Corrigent Supports Ethernet OAM on its 10Gbps CM-100; Ethernet OAM Evaluation Results to be Presented in OFC/NFOEC by KDDI R&D Laboratories Inc.

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Corrigent Systems, a leading provider of Packet ADM (Add Drop Multiplexer) for next-generation transport networks, today announced the availability of new Ethernet management features for the CM-100 product line designed to enable operators to improve network management capabilities. The suite of Ethernet management functions for Operation, Administration and Maintenance (OAM) represents the first transport network element implementing Ethernet management tools.

Supporting telecom industry standardization efforts, the CM-100 Packet Transport Platform offers new monitoring, testing, and diagnostic capabilities designed to assist network operators with provisioning, maintaining and troubleshooting their networks. These new features provide operators the tools required to test, identify and isolate problems before and as they occur, as well as to rapidly take actions to correct such problems.

The new Ethernet maintenance and diagnostic capabilities now available in Corrigent's CM-100 product line include the following:

--Ethernet connectivity check

--Ethernet loopback messages

--Ethernet frame delay measurement

--Ethernet test packet generation and monitoring

--Ethernet port-mirroring for non-intrusive traffic analysis

Carriers are migrating their networks from traditional TDM to a packet-oriented multi service transport infrastructure. The recent shift in traffic profile in favor of Ethernet traffic requires efficient and reliable maintenance and diagnostics tools, not only encompassing the capabilities conventionally available in SONET/SDH equipment, but also those needed to provide full testing, monitoring and diagnostics of Ethernet services and functions. Ethernet is the fastest growing service offering for carriers around the world.

Technical aspects and evaluation results of OAM implementation will be presented by KDDI R&D Labs at the annual OFC/NFOEC Conference in Anaheim, CA on Wednesday March 8th from 4:00pm to 5:00pm. The presentation, "Demonstration of Ethernet OAM Functionality for Management of Layer 2 Switches Connected to Resilient Packet Ring Equipment in Metro Area Networks" covers the latest developments in KDDI's evaluation of implementing Ethernet OAM on their metro RPR rings.

"We are working to provide the latest and most comprehensive suite of Ethernet management offerings available in transport network elements," said Gady Rosenfeld, Vice President of Marketing for Corrigent Systems. "The lack of Ethernet OAM is often viewed by carriers as an impediment to even faster growth of Ethernet services. We now deliver on our CM-100 product line the set of Ethernet OAM tools that guarantee carriers' SLAs, as committed to their customers."

The new Ethernet OAM functions now offered over Corrigent's CM-100 Product Line, in combination with RPR and SONET/SDH OAM tools, make the CM-100 unique in its class, providing operators the unprecedented capability to monitor and guarantee both Ethernet and TDM services on their networks.

About Corrigent

Corrigent Systems is a market leader in next generation metro transport systems. The CM-100 product line is designed to enable profitable delivery of voice, video and data for Triple Play, Carrier Ethernet and Multi-service offerings. Used by carriers worldwide, the CM-100 Packet Transport product line integrates the traffic management and control of RPR and MPLS and eliminates the need for multiple transport elements. CM-100 allows carrier to evolve their SONET/SDH networks with a standards based and interoperable product line optimized for today's service requirements. Orckit Communications (Nasdaq:ORCT) is the parent company of Corrigent Systems. For more information: http://www.corrigent.com.

Corrigent Systems and CM-100 are registered trademarks of Corrigent Systems, Inc. All other Brands and products referenced herein are the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. Certain matters discussed in this release are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements may differ significantly from actual future events or results. Corrigent assumes no obligation to update the information in this release.