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NextHop's GateD NGS 2.0 Layer 2 Switching Software Provides Faster Time-to-Market Solutions for Network Equipment Manufacturers

Posted on: Tuesday, 14 December 2004, 09:00 CST

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Dec. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- NextHop Technologies(R) Inc., the definitive source for network software solutions, today announced a new product family, GateD(R) NGS 2.0, a complete set of Layer 2 switching software. Combining this new Layer 2 switching software with GateD NGC (Next Generation Carrier) routing and MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching) software will enable network equipment manufacturers to acquire an integrated Layer 2 and Layer 3 networking solution for their systems -- speeding their time-to-market with new products, and reducing their development and support costs.

GateD NGS is targeted at companies building service-provider/carrier networking equipment, and companies building enterprise LAN (local area network) and WAN (wide area network) equipment. Both of these markets are seeing renewed growth and the need for a new generation of switching and routing equipment with higher capacities and more capabilities. GateD NGS is designed to help these companies get these new products to market faster and at lower cost.

GateD NGS 2.0 contains a series of value-added software capabilities centered around virtual local area networking (VLAN) management and Layer 3 routing/MPLS integration that will enable equipment manufacturers to build the next generation of switching platforms quickly and easily. NGS 2.0 also contains a complete set of standard Layer 2 networking software components.

"GateD NGS is an important product both for NextHop and our customers," said Ed Cluss, president and CEO of NextHop Technologies. "Many of our existing customers have asked us to add this functionality as they're dissatisfied with their current suppliers or solutions. And, in an increasingly competitive market place, fast time-to-market, integrated solutions will enable our customers to get their next generation systems to their customers quickly and cost-effectively."

About GateD NGS

GateD NGS, a complete Layer 2 data switching control plane solution, provides the software intelligence to a LAN or WAN switch to enable it to switch the data packets that enter the system to the appropriate exit port. It is pre-integrated with the Broadcom SDK 5.1 and a variety of Broadcom switch chips. It also has a hardware abstraction layer that supports chips from companies including Marvell, SwitchCore, Intel, SiNett, and Cavium. The software runs on top of either Linux or Wind River's VxWorks operating systems.

The standard Layer 2 networking components in GateD NGS 2.0 include STP (spanning tree protocol, 802.1D), RSTP (rapid spanning tree protocol, 802.1w), MSTP (multiple spanning tree protocol, 802.1s), Port Authentication (802.1x), GARP (generic attribute registration protocol, 802.1p), GVRP (GARP virtual registration LAN registration protocol, 802.1p), GMRP (GARP multicast registration protocol), IGMP (Internet group management protocol) Snooping, VLANs (802.1Q, 802.1v), Priority Signaling (802.1p), Link Aggregation (LACP, 802.3ad), and the corresponding network management capabilities.

From a competitive perspective, the integration of GateD NGS Layer 2 software with the industry-leading GateD NGC Layer 3 software provides powerful advantages to NextHop's customers. The software will be smaller and more compact, using less memory, thus reducing the cost of the Bill of Materials (BOM) for any product using GateD. The software will also be faster and more CPU-efficient, increasing the performance of the systems, matching well with the proliferation of VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) deployments. And, the Layer 2 and Layer 3 management integration will make the systems easier to manage, thus saving on total cost of ownership.

Pricing and Availability

GateD NGS 2.0 is licensed as object code, with source integration libraries, and will ship in Q1 2005. Development fees start under $100k, and distribution licenses are royalty based.

About GateD Software

Over the last 17 years, more than 150 network equipment manufacturers including leading networking companies such as Avici Systems, Check Point Software Technologies, Enterasys Networks, Hitachi, Huawei Technologies, Juniper Networks, Lucent Technologies, Nortel Networks, Riverstone Networks and Thomson have used GateD to provide IP (Internet Protocol) routing functionality in their products. They have chosen GateD because it is the most memory efficient, fastest, scalable, inter-operable, and reliable set of routing and MPLS software available on the market.

About NextHop Technologies

NextHop Technologies(R) Inc. is the definitive source for network software solutions. NextHop's flagship product, GateD(R), the de facto standard, is the most widely used vendor-neutral routing software in the world. NextHop partners with its customers and the industry to empower innovation in networking with safe and reliable products that reduce time to market while minimizing development, testing and support costs. Founded in 2000 and funded by New Enterprise Associates, Labrador Ventures, Parker Price Venture Capital, and Duchossois Technology Partners, NextHop is based in Mountain View, Calif. Visit NextHop on the Web at http://www.nexthop.com/.

NOTE: NextHop Technologies and GateD are registered trademarks and NextHop is a trademark of NextHop Technologies Inc. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

NextHop Technologies Inc.

CONTACT: Wanda Cavanaugh of Windward PR, +1-650-851-0880, or cell,+1-650-533-1055, or wanda@windwardpr.com, for NextHop Technologies Inc.

Web site: http://www.nexthop.com/

Source: PRNewswire

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