Press Releases

Embedded Linux Provides Scalable, Flexible Platform for Communications Testing Solutions

SUNNYVALE, Calif., and PARIS, Dec. 8, 2003 — MontaVista Software, Inc., the company powering the embedded revolution, and Acterna Corp., the world's largest provider of test solutions for telecommunications and cable network operators , today announced that MontaVista® Linux® Professional Edition (Pro) is the chosen operating systemfor the latest product in Acterna's MTS optical tester line, the recently announced MTS-8000.

The MTS-8000 is designed for field use in both outside plant and central office applications, and is Acterna's most compact and cost-effective solution for optical network testing. With a complete range of testing modules, the MTS-8000 enables full fiber characterization and Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) system upgrades. Several major telecommunications operators worldwide currently use Acterna's MTS products, with more than 10,000 field-proven units deployed.

"The proprietary embedded operating environment used previously no longer met our needs for scalability. We evaluated many different RTOSes and decided on MontaVista Linux because of its robustness and versatility," said Olivier Masselin, R&D manager for Acterna's Fiber Optics unit. "MontaVista Software provided us with excellent support and enabled us to minimize software development time. We also appreciated the fact that MontaVista Linux had been validated to work seamlessly with our chosen hardware platform — the PowerPC 405GPr processor from IBM."

MontaVista Linux Professional Edition is an industry-leading comprehensive embedded operating system and cross development environment and is MontaVista Software's flagship product. Pro provides a common source and binary platform across a broad range of processor architectures. It includes a modern operating system with real-time functionality, and multi-process and multi-threading capabilities, and includes hundreds of bundled software components.

"Telecommunications and cable operators will benefit greatly from the new MTS-8000, especially in terms of increased productivity, and the reduced weight and size of the test equipment itself," said Stéphane Deruelle, sales director, Western Europe, MontaVista Software. "We are glad to help Acterna provide its customers with the tools they need to meet changing network-testing requirements and help them gain greater control of test resources and planning."

MontaVista Software was one of the first embedded software companies to develop a Linux-based platform for the IBM PowerPC family of processors, a focus that MontaVista has strongly maintained.

"The IBM PowerPC 405GPr high-frequency, low power, system-on-a-chip (SoC) processor is perfect for this type of telecommunications application," said Ray Bryant, director of PowerPC products, IBM Microelectronics. "The combination of MontaVista Linux and IBM's PowerPC technology provides Acterna with a cost effective and scalable solution that helps them get their product to market quickly."

Availability
The Acterna MTS-8000 was announced Nov. 21, 2003, and will be available to customers this month.

MontaVista Linux Professional Edition is available as a product subscription through MontaVista Software and its worldwide distribution channels. MontaVista Linux product subscriptions provide developer teams with the MontaVista Linux kernel, deployment components, utilities, development tools, software updates, access to the MontaVista Zone (customer resource portal), comprehensive technical support and hands-on Linux training classes.

About Acterna
Acterna is the world's largest provider of communications test solutions for telecommunications and cable network operators. A trusted communications test partner for more than eight decades, Acterna offers an unmatched portfolio of award-winning instruments, systems, software and services that help its customers reduce network costs while improving performance and reliability. Headquartered in Germantown, Maryland, USA - with European and Asia-Pacific operations based in Eningen, Germany and Hong Kong - Acterna serves nearly every major communications service provider and equipment manufacturer around the world through a skilled sales and support organization in 31 countries. For more information, please http://www.acterna.com.

About MontaVista Software
MontaVista Software is a leading global supplier of systems software for intelligent connected devices and associated infrastructure. MontaVista powers the embedded revolution by providing GNU/Linux-based open-source software solutions. Founded in 1999 by real-time operating system (RTOS) pioneer James Ready, MontaVista offers a family of products under the MontaVista Linux umbrella that address broad-based software developer needs encompassing applications ranging from communications infrastructure to consumer electronics. Multiple editions of MontaVista Linux are available including Professional, Consumer Electronics and Carrier Grade, along with complementary technology products providing powerful Java and graphics development capabilities.

 

Headquartered in the heart of Silicon Valley, in Sunnyvale, Calif., MontaVista Software is a privately held company funded by leading investors such as Alloy Ventures, US Venture Partners, RRE Ventures, WR Hambrecht + Co., IBM, Intel Capital, Sony, Panasonic (Matsushita), Toshiba America and Yamaha Corporation. For more information about MontaVista Software, please visit http://www.mvista.com.

Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds. MontaVista is a registered trademark of MontaVista Software, Inc. All other names mentioned are trademarks, registered trademarks or service marks of their respective owners.

Contacts:

MontaVista Software
Joe Samagond
Director of Marketing and Corporate Communications
MontaVista Software
Phone: (408) 328-9234
E-mail: jsamagond@mvista.com

Patricia Colby
PR Strategy and Business Development
Pacifico, Inc.
Phone: (408) 293 8600 x340
E-mail: pcolby@pacifico.com

Acterna Corp
Nick Rowan
PR Contact
Phone: (240) 404-1924
E-mail: nick.rowan@acterna.com