throughout the network to provide the ideal multi-service infrastructure for IP telephony and mission critical applications.

Alcatel built the OmniSwitch 7000 series on a distributed, intelligent architecture to enable carrier-class availability, including full redundancy and resiliency, for continuous network operation -- even in the case of failover of the management module. Coupled with the unique ability to protect against user misconfiguration and an optional redundant management module, the switches are ideal for the network edge, in the wiring closet for converged applications, and medium enterprise core.

"Alcatel's OmniSwitch 7000 series combines many high-value, high-function features with a high-performance, high-reliability architecture," said Joel Conover, Current Analysis. "These products give Alcatel the long-term strategic platform that it can use to grow its business in conjunction with its voice offering."

The Alcatel OmniSwitch 7000 come from a family of switches that runs on common set of software features and a proven technology base, providing consistent functionalities across the network. The Alcatel OmniSwitch 7000 is a 10- or 18-slot modular chassis with a fabric capacity of up to 128 Gbps and a throughput up to 60 Mpps and provides a Gigabit Ethernet density up to 192 ports.

"Texas A&M is geographically the largest university in the United States, supporting a 44,000 student population, with over 200 buildings, including an airport," said Willis Marti, Texas A&M. "Alcatel's new OmniSwitch 7000 extends a common architecture from the edge to the core to serve diverse entities -- allowing us to prioritize mission-critical applications easily and approach each community according to its particular requirements."

The Alcatel OmniSwitch 7000's distributed intelligent architecture accelerates more network services than any switch on the market today, provide wire rate: quality of service (QoS), switching, routing, access control list, and network address translation. By providing simple, wire-rate server load balancing natively in the switch, Alcatel eliminates the need for hardware and software licenses that make server load balancing cost-prohibitive to enterprises and extends a valuable function that dedicated load balancing solutions cannot deliver at wire speed.

Alcatel's CrystalSec security framework delivers strong embedded security features to the switch. The OmniSwitch family adheres to a security-by-default configuration and is shipped in secure mode to ensure only necessary features are active and to minimize configurations susceptible to hacker exploitation. The switches also implement role-based management to ensure only authorized users can access system files to configure the switches. Access control to networks is enabled through powerful Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) technology that allows user authentication into and between VLANs and networks.

The OmniSwitch 7000 is supported with WebView, a web-based element manager that provides coverage of all switch functions in an easy-to-use interface. Network-wide management is provided through OmniVista, which gives a complete view of the network and includes "Policy View with One Touch," an application that provides QoS configuration for time-critical applications across multiple devices with a simple click of a button.

"Alcatel's OmniSwitch 7000 series is ideal for real-time requirements of mission critical applications and IP telephony," said Joelle Gauthier, vice president, Alcatel enterprise marketing. "In addition to providing high availability, they offer exceptional scalability so enterprises can grow quickly without incurring much additional cost."

Pricing and availability

The OmniSwitch 7700 starts at $11,000, while the OmniSwitch 7800 starts at $16,000. Both products are shipping today.

About Alcatel

Alcatel (NYSE:ALA) designs, develops and builds innovative and competitive communications networks, enabling carriers, service providers and enterprises to deliver any type of content, such as voice, data and multimedia, to any type of consumer, anywhere in the world. With sales of $22 billion in 2001 and 99,000 employees, Alcatel operates in more than 130 countries. In 2001, the United States was the largest single market served by Alcatel. For more information, visit Alcatel on the Internet: http://www.alcatel.com.