Dowslake Microsystems Introduces MiniSIS, Industry's Most Compact and Dense Optical Subsystem.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 12, 2002

"Drop-in and Play" Provides Turnkey Solution for Cutting Network

Equipment Cost While Increasing Network Functionality

Dowslake Microsystems, a pioneer and provider of smart subsystems for intelligent networks, today announced MiniSIS(TM), the most compact and dense optical subsystem capable of hosting as many as 16 optical amplifiers.

Developed for OEM equipment manufacturers, MiniSIS is an ultra-compact, flexible, optical subsystem which allows system solution providers to add or enhance, without engineering effort, flexibility and intelligence to the network equipment. It is a field-deployable system element in Sonet/SDH, DWDM, CWDM, CATV, ATM and other optical systems.

MiniSIS has a fully modular architecture comprised of a low profile, rack-mountable, NEBS compliant 1RU chassis, a built-in management console, and 4 hot-swappable plug-in slots for smart modules selectable from Dowslake's product offering. It features high-density and flexibility. For example, it can incorporate up to 16 optical amplifiers. It can also be configured to a complete add/drop node including multiplexers, performance monitor, amplifiers, and transponders. It directly interfaces with network management systems (NMS) through standard protocols such as SNMP and TL1, and accepts either DC or AC power supplies. MiniSIS maximizes the benefit of Dowslake's smart modules such as SmartOPM, an optical performance monitor, SmartVOA, an automatically controlled variable attenuator array, SmartAMPLET, the industry's smallest smart amplifier, and SmartDGE, a lossless dynamic gain equalizer. In addition, it accepts dynamic OADM, optical transponders, and optical mux/demux. With its scalability, flexibility, and leading edge system-ready capability, MiniSIS drastically reduces the cost for developing, operating, migrating and scaling optical networks.

"Today's competitive market requires system solution providers to deploy their systems cost-effectively and quickly," said Dr. Xin Cheng, President & COO. "While engineering budget is decreasing, the development cycle is accelerating. Pressure for system vendors to deliver low cost high functionality equipment in time is enormous. We responded to this need with MiniSIS, a powerful optical subsystem that offers a wide range of functions in a surprisingly small package. Through OEM relationship, we help our customers - system makers, to reduce their cost of developing, installing, and maintaining optical equipment."

At next week's National Fiber Optics Engineers Conference in Dallas, Texas, Dowslake Microsystems will showcase its MiniSIS subsystem, along with other smart module products. Dowslake's booth number is 3316.

About Dowslake Microsystems

Dowslake Microsystems develops, markets and sells smart subsystems designed to address the needs for functionality, cost-of-ownership, and time-to-market. We create subsystem solutions based on POP(TM) (Programmable Optical Processors) that combine digital signal processing technology with advanced optical components. With our embedded firmware and open system interface, we provide customers with next-generation fiber optic technology in a system-ready platform. Current products include SmartOPM, SmartDGE, SmartVOA, SmartAMPLET, XPOP and MiniSIS. More information on Dowslake Microsystems is available at www.dowslakemicro.com.

SmartOPM, SmartDGE, SmartVOA, SmartAMPLET, XPOP, POP, SSMP, MiniSIS and "Smart Subsystems for Intelligent Networks" are trademarks of Dowslake Microsystems.