Chiaro Networks, a start-up based in Richardson, Texas, introduced its network core, multi-chassis, IP routing platform. Chiaro’s design leverages a gallium arsenide (GaAs) optical switch fabric for scalability from 10 slots to a multi-chassis with 315 slots. The company claims that the scalability and flexibility provided by its optical backplane, along with network-processor based line-cards, will lead to a 7 to 10 year lifecycle for the platform. Key features of the Chiaro platform include:
- an Optical Phased Array (OPA) switch fabric coupled with a Global Scheduler providing a single-hop optical crossbar architecture,
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a STateful Assured Routing (STAR) mechanism that preserves the state of routing protocol sessions thereby maintaining peering and forwarding through software upgrades, system capacity expansions, and control plane failures. Chiaro claims 99.999% availability
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protection of every system element to ensure no single point of failure
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“smart” line cards with programmable network processors
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Interfaces from OC-3 to OC-192 with software selection for SONET or SDH, and 1 and 10 Gigabit Ethernet
BTexact has validated Chiaro’s routing protocols with support for unicast (BGP, ISIS, OSPF), multicast (PIM-SM/DM, MBGP, MSDP) and MPLS (RSVP-TE, LDP). IP Networks (IPN), a facilities-based CLEC serving the San Francisco Bay region, will deploy the Chiaro platform at the Ames Internet Exchange, which serves as a major node on its network. IPN currently provides the Ames Internet Exchange with multi-Gigabit connectivity to other peering exchanges and operates five off-site expansion exchanges currently hosted at NASA Ames Research Center.
http://www.chiaro.com
- In January 2003, Fujitsu Microelectronics America completed a set of seven ASICs that will form the basis for Chiaro Networks’ new routing platform. The new ASICs range from more than 300,000 gates to 8.8 million gates and incorporate very high-speed interfaces from 622 Mbps to 2.5 Gbps. One typical device delivers 28 channels of 1.25 Gbps clock/data recovery.
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In November 2002, Chiaro Networks and the California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology (Cal-(IT)2) announced a partnership to develop an optical networking Grid to support data-intensive scientific research and collaboration, especially in earth and biomedical sciences. The OptIPuter will leverage Grid middleware and multiple wavelengths of light to provide a better means of accessing and processing large, remote databases. Chiaro Networks is supplying its Enstara optical routing platform for the project. Chiaro said its platform employs several innovative technologies such as nanosecond optical packet switching, centralized switch fabric scheduling, and the use of programmable network processors.
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Chiaro has secured $210 million to date from backers such as Intel Capital, Siemens Ventures, Sevin Rosen Funds, and STAR Ventures.
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Chiaro is headed by Ken Lewis, who previously served as Alcatel’s senior vice-president of strategic planning and senior vice-president of the Transmission Products division. Chiaro was founded by Dr. Eyal Shekel, who formerly served as a project manager in the Space and Imaging division of EL-OP Electro-optical Industries in Israel.