Juniper Networks, Inc. introduced the MX960 Ethernet Services Router, the first in a series of platforms optimized for emerging Ethernet network architectures and services. The MX960 leverages the JUNOS operating system that enables carriers to deploy Ethernet and accelerate their next-generation network deployments. By combining a best-in-class hardware platform with the reliability and service flexibility of JUNOS, the MX960 delivers a combination of features and capabilities previously unattainable in Carrier Ethernet deployments.

The new MX960 platform is the industry's largest capacity Carrier Ethernet platform with up to 960 gigabits per second (Gbps) of switching and routing capacity—enabling reduced costs and increased revenue per platform with scale to protect customers' investments. Offering efficient support of high-density interfaces and high-capacity switching throughput, the MX960 enables a wide range of business and residential applications and services, including high-speed transport and VPN services and next-generation broadband multiplay aggregation.

"I am pleased to see Juniper Networks extending its key strengths of carrier class performance, reliability and scale into the Carrier Ethernet market," said Mr. Maurizio Binello, chief technical officer, Tiscali International Network. "As a key technology underpinning both network and service reach, it is critical that the Ethernet-centric elements of the network are capable of achieving the same high levels of uptime and performance as the IP/MPLS core. I am confident that with this announcement, Juniper Networks will achieve that goal."

"A major challenge facing providers delivering IPTV and other advanced services is the three-dimensional trade off between density, bandwidth and quality of service," said Lee Doyle, group vice president, Network Infrastructure, IDC. "Juniper's new MX960 Ethernet Services Router is the only platform today that is likely to balance all three of these important customer requirements without compromise. As the Carrier Ethernet market is still in its early stages, the MX960 is well timed to address the reality of what providers need today, while providing the scalability and flexibility to reduce spending in the future as requirements change."

With advanced services and applications such as IPTV, VoIP and VPLS driving a more comprehensive set of sophisticated requirements, Juniper Networks has leveraged its technology leadership, innovation and experience to build a Carrier Ethernet portfolio that specifically addresses customer needs with:

• Performance at scale: New Dense Port Concentrators (DPC) cards, available on the MX960, combine high port density with a distributed architecture and on-board processing, ensuring that performance scales with the addition of interfaces.
• Advanced QoS: The MX960 features superior QoS at the interface level, enabling providers to ensure services receive the appropriate level of quality regardless of traffic conditions. This advanced capability will enable providers to offer a variety of Layer 2 and Layer 3 services—such as VLAN/transparent LAN, L2/L3 VPNs, voice over IP and video over IP—over Ethernet, with the ability to provide guaranteed SLAs.
• Proven service capabilities: As an industry leader in both IP/MPLS and VPLS, Juniper's Carrier Ethernet portfolio leverages the JUNOS operating system that powers over 27,000 Juniper M- and T-series routers currently deployed in hundreds of service provider networks worldwide. JUNOS provides the MX960 with feature richness, stability and service breadth not typically found in Carrier Ethernet platforms.
• Unparalleled operational simplicity, flexibility and reliability: Utilizing the same JUNOS operating system that the world's largest service providers have deployed and relied upon for years, Juniper's Carrier Ethernet portfolio will enable service providers to immediately take advantage of the latest Ethernet technology without the cost and risks associated with introducing a new operating system to the network. Customers' familiarity, knowledge and integration of JUNOS in existing back office systems can drive down capital expenditures, while enabling the rapid rollout of Ethernet access networks and services.

Building upon these customer requirements, the MX960 provides up to twelve 40 Gbps slots in a single chassis and supports Juniper's new DPC cards, allowing customers to take advantage of unprecedented port density—up to 480 Gigabit Ethernet ports or 48 ports of 10 Gigabit Ethernet per system.

The distributed intelligence and packet processing of the MX960 and DPC cards are powered by the I-chip, Juniper's next-generation packet forwarding engine technology. By increasing scalability and packet performance and enhancing Ethernet-centric quality of service features, the MX960 will enable carriers to increase the number of services and customers supported per platform without negatively impacting performance. This increases service flexibility and can also drive down both capital and operational expenses.

"The MX960 is the industry's first Carrier Ethernet platform purpose-built to meet the reliability, quality of service and scaling requirements of service providers as they accelerate migration to Ethernet-oriented networks," said Kim Perdikou, executive vice president, Infrastructure Products Group and general manager, Service Provider Business Team, Juniper Networks. "By infusing Ethernet with the power of JUNOS and our industry-leading MPLS capabilities, we are redefining this market segment with a new routing and switching platform that can address our customers' requirements in a way that no other vendor can match."

The MX960 leverages and builds upon a range of technologies Juniper Networks introduced earlier this year, which enable seamless and cost-effective transitions to Ethernet-oriented networks. In addition to the MX960, recent introductions to Juniper's Ethernet portfolio include:

• Ethernet Services Cards for the M- and T-series, enabling providers to introduce Ethernet non-disruptively by leveraging their existing routing platforms and extending unique, industry-leading granular QoS capabilities to the interface level.
• Juniper's new I-chip technology, first introduced on the M120 Multiservice Edge Router, which delivers new levels of performance, reliability and scalability.
• 10 Gigabit Ethernet and High Density Gigabit Ethernet interface cards for the E320 Broadband Services Router, extending the capabilities of the Ethernet Services Cards to the broadband edge, enabling providers to simplify IPTV and multiplay deployments.

The MX960 is expected to be available for deployment in the first quarter of 2007.

A webcast detailing the MX960 and Juniper's Carrier Ethernet strategy is available at: http://www.juniper.net/company/investor/ce/.