Force10 Networks(R), the pioneer in building and securing high
performance networks, today announced that Mzima Networks has deployed
the TeraScale E-Series(R) family of switch/routers to anchor its
worldwide high performance 10 Gigabit Ethernet backbone. The high
density and resiliency of the Force10 TeraScale E300 enables Mzima to
peer with more than 350 networks in the U.S. and Europe and provides
the long-term scalability to cost effectively add capacity as demand
for 10 Gigabit Ethernet services continues to increase.
"After working with MPLS, we determined that it was both
inefficient and far too expensive to keep up with traffic that is
roughly doubling every six to eight months," said Grant Kirkwood, CTO
at Mzima Networks. "For our customers, performance and reliability is
paramount, and with the Force10 TeraScale E-Series as the cornerstone
of our Ethernet network, we know we have the flexibility to meet and
exceed their expectations."
Leveraging the robust BGP implementation of the Force10 TeraScale
E-Series, Mzima has built a fully routed transcontinental network
anchored by points of presence in 10 cities with roll outs planned in
three additional cities. With the eight-port 10 Gigabit Ethernet line
cards, the TeraScale E300 delivers the high density Mzima needs to
provide its customers with the 10 Gigabit Ethernet services they are
demanding as well as to seamlessly expand the network as traffic
continues to double.
The rapidly growing demand for bandwidth coupled with static costs
of owning and operating a network are squeezing service provider
profits. For most of these service providers, more than 80 percent of
the traffic on the network is best effort that requires no special
handling and does not command a premium price. To drive down
networking costs and improve the scalability of their networks, many
service providers are now looking to Ethernet technology as a more
cost-effective alternative.
"Carriers like Mzima are under significant bandwidth pricing
pressure and are increasingly looking to Ethernet as a more
cost-effective and scalable alternative to SONET, particularly as the
rapidly growing demand for bandwidth forces them to add capacity to
their networks," said Mark Cooper, senior vice president of worldwide
sales at Force10 Networks. "The TeraScale E-Series is unique in that
it combines SONET-like resiliency, high 10 Gig density and robust
routing in a single platform that allows Mzima to build a highly
scalable Ethernet-based network to better serve the high bandwidth
needs of its customers."
Over the last several years, Ethernet has continued to improve
upon its reliability and resiliency, bringing it into line with
SONET/SDH. At the same time, Ethernet densities have increased at a
faster rate than those of SONET/SDH, making Ethernet both a more
cost-effective and more scalable technology that can deliver the same
level of service. To ensure SONET/SDH-like resiliency, the Force10
TeraScale E-Series distributes switching, routing and management
functionalities between three distinct processors, protecting against
unplanned network downtime.
The rapid growth of best effort traffic on service provider
networks is being driven, in large part, by the emergence of Web 2.0
companies that allow users to fully interact with the Internet by
uploading content to the sites. Increasingly, these companies are
building out both 10 Gigabit Ethernet networks internally and
acquiring 10 Gigabit Ethernet wide area network services.
For additional information on the deployment, please visit the
website at www.force10networks.com/applications/service-provider.asp.
About Mzima Networks
Mzima Networks, founded in 2002, is the premier high-performance
network service provider. Mzima delivers Internet connectivity via its
proprietary distributed metro NAP architecture and wide-area backbone
network, and specializes in high-bandwidth applications by leveraging
native 10 gigabit Ethernet technologies. By building metropolitan DWDM
fiber networks connected to multiple Tier-1 backbone providers, and by
having extensive private peering with numerous ISPs and content
providers, Mzima Networks offers its customers the fastest, most
reliable connectivity currently available. For more information please
visit: www.mzima.net.
About Force10 Networks
Force10 Networks is the pioneer in building and securing high
performance networks. Based on a revolutionary system architecture
that delivers best-in-class resiliency and massive scalability,
Force10's TeraScale E-Series switch/routers ensure predictable
application performance, increase network availability, and reduce
operating costs. Today, many of the world's largest Gigabit Ethernet
and 10 Gigabit Ethernet networks depend on Force10 Networks. For
additional information, please visit www.force10networks.com.
Force10 Networks and E-Series are registered trademarks, and
P-Series, S-Series, TeraScale and FTOS are trademarks of Force10
Networks, Inc. All other company names are trademarks of their
respective holders.
