LAS VEGAS, NV—November 8, 2010—Calix, Inc. (NYSE: CALX) today announced the launch
of the E7-20 multi-terabit
Ethernet Service Access Platform (ESAP), expanding its Unified Access portfolio with a high
capacity, low latency, all-fiber access concentrator designed for "an all-video
world." Architected to meet the needs of the next generation Internet where
high bandwidth Internet protocol (IP) video streams proliferate and are
delivered over fiber access infrastructure, the E7-20 is a two terabit per
second (Tbps) access concentrator with the ability to deliver hundreds, even
thousands, of megabits per second (Mbps) of high-bandwidth, video-rich content
to every residential or business subscriber. Initially supporting gigabit
passive optical networking (GPON), Active Ethernet (AE), and point-to-point
gigabit Ethernet (GE) services on the subscriber side and multiple 10 gigabit
Ethernet (10GE) transport services on the network side, the E7-20 has the
capacity to deliver 100 gigabits per second (Gbps) to each of its 20 universal
line card slots. This enables the platform to support emerging technologies
such as 10 gigabit passive optical networking (10G PON), 10 Gbps Ethernet
(10GE) aggregation, and 100 Gbps Ethernet (100GE) uplinks. A powerful
complement to the Calix Unified Access portfolio and a partner platform to the
widely deployed E7-2
modular ESAP, the E7-20 is optimized for bringing "Fiber Forward" in the
access network, giving communications service providers pursuing a future
network vision of all-IP services over "glass" the peace of mind that they now
have an access deployment option capable of supporting their bandwidth needs
for the next generation.
"The E7-20 is a great
example of a new generation of fiber access delivery vehicles," says Matt Davis, Consumer and SMB Broadband director
at IDC. "The bandwidth requirements of the access network are
accelerating exponentially as video proliferates. Service Providers will
ultimately be required to move beyond existing copper or hybrid infrastructure
to fiber-based platforms in order to deliver the advanced services of tomorrow."
The E7-20 is the second member of
the E7 family to be introduced, and is focused exclusively on Ethernet-based fiber
access services deployed in high density and high capacity environments.
Designed for the operational challenges of an all-fiber world as well, the
E7-20 was architected to elegantly address the demanding physical management
challenges of high volumes of fiber terminations in the central office that can
accompany AE deployments. For less dense or remote locations, the E7-2 modular
chassis can be deployed, focused on the same fiber access services and
retaining the same non-blocking 100 Gbps per slot architecture, but allowing a
pay-as-you-grow deployment option. For service providers with copper in their
networks or still evolving their networks from a multiprotocol TDM, ATM, and
SONET-based infrastructures to Ethernet, the Calix C7
provides an ideal option as North America's most widely deployed multiservice,
multiprotocol platform.
Slated to trial in access networks
in the first part of 2011 and widely available by mid-year, each E7-20 will
serve up to 480 dedicated AE subscribers or 5,120 GPON subscribers – with
sufficient headroom to accommodate more than 20,000 subscribers through the
introduction of higher density and higher capacity line cards in the future.
With centralized switching controllers, the E7-20 was designed to deliver fully
redundant, carrier grade performance, with full support for standards-based
Ethernet ring protection switching (ERPS) and rapid spanning tree protocol (RSTP),
as well as 10GE uplinks and link aggregation. Initially, the platform will come
to market with three line cards supporting and array of fiber access services:
- SCP-10GE
–
A switch control processor, this card has four GE SFP ports and two 10GE ports
that support both SFP+ and XFP, as well as a 100 Gbps switching capacity
- GE-24x
–
Focused on AE and point-to-point Ethernet services, this card provides 12
compact SFP ports, supporting 24 GE ports
- GPON-4x
–
Focused on GPON, this cards has four GPON ports, which in turn can support up
to 256 subscribers with a 64:1 split
Building on the EXA Powered
software kernel shared by the widely deployed E7-2 and the Calix C7, the E7-20
supports a wide variety of industry-standard protocols and features including:
- Ring
support utilizing ITV G.8032 ERPS and IEEE 802.1w RSTP
- 10GE
/ NxGE / GE uplinks with RSTP and IEEE 802.3ad link aggregation
- Layer
2 switching / forwarding for simplicity, and Layer 3 awareness for scalability
and security
- IEEE
802.1Q VLANS, 802.1ad VLAN stacking (Q-in-Q), and 802.1p priority
- Integrated
IGMP v2 snooping and proxy for IPTV
- Full
Calix Management System (CMS) support for visibility and management across the
Calix Unified Access portfolio
"We fundamentally believe that the access network of the future
will be dominated by bandwidth intensive, unicast video traffic, and that the
ideal medium for carrying this traffic is fiber," said Kevin Pope, senior vice
president of product development at Calix. "A new generation of access
platforms is necessary to address the realities of this future head-on, and
that is the inspiration behind the development of the E7 Ethernet Service
Access Platforms. We believe that the E7-20 is the first access platform developed
and optimized purely for this new 'all-video' and 'all-fiber' world – a world
dominated by GPON and Active Ethernet today, but which we believe will require even
more advanced and higher capacity technologies tomorrow. Communications service
providers who will survive in this new world will make access investment
decisions today that will position them to reap the rewards from their networks
for the next decade or more, and we believe that in the E7, we have provided
these decision-makers with a clear answer."
The E7-20 was introduced today at the 2010 Calix User Group
Conference, and will be on display at TelcoTV 2010 from November 10-11 at Calix Booth 325 at the Venetian Hotel in
Las Vegas, Nevada.
About Calix
Calix is a leading provider in North America of broadband communications access
systems and software for copper- and fiber- based network architectures that
enable communications service providers to connect to their residential and
business subscribers. Calix has shipped over seven million ports of its
Unified Access Infrastructure portfolio to more than 600 North American and
international customers, whose networks serve over 40 million subscriber lines
in total.
This press release may contain
forward-looking statements that are based upon management's current
expectations and are inherently uncertain. Forward-looking statements are based
upon information available to us as of the date of this release and we assume
no obligation to revise or update any such forward-looking statement to reflect
any event or circumstance after the date of this release, except as required by
law. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from
current expectations, based on risks and uncertainties affecting the Company's
business. The reader is cautioned not to unduly rely on the forward-looking
statements contained in this press release. Additional information on potential
factors that could affect Calix's results and other risks and uncertainties are
detailed in its report on Form 10-Q for the
fiscal quarter ended September 25, 2010, filed with the SEC on October 22, 2010,
available at http://www.sec.gov.
Press Contact:
Catherine Koo
415-992-4400
calix@lewispr.com
