SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Salira Optical Network Systems, Inc., the first company to provide carrier-class, IP/Ethernet systems for broadband access, today announced the closing of $17 million in Series B funding. Softbank Venture Capital (SBVC) led the round; Series A lead investor Vertex Management and top-notch Pacific Rim venture capital firm WI Harper also participated in the round. The completion of this second round of funding brings the total investment in Salira to $23.9 million. "Softbank's investment in Salira represents a strategic interest in both the company's breakthrough access systems and the deep experience of its management team," said Gary Rieschel, president and executive managing director of SBVC. "Many companies have touted ambitious plans to solve the access bottleneck, but we believe Salira's IP/Ethernet-based systems will overcome the problems inhibiting wide deployment of broadband services." Salira Optical Network Systems Inc.