TIA Member Spotlight:
 Sycamore Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCMR) is a leading provider of intelligent bandwidth management solutions for fixed line and mobile network operators worldwide. From multiservice access networks to the optical core, Sycamore products enable network operators to lower overall network costs, increase operational efficiencies, and rapidly deploy new revenue-generating services. Sycamore's global customer base includes fixed line and mobile service providers, government agencies, and utility companies.
 CEO Daniel Smith is an industry veteran with a proven track record of driving companies large and small to revenue growth and market leadership. Under Mr. Smith's leadership, Sycamore has grown from a start-up to a global corporation servicing some of the world's largest telecommunications providers. Mr. Smith's abilities as a corporate leader and manager have earned him many awards. Forbes Magazine named Mr. Smith one of "High Tech's 30 Most Powerful CEOs" and BusinessWeek labeled him one of "The Top Entrepreneurs." Mr. Smith has delivered many keynote addresses, and is a frequently invited speaker at industry and leadership events.
Previously, Mr. Smith was president and CEO of Cascade Communications Corp. Mr. Smith led Cascade as the company grew to become a worldwide leader in the frame relay and ATM markets for service providers, with sales approaching $500 million and 900 employees. Cascade was acquired by Ascend Communications for $3.7 billion in June 1997. During Mr. Smith's tenure at Ascend he held the position of executive vice president and general manager of the Core Switching Division, and was responsible for the core data switching and routing, and broadband access product divisions. Mr. Smith holds a B.S. in Engineering from Lehigh University in Pennsylvania and an MBA from the Harvard Graduate School of Business in Massachusetts.
Mr. Smith spoke with TIA Network about Sycamore Networks.
 Please give us an overview of Sycamore’s Optical Switching and Network Access products.
Sycamore intelligent bandwidth management products form the reliable infrastructure foundation for some of the world's most respected network operators. Our comprehensive solutions empower flexible and resilient connections that enhance multiservice applications across the network, from access and regional backhaul to core switching sites.
Sycamore optical switches, multiservice cross-connects, access platforms, and access gateways dramatically reduce network costs and operational complexity. Service providers deploy our products to optimize service bandwidth and streamline network operations, while improving profitability and increasing revenue possibilities.
Our optical switching solutions enable bandwidth optimization with industry-leading capacity, scalability, and modularity, and best-in-class protection and restoration, for optimal performance, enhanced resiliency, and new service capabilities in any network topology. Closer to the network edge, our network access products serve as critical transmission infrastructure elements – performing bandwidth grooming, access concentration, circuit provisioning, and element/network management functions in a broad range of applications.
Tell us how Sycamore solutions play a key role in supporting network resiliency and survivability.
With unmatched scalability and the industry's most advanced, feature-rich networking intelligence, Sycamore optical switching platforms are proven in many of the world's most innovative and respected networks – including Vodafone, KT, NTT Communications, Telkom South Africa, Sprint, and U.S. government and defense networks – where a major focus is on network resiliency and survivability.
At the optical layer, Sycamore solutions provide advanced service protection and restoration mechanisms to ensure robust survivability in the event of disruption from unexpected facility failures, human error, deliberate acts, or natural disaster. We utilize intelligent dynamic routing and signaling protocols in our optical switches to deliver self-healing optical mesh architectures that create the foundation for broadband infrastructure that is both resilient and highly scalable. In doing so, we also leverage and support the standards work that is well developed within the ITU-T, IETF, and OIF organizations in areas such as UNI and NNI network interface definitions, and ASON/GMPLS control plane protocols.
With a Sycamore-powered intelligent optical mesh architecture, network operators can choose from a variety of protection options, some of which can mimic traditional ring-based schemes, while also offering other flexible alternatives. In addition, Sycamore optical switches can simultaneously support traditional ring protection methods alongside the more sophisticated and bandwidth-efficient mesh restoration options.
Our products also enhance resiliency and survivability at the network edge through capabilities such as link and path protection, and topology-aware network management solutions that enable intelligent, automated failover and recovery mechanisms.
Tell us the value you gain from your TIA membership.
Sycamore has been a TIA member for many years, during which we have consistently leveraged TIA-driven industry events, such as NXTcomm, for building the company’s visibility and reputation within our various target audiences. In addition to marketing exposure, our TIA membership gives us more efficient access to partnering opportunities, allowing us to make connections with other important elements of our solution value chain. We have also gained value through the various market research offerings available to TIA members.
< Back to Top > |
