BLADE Network Technologies Delivers Two New 10G XFP Transceivers For Use With BLADE's 10 Gigabit Ethernet Switches In HP, IBM And NEC Blade Servers

Santa Clara, CA - BLADE Network Technologies Inc. (BLADE), the leading provider of network switching infrastructure to the blade server market, today announced the availability of two new XFP transceivers for BLADE's embedded 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10GE) switch modules for blade servers from BLADE partners HP and IBM.

The BLADE 10GBase-CX4 XFP module supports link spans up to 15 meters for short reach connectivity of blade server enclosures. The CX4 XFP module is the lowest cost transceiver in the XFP pluggable form factor for blade servers equipped with 10 Gigabit Ethernet links. For blade networking applications such as IPTV, Video on Demand (VoD) and Massively Multiplayer Online Gaming (MMOG) that require maximum bandwidth and throughput, the BLADE CX4 XFP module provides the most attractive combination of high performance and low cost for blade server networking in the industry-standard pluggable form factor.

According to CIR, a market research and consulting firm, in its report entitled, "The Market for 10-G and 40-G Modules and Components: 2005-2013," the market for 10 Gbps ports on telecommunications and data communications equipment will grow from $2.1 billion in 2006 to $4.8 billion by 2010. This will represent growth from 221,000 ports to 1.6 million ports shipped over the same period, with blade servers equipped for 10 Gigabit Ethernet fueling this growth and adoption just as earlier Ethernet technologies proceeded into the "mass market" deployment phase.

The BLADE 10Gb Ethernet XFP Optical Transceiver supports link spans up to 300 meters and functions as the interface between the physical layer and the data link layer in high-density datacenter applications, local area networks (LANs), and iSCSI storage area networks (SANs). Key features of both XFP modules include:

• Affordable: Lower cost means smaller capital budgets for 10Gb deployments.
• Reliable: Quality tested specifically for use in BLADE's 10Gb Ethernet switch modules, and backed by a 1 year warranty. Extended warranty coverage also available.
• Up-to-Spec: Compliant with industry standards such as MSA.

"These BLADE 10G Ethernet XFPs are the industry's most affordable and reliable transceiver modules," said Vikram Mehta, President and CEO of BLADE Network Technologies. "These small form factor, hot-pluggable 10G Ethernet transceivers provide excellent performance in port-dense networks."

SOURCE: BLADE Network Technologies