Breaking News - Networking:

Progress Telecom Moves Forward With Etherjack Technology

Progress Telecom, LLC has purchased Etherjack technology from Covaro Networks to expand the availability of its Voice Grade Ethernet services. Progress Telecom will use the Covaro platform to extend its 10G native Ethernet backbone to every point of presence (POP) on the network using existing SONET facilities. Etherjack technology, part of the Covaro Connection family of products, extends the reach to new carrier facilities and enterprise locations using copper, SONET, fiber and EoDS3 transport methods while providing a consistent managed services approach.

"With Covaro's Etherjack technology, we are able to provide intelligent Ethernet services with remote monitoring, provisioning and management that support our commitment to our customers' success," said Greg Tenant, vice president of marketing at Progress Telecom. "The Covaro Connection technology will help us turn our legacy SONET networks into an Etherjack-enabled Ethernet services network that will provide new enhancements for our customers and for ourselves."

"Using technology from the Covaro Connection family of products, Progress Telecom will be able to offer carrier-grade SLAs to wholesale and retail Ethernet customers," stated Covaro vice president of marketing Fred Ellefson. "This capability will make Progress Telecom's Voice Grade Ethernet service very attractive to existing and potential customers."

Covaro will help Progress Telecom extend its Ethernet services reach. With the Etherjack technology in place, Progress Telecom will be able to provision, fault locate and manage Ethernet services remotely in a manner more commonly found in traditional frame relay or private line data offerings.

For advanced services, Etherjack technology includes a service user network interface (UNI) that is based on Metro Ethernet Forum (MEF) guidelines. To handle operations, administration, maintenance and provisioning (OAM&P), Etherjack(R) technology features a network interface device (NID) based on Ethernet-in-the-first-mile (EFM) parameters. The combination of the UNI and the NID enables functionality such as performance monitoring, remote loopback, integrated test pattern generation, real-time cable testing, simplified provisioning, remote upgrades and other traditional OAM&P functions.