Fujitsu Scores 'Nothing But NET' With Integrated NETSMART 1500 EMS.

Business Editors & High-Tech Writers

RICHARDSON, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 2, 2002

To Capitalize on Customer Input, Fujitsu Enhances NETSMART 1500 EMS

with Additional OPEX Savings and Dramatically Increases Network

Element Monitoring Capacity

Reinforcing a commitment to help carriers recognize additional OPEX savings, Fujitsu Network Communications, Inc., today announced the availability of its NETSMART(TM) 1500 version 2.1 integrated Element Management System (EMS).

Recent enhancements to the system allow service providers to optimize current and future networks by managing up to 8,000 Fujitsu network elements with a single EMS, and with up to 100 users on the system at any one time. NETSMART 1500 EMS includes a powerful suite of network and element management features, empowering service carriers with an indispensable tool for managing, provisioning and monitoring Fujitsu network elements.

Service providers immediately recognize OPEX savings when using the NETSMART 1500 EMS for software and task management. With Remote Intelligent Parallel Load (RIPL) technology, users can download software to more than one network element, of the same type, simultaneously-significantly decreasing the amount of time required to upgrade network element software releases in their network. Repetitive tasks such as Remote Memory Backup (RMBU), network element audit and TL1 batch files can be scheduled without manual intervention, saving additional OPEX as well as costly human resources.

Wavelength management enhancements have been added to the NETSMART 1500 system's already feature-rich armory. By providing a bidirectional graphical representation of the dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) span between terminal shelves (including ILAs), users can easily identify the source of problems before they become failures. Additionally, in line with recent Gigabit Ethernet upgrades within the FLASHWAVE(R) 4000 optical transport products, "point and click" LAN provisioning capabilities are now added to facilitate the provisioning of optimized Ethernet-over-SONET (EoS) services. Since the provisioning of EoS services is identical to provisioning DS-N or OC-N services, the NETSMART 1500 software helps users easily provision EoS services in minutes-eliminating the need for additional specialized training.

Recognizing the challenge with integrating new operations support system (OSS) technologies, Fujitsu is including an upgrade to the latest CORBA interface (TMF 814 compliant), which means NETSMART 1500 software will continue to meet carrier's current and future OSS implementation needs. The value of Fujitsu SONET and DWDM products is further enhanced by the system's capacity to maintain constant visibility over thousands of network elements and reduce provisioning and maintenance costs. NETSMART 1500 software will continue to serve as the linchpin in the Fujitsu FLASHWAVE portfolio by keeping customers in touch with their networks.

About NETSMART 1500 EMS

The NETSMART 1500 software is a graphical user interface-based, element management system featuring tools for real-time software, configuration, connection (SONET and wavelength), fault and task management. The NETSMART 1500 system's flexible security management allows quick and accurate administration of user privileges, while ensuring robust operations within a secure network operations environment. The client-server architecture of NETSMART 1500 software operates on SUN(R) Microsystems hardware and operating system platforms with additional client support provided via Microsoft(R) Windows(R) NT and Windows(R) 2000 platforms.

About Fujitsu Network Communications, Inc.

Fujitsu Network Communications, Inc. delivers next generation optical transport and photonics solutions optimized for metropolitan, regional, long haul, and ultra long haul, high capacity applications. The company's comprehensive consulting and network services offer support at any network development, deployment and maintenance stage. The company is the leading optical transport equipment vendor in the metro market and has increased its share in the long haul market. Fujitsu Network Communications, Inc. is a division of Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702), a provider of comprehensive IT and networking solutions for the global marketplace. For more news and information please visit http://www.fnc.fujitsu.com.

FLASHWAVE(R) and NETSMART(TM) are trademarks of Fujitsu Network Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.