SALIRA ANNOUNCES SECOND MAJOR RELEASE OF SALIRA 2000 PLATFORM

Full VLAN Support

HANNOVER, GERMANY – MARCH 17, 2003 – Salira Optical Network Systems, a leading provider of optical access systems, today announced Release 2.0 of the Salira 2000 Platform, the first intelligent point-to-multipoint access system based on IP/Ethernet to deliver profitable broadband services and applications to businesses. Release 2.0 greatly improves the Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) capabilities of the platform by simplifying service provisioning and maintenance procedures, and by providing full implementation of rapid spanning tree protocol. A Virtual LAN is a software-defined relationship between users that forms a user group. Members of the user group have the appearance of being on the same LAN, irrespective of their physical location.

“The enhancement of the platform’s VLAN capabilities will greatly simplify network management for our carrier customers,” said Herb Martin, Salira’s president and CEO. “The number of tasks required to provision and maintain service is reduced which has a positive impact on operational expenditures.”

The improved VLAN capabilities of Release 2.0 enhance the plug-and-play functionality of the platform’s customer premises-based Optical Network Units (ONUs). Once auto-discovery and auto-ranging have been performed, Release 2.0 reduces the number of discrete IP addresses required to provision services, greatly simplifying provisioning.

About Salira Optical Network Systems, Inc.
Headquartered in Santa Clara, California, Salira builds broadband systems that are used to deliver advanced voice, video and data services to business and residential customers. Salira’s systems give carriers the ability to offer traditional TDM services and advanced IP-based broadband services in one integrated, cost-effective system. Salira Shanghai, Ltd., a subsidiary of Salira, performs manufacturing, R&D and customer support functions, and has responsibility for marketing and sales in the Asia Pacific region.