Finisar Demonstrates Multiple Products in Fibre Channel Over Ethernet (FCoE) Plugfest

Industry Leader Provides High-Performance Optics Solutions and Network Test Tools Enabling FCoE Technology


SUNNYVALE, CA--(Marketwire - September 16, 2008) - Finisar Corporation (NASDAQ: FNSR), a global technology leader in fiber optic communication and test and measurement solutions for high-speed networks, today announced its participation in the Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) Plugfest hosted by the Fibre Channel Industry Association (FCIA). Finisar is providing a lead testing role by demonstrating its 10G SFP+ short reach transceiver, Xgig® protocol analyzer, Laserwire™ active optical cable, and Medusa Labs Test Tool Suite in a live FCoE environment. The FCoE Plugfest is being held on September 15-18 at the University of New Hampshire Interoperability Laboratory (UNH-IOL).

This event is the first industry interoperability test of FCoE technology. FCoE intends to provide IT professionals with a simple migration path from their existing SAN infrastructure onto a converged Ethernet based network, combining both Fibre Channel and Ethernet fabrics. This technology will provide greater efficiencies by reducing cables and hardware equipment and simplifying datacenter management, while maintaining their investment in native Fibre Channel and Ethernet products and training.

As the market share leader in SAN protocol analysis, Finisar enables its Network Tools customers to reduce critical design time and costs without sacrificing product reliability and quality. During the Plugfest, Finisar will demonstrate test and analysis tools including:

--  Xgig®, a powerful unified multifunction platform used for design,
    test, verification and compliance of the FCoE protocol; and
--  Medusa Labs Test Tool Suite, a series of benchmark speed, data
    integrity and application based stress test tools that allow test and
    interoperability engineers to better develop and validate quality products
    in real SAN environments in a shorter time frame, for faster time to
    market.
    

Finisar also provided optics for connecting the FCoE network. The optics, which will enable high-port density and low power FCoE solutions, include:

--  10G SFP+ short reach (SR) transceivers that will play a key role in
    transporting 10GBASE-SR Ethernet traffic (the underlying foundation of
    FCoE) between switches and adapters; and
--  Laserwire™, the first serial 10 Gbps active optical cable product
    designed to accelerate and support 10G Ethernet server and FCoE
    connectivity.  Laserwire is a plug-and-play datacenter cable solution that
    provides lightweight, flexible, low-power consumption connectivity from 3
    to 30 meters. It does not require host-board receiver equalization compared
    to alternative solutions.
    

"Finisar is very excited to participate in the first industry wide Plugfest devoted to making FCoE a reality," said Paul Hansen, vice president of Network Tools marketing at Finisar Corporation. "Our breadth of products and solutions for FCoE truly demonstrate our commitment to forging innovative technologies in the datacenter and beyond."

Fibre Channel over Ethernet - Unifying Data and Storage Networks

FCoE, the standard for transporting Fibre Channel frames over Ethernet, is designed to make converged networks possible for data centers. With converged networks now on the way to becoming a reality, servers will no longer require separate interfaces for data and storage networking. IT professionals can increase functionality while reducing cost and complexity by using a single set of cables and switches.

About Finisar

Finisar Corporation (NASDAQ: FNSR) is a global technology leader for fiber optic subsystems and network test systems that enable high-speed voice, video and data communications for networking, storage, wireless, and cable TV applications. For more than 20 years, Finisar has provided critical optics technologies to system manufacturers to meet the increasing demands for network bandwidth and storage. Finisar is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, USA with R&D, manufacturing sites, and sales offices worldwide. For additional information, visit www.finisar.com.

Contact Information: MEDIA CONTACT: Victoria McDonald Finisar Corporation (408) 542-4261 victoria.mcdonald@finisar.com