Spirent Communications Fuels OC-768 Demonstration and Verifies the Performance of Pluris' TeraPlex Core IP Routers at SuperComm.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SUPERCOMM 2001

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 5, 2001

Spirent Communications(TM) (Booth No. 752) is demonstrating the traffic-generation and performance-verification capabilities of its award-winning Adtech AX/4000 Broadband Test System with Pluris' (Booth No. 8016) TeraPlex core IP routers at SuperComm 2001.

The demo incorporates four TeraPlex chassis configured as two separate routers, which showcase the industry's first fiber-optic backplane and interconnect. The demo highlights Pluris' fault-tolerant control modules and line-rate throughput while filtering on access control lists (ACLs).

Spirent's Adtech AX/4000s have been selected to fuel the 40 Gbps, virtual OC-768 demonstration and to verify the TeraPlex's line-rate performance. The virtual OC-768 demo is based on IP-Bond(TM), Pluris' port-aggregation technique that allows a service provider to group multiple physical ports into a single logical "fat pipe." One Bond can include up to 1000 members and can combine OC-3 through OC-192 ports or gigabit Ethernet and 10 Gbps Ethernet in the future. A multi-chassis TeraPlex router can support up to 1,000 Bonds.

"Spirent Communications has provided us with an effective tool to emulate heavy traffic loads over our high-capacity, scalable router and to verify its performance," said Keith Higgins, vice president of marketing at Pluris. "Together, Spirent's testing solutions and Pluris' TeraPlex routers will enable service providers to deploy a scalable, reliable foundation for next-generation networks, helping them meet increasing traffic demands more cost-effectively and support new services."

The Adtech AX/4000 is a multi-port system that provides a fast, flexible broadband testing solution for routing network equipment manufacturers, such as Pluris, and service providers. The speed and capacity of the AX/4000 Generator/Analyzer allow very large-scale generation and analysis of traffic streams continuously and at full rate. In addition, the AX/4000 platform provides routing and MPLS protocol support for BGP-4, OSPF, RSVP-TE, LDP, CR-LDP, and IS-IS for complete router testing from 10/100 Ethernet to OC-192c POS.

As part of its Adtech AX/4000 Broadband Test System, the company's 10 Gbps Generator/Analyzer can test data connections that move traffic at 9,960 Mbps. The generator portion of the module features sophisticated real-time traffic-generation models for creating a wide variety of traffic and packet-length distributions. The analyzer portion of the module features sophisticated filtering and auto-identification of incoming packets for detailed performance and traffic analysis.

"Working with Pluris' highly scalable, fault-tolerant architecture has given Spirent Communications the opportunity to demonstrate the potential of the AX/4000 test platform to emulate Internet traffic and to analyze the performance of next-generation, scalable IP core routers," said Alan Sguigna, vice president of marketing for Spirent Communications' Adtech Division. "Both companies are committed to providing service providers with carrier-class reliability at the core of their IP networks and helping them achieve a strategic competitive advantage by being able to deliver quality of service, reliability, and differentiated services associated with next-generation networks."

With Spirent's test solution, the world's leading providers of scalable routing equipment and high-speed networks can now bring true carrier-class reliability, scalability, and performance to the Internet and IP networks. The Adtech OC-192c test solution provides both the bandwidth and testing capability required to transform today's public telecommunications networks into next-generation IP networks incorporating quality of service and performance guarantees.

About Pluris

Pluris develops IP core routers with the scalability, reliability, and performance needed to anchor the next-generation Internet. The TeraPlex routers feature the industry's only optical backplane and interconnect, allowing unparalleled deployment flexibility. Service providers can increase I/O capacity in 10 Gbps increments with OC-12, OC-48, and OC-192 interfaces. For more information, contact the company at 408/863-9920 or visit the Pluris web site at www.pluris.com.

About Spirent Communications

Spirent Communications unites the best in performance analysis technology with network operations expertise. The company's award-winning solutions enable customers to accelerate the development, deployment and assurance of next-generation network equipment and services worldwide.

Spirent Communications designs and manufactures Adtech, DLS, Edgcumbe, GSS, Hekimian, Net-HOPPER, SmartBits, TAS and Zarak products. More than 2,500 of the world's leading network and terminal equipment manufacturers, network service providers, corporate enterprises and test laboratories rely on our first-to-market products to verify and measure the performance and services of networks and communications devices.

Spirent plc is the parent of Spirent Communications. Spirent is quoted on the London Stock Exchange, ticker SPT. The company operates a Level 1 American Depository Receipt program (ticker: SPNUY; CUSIP number: 84856M100). For information, contact Brian Heston, The Bank of New York, American Depository Receipts, 101 Barclay St, 22 West, New York, N.Y. 10286, phone [phone], fax [phone], e-mail: [e-mail], www.adrbny.com. Further information about Spirent plc can be found at www.spirent.com.

Spirent and the Spirent logo are trademarks of Spirent plc. All other trademarks or registered trademarks are held by their respective companies. All rights reserved.