Avici Announces MPLS-TE Interoperability andPerformance Testing.

Business/Technology Editors

NetWorld Interop Atlanta 2000

NORTH BILLERICA, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 26, 2000

Avici TSR(R) MPLS-TE Capabilities Confirmed at GMU Advanced Internet

Lab and Tested in N+I's iLabs Live MPLS Test Bed

Avici Systems

Inc. (Nasdaq: AVCI), a leading provider of scalable core routing solutions for intelligent IP over optical networks, today announced the results of independent Multi-Protocol Label Switching Traffic Engineering (MPLS-TE) interoperability and performance testing of Avici's Terabit Switch Router (TSR(R)) at George Mason University's (GMU) Advanced Internet Lab. MPLS interoperability was demonstrated between the Avici TSR and implementations from other leading suppliers, and verified Avici's MPLS capabilities in the following areas: tunnel establishment, planned reroute, precedence/preemption, route loop detection and constraint-based routing capabilities.

Avici is also demonstrating MPLS interoperability at the NetWorld+Interop Atlanta 2000 iLabs test bed. As part of the N+I demonstration, Avici will showcase MPLS traffic forwarding over a live OC-48c link.

"MPLS traffic engineering will enable carriers to efficiently carry differentiated services across the Internet based on business rules and not the constraints of the network topology," said Chris Nicoll, vice president of infrastructure at analyst firm Current Analysis. "Avici understands the importance of offering best-of-breed technology to its customers. Avici's implementation of MPLS is an important step in allowing customers to realize the promise of advanced services from IP networks."

"Avici is committed to offering our customers the necessary solutions to unlock the power of the IP network and utilize it to carry new revenue-enhancing services," said Pete Chadwick, vice president of product management at Avici Systems. "Avici's participation in test initiatives such as those conducted at GMU and N+I further validate the TSR's capabilities to service providers who want to build a state-of-the-art IP backbone network designed to carry differentiated services."

The following features were demonstrated at GMU:

--Planned reroute, through which the TSR demonstrated true "Make-Before-Break" data plane protection to ensure that no packets are dropped when Label Switching Paths (LSPs) are rerouted; zero packet loss was demonstrated;

--Tunnel establishment, the ability to set up an RSVP tunnel and forward MPLS traffic;

--Precedence/preemption, which allows the highest priority tunnels to be established, a feature that enables service providers to guarantee bandwidth based on customer need;

--Route loop detection, which prevents network operators from inadvertently misconfiguring tunnels; and

--Constraint-based routing, for establishment of tunnels based on traffic hierarchy.

In addition to features demonstrated at GMU, Avici's composite links technology has been tested to enable an MPLS tunnel to be rerouted in as fast as 15 milliseconds to significantly decrease network downtime. Competing products typically require 45 milliseconds to reroute tunnels -- representing up to three times more network down time than the Avici solution. The TSR's composite links technology allows carriers to adapt and adjust bandwidth according to demand.

About George Mason University

The George Mason University lab was established last year to conduct research on high-performance, large-bandwidth Internet core networks. It is supported by funds from the following: initial backer UUNET, a WorldCom company, France Telecom, Avici, Cisco, Ericsson, Juniper, Marconi Communications, Nortel Networks, Spirent Communications (Adtech and Netcom Systems) and Ixia.

About NetWorld+Interop iLabs

The NetWorld+Interop iLabs features the latest solutions put to real engineering challenges in a live, vendor-neutral, open-standards arena. iLabs has been involved in pushing the envelope on emerging technologies such as MPLS, gigabit Ethernet over copper, packet over SONET and improved interoperability and implementation of technologies such as VPN (IPSEC/IKE), VoIP (H.323/SIP), QoS, IPv6 and IP multicast. In addition to being a compelling developmental environment, iLabs provides unbiased and practical education on the true state of these burgeoning and emerging networking technologies to thousands of networking professionals.

About Avici Systems

Avici Systems Inc., headquartered in North Billerica, Mass., is a developer of next-generation Internet backbone platforms that optimize and drive creation of all-optical "speed-of-light" networks. Designed to bring packet intelligence to the core of optical networks, Avici's technologies offer superior scalability, resiliency and port density enabling just-in-time bandwidth provisioning, high reliability and the quality of service needed for carriers and ISPs to support mission-critical applications of the future. Visit Avici's World Wide Website at http://www.avici.com.

TSR is a registered trademark of Avici Systems Inc.

This release contains information about Avici's future expectations, plans, and prospects that constitute forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. When used in this press release, the word "will" and other similar expressions are intended to identify such forward looking statements.

Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, market acceptance of Avici products, services and enhancements, customer purchasing patterns and commitments, development of the market place, product development and enhancement, intensity of competition of other vendors, technological changes and other risks set forth in Avici's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.