Ando Corporation to Unveil Industry's First High-Performance OC-48c MPLS Probe for Carrier IP Core Networks at Networld + Interop in Las Vegas on May 7-9.

Business Editors and High Tech Writers

NetWorld+Interop 2002 Las Vegas 

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 1, 2002

Ando Will Exhibit the Probe's Unparalleled MPLS and IP Reporting

Capabilities with an OC-48c Traffic Generator and Standard Network

Management Solutions in Booth No. 1809

Ando Corporation's IP Products Division today announced plans to exhibit a demo of its Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) upgrade for the first-to-market AU1500 IP Core Network Probe for OC-48c Packet-over-SONET (POS) networks at Networld + Interop in the Las Vegas Convention Center on May 7-9.

Ando's AU1500 already provides IP carriers and ISPs with unsurpassed layer 2-7 detailed traffic monitoring for high-speed IP core networks with its unique hardware accelerated design and industry standard RMON2 and SNMP reporting. With the addition of the MPLS upgrade, the AU1500 now also offers IP carriers unrivaled reporting capabilities to effectively monitor and manage their MPLS networks as well as implement exciting new MPLS based services. The AU1500 is the industry's first OC-48c MPLS probe that monitors MPLS label-switched path (LSP) and MPLS VPN traffic. The detailed MPLS statistics provided by the AU1500 include volume (packets and bytes), protocol distribution, class of service (CoS), and TopN by MPLS forwarding label, by MPLS VPN label and by a combination of the two.

"Ando is very excited to be the first solution provider to offer a robust monitoring and management tool for MPLS network management," says Hiroyuki Sato, general manager of Ando Corporation's IP Products Division. "MPLS is currently a carrier core technology of choice for not only enhancing the performance of their networks, but also enabling advanced services such as VPNs and SLAs based on classes of service (CoS). Ando offers the only tool that will allow them to effectively monitor, manage and, most importantly, optimize their MPLS networks at up to OC-48c."

Ando's demo at Networld + Interop will employ "live" traffic provided by an OC-48c traffic generator operating in both IP and MPLS modes. Industry standard reporting and management tools, including Concord Communication's eHealth(TM) Suite, will be used to showcase the AU1500's MPLS, IP, and RMON2 statistical output in real-time. Ando will also have sales engineering staff on hand to discuss compelling real world applications for the AU1500, such as advanced SLA management; traffic engineering, LSP sizing, route optimization, and capacity planning based on real time statistics; network health and management; usage based billing between peering providers; SLA verification; and advanced MPLS management.

Ando's hardware-accelerated AU1500 IP Core Network Probe is centered around a sophisticated statistical engine that offers true wire speed performance and reliability. Additionally, the AU1500 is a passive device deployed independently of existing network equipment that offers detailed, layer-2 and above information without impacting router performance. Moreover, since the AU1500 does not require proprietary management or reporting software, the AU1500 can be readily integrated into IP carriers existing network management toolset for ease of deployment.

"The AU1500 with the MPLS upgrade is arriving in the marketplace just in time to help IP carriers who are looking to reduce capital expenditures and overhead while at the same time increasing their bottom line through new revenue opportunities," says Sato. "Carriers need to understand their networks from the edge to the core. They need the right amount of bandwidth in the right spots. And they need to generate revenue by offering new and exciting services like enhanced SLAs and VPNs that can be supported and managed with robust network monitoring. The AU1500 is a critical piece of the carrier toolset to make these unmet needs a reality."

The AU1500 IP Core Network Probe and AU1500 MPLS upgrade are currently in the final stage of customer network trials. The MPLS enhancement for the AU1500 can be obtained as a software license upgrade to the AU1500 AOS version 1.4.0.0 and higher. Both will be available in June 2002.

About Ando Corporation

Ando Corporation is a U.S. subsidiary of Ando Electric Ltd., a pioneering test and measurement company based in Japan. Ando's IP Products Division, headquartered in San Jose, Calif., is focused on meeting the core monitoring and management needs of next generation IP providers and carriers, and works closely with key customers and partners on the development, strategic marketing, sales and support of next generation network core monitoring products. For additional information on Ando, please visit www.ando.com.

All referenced product names are trademarks of their respective companies.