Mushroom Networks introduced a Virtual Leased Line (VLL) solution that utilizes its “Broadband Bonding” technology and the Internet to create high-speed dedicated point-to-point connections for enterprise networks.
Mushroom Networks’ VLL is based on the company’s flagship Truffle Broadband Bonding product line, which combines multiple broadband Internet connections of any type including DSL, cable, T1, fiber into a single virtual high-speed link. Utilizing VLL, a Truffle unit placed at the enterprise headquarters can be paired with another placed offsite creating a virtual dedicated point-to-point bonded link for any IP traffic including VPNs, file transfers, network storage, and IP based voice and video communications.
The company noted that because high bandwidth speeds can be achieved bi-directionally, its VLL solves the uplink bottleneck commonly associated with other dedicated services for connecting to the branch office or data center at a fraction of the cost. Mushroom’s Ethernet-based devices install between the broadband modems and the local network at the user site without requiring any configuration changes to the existing network or coordination with the ISPs. This enables the enterprise to bond broadband lines from multiple providers or ISPs.
Mushroom Networks’ broadband bonding product lines including support for 25,000 simultaneous IP connections and a built-in VoIP quality manager to improve voice quality by minimizing latency for both inbound and outbound voice traffic. Mushroom’s lines also incorporate an internal router and stateful firewall capability that can be enabled by the user as needed along with support for standard Internet services such as port-forwarding, port binding, WAN interface binding, static IP, dynamic IP, PPPoE, DHCP, DMZ, UPnP, and Dynamic DNS.http://www.mushroomnetworks.com
- Mushroom Networks was founded in 2004 as a spin-off from the University of California at San Diego (UCSD).
- Mushroom Networks is headed by Dr. H. Cahit Akin (CEO and co-founder), who previously was a venture partner and then principal at ITU Ventures for 7 years, the venture capital arm of Brownstein Schnel Holdings.
- In May, Mushroom Networks introduced its “Porcini” broadband bonding network appliance for combining the bandwidth of up to four broadband Internet connections of any type including DSL, cable, T1 into a single virtual high-speed link. The Ethernet-based Porcini device, which targets small and medium-sized businesses, also features an additional USB port that enables a fifth cellular data modem connection to be added to the overall mix.
Mushroom Networks’ Porcini installs between the broadband modems and the local network at the user site without requiring any configuration changes to the existing network or coordination with the ISPs. This gives users the ability to mix and match various services from multiple providers delivering built-in network redundancy. If one or more of the bonded links fails or is degraded, Porcini transparently spreads the traffic across the remaining links in real-time without any interruptions resulting in maximal network uptime.
Additionally, Porcini features a built-in VoIP quality manager that can improve voice quality by minimizing latency for voice traffic both in outbound and inbound directions. Porcini also includes an internal router and stateful firewall capability that can be enabled by the user as needed. Other Internet services such as port-forwarding, port binding, WAN interface binding, static IP, dynamic IP, PPPoE, DHCP, DMZ, UPnP, Dynamic DNS and QoS are all supported. Porcini is now shipping with a list price of $1,595.
The Porcini is a slimmed version of the Mushroom Networks’ TRUFFLE broadband bonding network appliance which was introduced earlier this year; The TRUFFLE BBNA combines multiple Internet access lines, each on a 10/100baseT Ethernet interface, into a single aggregated Internet access line for HTTP downlink traffic, again on a 10/100baseT Ethernet interface. The aggregation over the Internet access lines is done even for a single download session, providing the full aggregate speed. Additionally, session based intelligent load-balancing is provided for both downlink and uplink traffic as well as inbound load-balancing. The TRUFFLE BBNA6411 supports aggregation of up to 6 Internet access lines and 1 additional cellular data card. Each Internet access line may be through a DSL modem, cable modem, T1, satellite modem, fractional DS3, DS3, fiber, cellular or any other broadband connection.
Mushroom Networks is also seeking value added resellers, IT sales representatives, and broadband service providers who would like to offer broadband bonding capabilities to their customers.