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Acterna Adds IP Testing Capability and Fiber Channel Flow Control Support to FST-2802 Gigabit Ethernet Field Tester

Posted on: Monday, 21 June 2004, 06:00 CDT

GERMANTOWN, Md., June 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Acterna, the largest provider of test and management solutions to telecommunications network operators, today announced that the Acterna FST-2802 has added support for testing IP services and fiber channel flow control to the existing FST-2802 features portfolio, enabling users to qualify and provision both Layer 2 and Layer 3 service offerings with one tool. The tester's new capabilities will be showcased by Acterna this week at SuperComm 2004, booth #23538.

Service providers and operators are planning to transition from their current SONET/SDH networks to next generation IP/MPLS converged networks. Despite lean spending environments, network operators are increasing their investments in IP/MPLS and metro Ethernet technologies to enable converged voice, data, and video services that will drive new revenue streams.

Acterna has enhanced the FST-2802 Gigabit Ethernet Module with capabilities that enable network operators to turn up and troubleshoot IP services, focusing on ease-of-use for Tier-1 field technicians who have minimal data testing experience.

"By using the FST-2802 with Ethernet, IP and fiber channel capabilities, technicians are not required to interchange modules in order to test multiple technologies," said Jerry Gentile, general manager for Acterna's telecommunication field services (TFS). "In addition, with one user interface, the additional training per technology is effectively minimized. "Moreover, with this engineering design, Acterna is able to achieve economies of scale and pass on to our customers the cost-savings associated with the FST-2802 by offering competitive pricing and flexible test-mainframe configurations."

In addition to the IP enhancements, Acterna has added support for fiber- channel flow control capability to the existing 1G and 2G Fiber Channel feature set of the FST-2802. Today's surface area networks (SAN)s networks are migrating from transparent DWDM networks to non-transparent, longer- distance networks. Such networks require service providers to test and verify flow control on fiber channel links by performing log-in and buffer-to-buffer credit support for verification of throughput and round-trip delay over these distance-extended SAN links.

By combining Ethernet, IP and fiber channel testing capabilities, the Acterna FST-2802 is the only industry test tool that features rich and broad testing capabilities in one package.

About the Acterna FST-2802

Weighing less than ten pounds, the Acterna FST-2802, introduced in June 2002, is the only handheld, field solution on the market that enables service providers to provision, install and maintain cost-effective testing of various Ethernet and Fiber Channel services, all from one test module. The robust testing capability of the FST-2802 includes end-to-end connectivity, throughput, and quality of service parameters, such as round-trip delay measurements and lost frames. Its easy-to-use graphical interface empowers technicians with limited experience in testing Ethernet or Fiber Channel services to verify performance parameters and ensure conformance to service level agreements. In addition, the graphical remote control feature allows for remote testing using various connectivity options, such as analog modem and/or Ethernet access.

The FST-2802 operates on the TestPad platform, which was launched in January 1999 as the industry's first handheld, battery operated, integrated test set, and is widely used by service providers and equipment manufacturers for provisioning and maintaining voice and data networks. More than 20,000 TestPads are currently deployed around the world.

About Acterna

Acterna is the world's largest provider of communications test solutions for telecommunications and cable network operators. A trusted communications test partner for more than eight decades, Acterna offers an unmatched portfolio of award-winning instruments, systems, software and services that help its customers reduce network costs while improving performance and reliability. Headquartered in Germantown, Maryland, USA -- with European and Asia-Pacific operations based in Eningen, Germany and Hong Kong -- Acterna serves nearly every major communications service provider and equipment manufacturer around the world through a skilled sales and support organization in 31 countries.

Acterna

CONTACT: Nick Rowan of Acterna, +1-240-404-1924, ornick.rowan@acterna.com

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

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