SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Redback Networks Inc. (NASDAQ: RBAK), a leading provider of next-generation broadband networking equipment, today announced BGP/MPLS VPN support for the SmartEdge™ 800 Router, based on RFC 2547bis. This VPN implementation further increases the scalability, reliability and performance of the SmartEdge 800 Router for service providers to deliver more advanced VPN solutions at substantially lower capital and operational price points than what is available in the market today. The MPLS VPN capability of the SmartEdge 800 platform is currently under evaluation by several customers globally.The SmartEdge 800 Router has been tested to support over 2000 MPLS VPNs with more than 750,000 routes distributed across the VPNs, which is over twice the capacity of existing edge routing platforms. Redback’s virtual router based implementation allows CPE router functionality to be absorbed into the provider network by enabling service providers to deploy innovative new network architectures to support VPN solutions. This unique virtual router capability combined with the SmartEdge Router’s interface diversity and scalability drives down carrier operational expenses, capital expenditures and simultaneously creates new revenue opportunities.“Carriers are adding MPLS VPNs to their IP services portfolio as the demand for VPN and secure transport continues to evolve," said Kevin Mitchell, Directing Analyst at Infonetics Research. “In our study of Tier 1 US/Canada service providers last year we found that 64% of respondents indicated they will use MPLS to implement VPN services in 2002, up from 36% in 2001. Further, deploying this critical functionality on a carrier-class edge routing platform demonstrates the collapsing of the edge categories as edge routers become more service rich.”Redback Networks Inc.