Event
Summary
San Jose, CA, May 2nd, 2000 - Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO) announced
their entrance into the emerging market of Dense-Wavelength Division Multiplexing
(DWDM). The Cisco Metro 1500 Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) is a scaleable
switch, which will support existing infrastructure platforms such as Gigabit
and ATM. This switch is capable of handling ring topologies with up to
32 wavelengths per fiber and it's a protocol independent solution for
point-to-point network technologies.
The
Cisco Metro 1500 series will allow companies to extend their existing
Enterprise LANs into MANs. This will be accomplished by leveraging the
existing protocols used today in this technology space as high-bandwidth
applications are developed and emerge as standards. We expect that the
user community will embrace this technology because it is more cost effective
compared to lease-line technology.
Market
Impact
Cisco's Metro 1500 Dense-Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) series
will allow large enterprise customers to leverage available dark fiber
(unused fiber) for high-bandwidth applications such as high-speed disaster
recovery and data center consolidation. This product is available today
to provide a logical migration path from LANs into MANs at a relatively
low cost while keeping the same look and feel of a standard Cisco product.
Cisco's
line of Optical networking products has been enhanced with the addition
of the Metro 1500 Enterprise series, a line based on an OEM agreement
with ADVA Optical Networking. Other products included in this line are
Cisco's ONS 15800 Wavemux.
User
Recommendations
Network managers who fit into the realm of a large scale Enterprise LAN
or MAN should evaluate Cisco's entrance into this space. The Cisco Metro
1500 series is a highly reliable and protocol-independent platform that
allows for a point-to-point solution without having the expense and aggravation
of lease line technology. Cisco has also included the feature set and
feel of their enterprise LAN equipment into the product line. The product
is fully integrated into Cisco's suite of network management tools and
supported worldwide by Cisco's service and support group.