TORONTO -- Nortel Networks* has unveiled a new set of diagnostic tools that will enable enterprise customers to quickly find the source of network troubles, stop potential problems before they arise, and fine-tune networking infrastructure. Integrated on Nortel Networks Passport* 8600 Routing Switch, Passport Advanced Diagnostic Tools are designed to minimize network issue resolution, maximize uptime, and provide granular analysis to help identify potential bottlenecks. This is the first time such capabilities have been included on an Ethernet hardware routing platform. A comprehensive set of network diagnostic tools enables businesses to eliminate external devices like network probes to monitor network health; chart areas of network growth for future planning; and analyze data traffic patterns and volume on the switch. This eliminates complexity and enables networking issues to be handled before they become problems to help minimize capital and operational expenses. Passport Advanced Diagnostic Tools include two components that work in concert to give network administrators greater control over discrete infrastructure elements. Packet Capture Tool enables network administrators to monitor traffic flows to or from any selected port on Passport 8600 for instant statistical analysis. Similar in function to a sniffer, Packet Capture Tool also allows port traffic monitoring on-line. Ping Snoop enables businesses to monitor specific links to ensure they do not degrade, and to take corrective action if they do. Ping Snoop captures and shows Internet Control Measure Protocol requests and replies traversing a specific link, enabling customers to troubleshoot traffic flows across multi-port trunk groups like Multi-Link Trunk and Split Multi-Link Trunk Groups. In a separate release:Nortel Networks* has enabled broader deployment of bandwidth for shared infrastructure with the latest release of Nortel Networks OPTera* Metro 5000 Multiservice Platform. Release 5.0 adds new service interfaces and features, enabling service providers to drive increased revenues, lower the cost of bandwidth, and further ‘operationalize’ the optical layer with improvements to network planning and management tools. Release 5.0 technology advancements position service providers to deploy new services like business continuity, disaster recovery, video, and content networking on a wide scale basis. With Release 5.0, service providers can offer enterprises beyond the Fortune 200 access to affordable broadband services. “By cost-effectively offering more bandwidth with additional services options, we are enabling a larger percentage of enterprises and service providers to deploy and deliver mission-critical applications that were once financially attainable only by larger corporations,” said Brian McFadden, president, Optical Networks, Nortel Networks. Key features of Release 5.0 include ring-to-ring interconnect between OPTera Metro 5200 rings, which increases the scale and geographic flexibility of the optical network while positioning service providers to drive savings of up to 40 percent in capital expenditures over traditional architectures. Nortel Networks has also doubled the wavelength density of OPTera Metro 5100 and 5200 through introduction of a 2.5Gbps agile transponder card, which combines key functionality into one circuit pack, reducing power consumption by up to 43 percent and positioning service providers to drive up to 27 percent savings in equipment costs. Nortel Networks Corp.