Celion Taps Enterprise WAN

RICHARDSON, Texas -- Celion Networks, a private company selling enterprise optical networking solutions, today introduces the Celion Single Fiber Enterprise Transport Solution (ETS), the industry's first enterprise-class solution for transporting virtually limitless data over any distance. By using a single dark fiber, the solution cost-effectively enables enterprise-wide information availability for mainstream corporate users. With virtually limitless bandwidth, Celion ETS enables enterprises to deploy new applications and significantly expand business continuity capabilities.

In addition, Celion announces new Fibre Channel and FICON tributary interfaces to complement existing 1 GE, 10GE LAN, OC-192, and OC-48 interfaces. By transporting these interfaces over virtually any distance, Celion addresses the pent-up demand for true Wide Area Networking between multiple data centers throughout a country or continent.

"By using one fiber instead of the traditional two, the Celion single fiber solution will radically reduce the cost of enterprise transport networks, while maintaining ease of use through advanced software control," states Bob Tkach, Celion CTO. "In addition, the new interfaces will allow enterprises to transport Fibre Channel and FICON signals natively over the WAN, as well as the SONET/SDH and Ethernet signals already supported."

"There is a real market need to get data transport systems up and running quickly, so that enterprises can accelerate the return on their investment, while expanding their bandwidth resources," said Mike Karp, Senior Analyst with Enterprise Management Associates.

Celion Networks provides a breakthrough alternative to the constraints of leased WAN bandwidth: any-distance optical networking for enterprises. Celion solutions give enterprises full control over virtually unlimited WAN capacity at dramatically reduced bandwidth costs. Celion and its partners provide full customer solutions at every stage, from network design and dark fiber acquisition through hardware installation, network management and long-term maintenance. Enterprises can now eliminate business practices based on bandwidth rationing, because bandwidth is no longer a limited resource.

Pricing and Availability The Celion ETS is currently available for customer shipment with Fibre Channel, FICON, Gigabit Ethernet, 10 Gigabit Ethernet LAN, OC-192/STM-64 and OC-48/STM-16 interfaces. Pricing depends on the range of interfaces required, the number of data centers interconnected, and the distance between data centers. Equipment pricing starts at $100,000.

In a separate release:

Celion Networks, a private company selling enterprise optical networking solutions, announces today that it has secured $11 million in a third round of financing. Participating firms include existing investors - Sequoia Capital, Lehman Brothers, Global Innovation Partners, CIV Ventures, and Mitsui & Co. Venture Partners, Inc. - as well as a new investor - Lakestreet Capital. At the same time, the company introduced the Celion Enterprise Transport Solution (ETS), the industry's first enterprise-class solution that enables companies to cost-effectively transport virtually unlimited amounts of data over any distance (see press release also dated December 8, 2003).

In addition, Celion today announces expanding its sales team with six new members, led by Jeffrey Schwiering, VP of Sales. Jeff joins Celion from Sungard Availability Services where he was VP of Sales for Strategic Accounts. He has spent over 20 years providing business continuity and high availability solutions to Fortune 1000 companies in the United States.

"We are very excited to have this new investment and sales team," said Pawan Jaggi, Founder and CEO, Celion Networks. "Information availability is critical to enterprises today, and Celion will use these resources to provide high bandwidth solutions for Business Continuance, Disaster Recovery, and Data Transfer applications."

Celion Networks provides a breakthrough alternative to the constraints of leased Wide Area Network (WAN) bandwidth: any-distance optical networking for enterprises. Celion solutions give enterprises full control over virtually unlimited WAN capacity at dramatically reduced bandwidth costs. Celion and its partners provide full customer solutions at every stage, from network design and dark fiber acquisition through hardware installation, network management and long-term maintenance. Enterprises can now eliminate business practices based on bandwidth rationing, because bandwidth is no longer a limited resource.

Celion Networks Inc.