Data Connection Limited demonstrates UNI, NNI and DDRP interoperability.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

OFC 2003

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 25, 2003

DCL And Leading Equipment Manufacturers Are Demonstrating UNI, NNI And DDRP In The OIF-Sponsored Interoperability Event At OFC This Week

Data Connection Limited (DCL), the leading supplier of optical signalling and routing software, announced today it is demonstrating UNI, NNI and DDRP interoperability with major vendors at an OIF-sponsored event at Optical Fiber Communication 2003 (OFC) in Atlanta. The public demonstration follows successful pre-event testing between the participants.

DCL is showing interworking between UNI to external clients, GMPLS + OSPF internally within the network domain, and NNI + DDRP between network domains, in complex scenarios that include full end-to-end provisioning across multiple domains. DCL is interoperating with a range of leading optical networking vendors including: Alcatel, Avici Systems, CIENA Corporation, Mahi Networks, NEC, Sycamore Networks, Tellabs, and Tellium.

DCL has led the development of optical control plane software; it provided the world's first GMPLS software in 2000, followed by the first portable implementation of OIF UNI and LMP in 2001. It continues to be at the forefront of optical control plane development and to supply all the major equipment manufacturers. DCL's source code solution, including DC-MPLS, DC-RSVP and DC-OSPF-TE, provides optical device manufacturers with a complete control plane solution ready for integration with their hardware.

"Our exceptional corporate stability, independence, and consistent profitability ensure that we will continue to enhance our market leading software to provide new function, like that required by UNI and NNI, and support our customers for years to come," said Ben Miller, VP Sales and Marketing for protocol software at DCL. "It is this long-term stability that underlies our exceptional reputation for providing very high quality software and support."

"The participants in the OIF's Interoperability Demonstration at OFC 2003 are genuinely committed to interoperable solutions," said Joe Berthold, CIENA Corporation, president of the OIF. "Each company in the demo has passed a rigorous pre-event test based on real-world conditions. The demonstration will highlight equipment and solutions that will meet the interoperability demands of the optical networking industry in the near-future."

About Data Connection Limited (DCL)

Data Connection Limited (DCL) is the leading independent developer and supplier of IP Routing, LMP, MPLS, SIP, MGCP/Megaco, SCTP, ATM, Conferencing, Unified Messaging, Directory and SNA portable products. Customers include Calient, CIENA, Cisco, Fujitsu, Hitachi, IBM Corp., Lucent, Microsoft, NEC, Nortel Networks, Sycamore, and Sun. Its MetaSwitch division develops and manufactures a carrier-class Next Generation Class 5 Switch for telecommunications service providers.

Data Connection is headquartered in London UK, with US offices in Reston, VA and Alameda, CA. It was founded in 1981 and is privately held. During each of the past 20 years its profits have exceeded 20% of revenue. Last year sales exceeded $35M, of which 90% were outside the UK, mostly in the US. This large proportion of overseas sales has led to the company being awarded two Queen's Awards for outstanding export performance.

For more information, see www.dataconnection.com.

About the OIF's NNI/UNI Interoperability Demo

The Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF) will sponsor the broadest demonstration of optical networking capabilities at OFC 2003 in booth #7620, Hall B. The event will be the first-ever demonstration of the OIF's integrated UNI/NNI solution. The goal of the event is to achieve dynamic, end-to-end connection establishment between client devices and optical network elements in the Control Plane. OIF is a rapidly growing non-profit organization with 250+ member companies to date, including many of the world's leading carriers, component and system vendors. The purpose of the OIF is to accelerate the deployment of interoperable, cost effective, and robust optical internetworks and their associated technologies. More information on the OIF and the interoperability demo can be found at www.oiforum.com.

Data Connection is a trademark of Data Connection Limited and Data Connection Corporation. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.