ONI Systems Introduces New Multi-Service Gateway Platform, Interconnecting Metro and Long-Haul Networks

Platform's Multi-Service Capabilities will Include ESCON, Gigabit Ethernet, Fibre Channel, and SONET/SDH


SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct. 29, 2001 (PRIMEZONE) -- ONI Systems Corp. (Nasdaq:ONIS), a leading provider of optical telecommunications systems for metropolitan and regional markets, today introduced the new ONLINE(tm) GP (Gateway Platform), a multi-service platform for aggregating and grooming data and TDM traffic into OC-48/STM-16 or OC-192/STM-64 payloads. The new product will eliminate the need for standalone data and SONET/SDH multiplexing equipment used to interconnect diverse networks or sub-networks, including metro and long-haul applications.

The ONLINE GP gateway platform is a compact, low-cost solution that will efficiently utilize available capacity by aggregating multiple lower speed services - OC-3/12/48, ESCON, Fibre Channel, FICON and Gigabit Ethernet - into one or multiple higher-rate channels. As one example, the ONLINE GP will enable the aggregation of up to 12 ESCON services, 16 OC-3s, 2 Gigabit Ethernet and 2 Fibre Channel services into an OC-192 payload. SDH equivalent line rates will also be supported in the product for international network and gateway applications.

"The ONLINE GP introduces a multi service platform for gateway applications that can replace many of the multi-vendor, multi-box combinations in use today," said Rusty Cumpston, executive vice president and chief operating officer of ONI Systems. "The versatile, compact, scalable ONLINE GP will provide carriers a single platform for aggregation and interconnection of multiple services and networks. And since the flexible architecture will support multiple services, including ESCON, Fibre Channel, Gigabit Ethernet and SONET/SDH, the ONLINE GP will increase service capacity and drive down operating costs. It's truly a breakthrough networking product for gateway applications."

The ONLINE GP will offer customers a low-cost yet extremely robust entry point for inter-connecting networks to single or multiple long-haul network routes. Single or multiple shelf configurations will be supported depending on the customer's traffic and capacity requirements. Each compact 10RU chassis supports from 2.5 to 200 Gigabit per second (Gbps) of multi-service traffic; as many as sixteen shelves can be configured as a single node, providing over 3 terabits per second (Tbps) of traffic throughput for high capacity multi-service gateway applications.

The new platform is targeted for two significant applications in today's networks:


 -- In a metro and long-haul environment, the ONLINE GP aggregates and
    grooms multiple metro services, connecting the traffic to multiple
    long-haul links.
 
 -- In a carrier hotel environment, the ONLINE GP performs local
    switching or "hair-pinning" where traffic is switched between
    carrier customers.

The ONLINE GP gateway platform is available for trials today and will be generally available in Q1 of 2002. For sales inquiries, please call 408-965-2742 or e-mail sales@oni.com.

About ONI Systems

ONI Systems (Nasdaq:ONIS) develops, markets and sells optical networking equipment specifically designed to address bandwidth and service limitations of regional and metropolitan networks. Our products allow communication service providers to rapidly build high-capacity metro networks that are flexible, scalable and able to support multiple services on a single platform. Our products include the ONLINE11000, ONLINE9000, ONLINE7000, and ONLINE2500 transport platforms; the ONWAVE(tm) OC-48 SONET/SDH Add/Drop Multiplexer and the ONWAVE Data Multiplexer; and OC-192/STM-64 (10 gigabits per second) interface. The ONLINE(tm) transport platforms are complemented by our OPTX(tm) Software Suite for end-to-end wavelength and service management capabilities. The OPTX Software Suite includes the OPTX Network Manager, OPTX Network Designer, OPTX Management Portal, OPTX Network Operating System (NOS) and more, as well as the OLMP(tm) optical link management protocol suite for standards-based internetworking. ONI's new headquarters is located at 5965 Silver Creek Valley Road, San Jose, CA 95138. For additional information about ONI and its products, visit the company Web site at www.oni.com.

ONI Systems, ONI, the ONI logo, ONLINE, OPTX, OLMP and ONWAVE are trademarks or registered trademarks of ONI Systems Corp. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and is subject to the safe harbor created by this section. Except for historical information, the matters discussed in this press release are forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, our limited operating history which makes forecasting our future revenue and operating results difficult, our ability to develop and to achieve market acceptance of new products, our dependence on a small number of customers, our ability to add additional customers, our dependence on sole or limited source suppliers for several key components, and current economic and market conditions. These and other risks and uncertainties are described from time-to-time in ONI Systems' filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including ONI Systems' quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2001, ONI Systems' annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2000 and other documents on file with the SEC.


            

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