Press Releases

PARIS, France, March 27, 2002 - MontaVista Software Inc., the company powering the embedded revolution, is pleased to announce that Cirpack is currently providing telecom operators with robust voice infrastructure solutions developed using MontaVista™ High Availability (HA) Framework. The Cirpack solutions deliver field-proven carrier-class features meeting high availability requirements.

Cirpack develops next generation voice switching equipment for telecom service providers’ infrastructure. The Cirpack solutions manage Class-4 and Class-5 telephony services over any type of local loop and core network simultaneously, using IP, ATM and TDM protocols. They are based on an Intel CompactPCI shelf, hosting Cirpack’s copper and fiber interface boards. All interfaces and processor modules are hot-swappable, and the systems can be equipped with full redundancy to achieve state-of-the-art reliability.

"Cirpack has extensive experience in Linux® as our engineers have participated to the initial development of Linux for PCI hardware back in 1994," explains Frederic Potter, Cirpack’s CTO & Senior VP. "The MontaVista HA Framework has enabled us to quickly meet the reliability and robustness requirements our customers have come to expect from carrier-class infrastructure equipment."

MontaVista High Availability Framework enables developers to enhance the reliability of their applications by supporting redundant system slot processors to work in active/stand-by pairs (2N) with rapid fail-over from the active to the stand-by CPU. It also supports the in-place swapping out of failed peripheral slot processors by technicians in response to hardware faults.

"The combined efforts of Intel, MontaVista Software and Cirpack have turned Linux and CompactPCI hardware into the solution of choice for carrier-class telephony infrastructure equipment," explains Jeff Hewlett, Intel’s CompactPCI Product Marketing Manager.

"The move to Linux is happening," said Cees Boshuizen, MontaVista vice president of sales in Europe. "Cirpack’s next generation infrastructure solutions powered by MontaVista platforms have proven to be real alternatives to legacy voice switching equipment, enabling telecom service providers to quickly deliver innovative and profitable services at a very low cost."

About MontaVista HA Framework

MontaVista’s HA Framework includes key software components needed to support fault-resilient systems, including code that facilitates RSS fail-over, and ready-to-use hot swap "aware" device drivers and templates for standard peripheral slot CPUs.

About MontaVista Software Inc.

MontaVista Software Inc. powers the embedded revolution by providing open-source systems software solutions for embedded developers. Founded in 1999 by real-time operating system (RTOS) pioneer James Ready, MontaVista's principal products include MontaVista™ Linux®, a Linux-based embedded source and binary distribution, cross development platform and a set of tool kits for x86/IA-32, PowerPC, StrongARM, MIPS, SH, ARM, XScale and other microprocessor architectures. MontaVista offers developers a family of products and services for embedded design and development targeted for applications ranging from communications infrastructure to consumer devices. MontaVista Software also provides several technology add-on products addressing specific customer needs such as the Java development environment, High Availability technology, powerful graphics toolkits and more.

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, Panasonic and Sony Corporation. For more information about MontaVista Software, please visit http://www.mvista.com, email to info@mvista.com or call (408) 328-9200.

About CIRPACK

CIRPACK develops next generation Local Exchange and Transit switches for telecom operators’ converged voice infrastructure (PSTN). Being based on open platforms running standard technologies, our equipment are fast and easy to deploy and allow savings of 50% in CAPEX (investments) and 70% in OPEX (operations) for accelerated ROI.

CIRPACK deployed the world largest SoftSwitch-based TDM/Packet PSTN, as early as 1998. This network is made of more than 30 Class-5 SoftSwitches and 150 Media/Signaling Gateways and supports 100% of this operator’s voice revenues.

CIRPACK’s platform provides simultaneous support for TDM, ATM and IP voice traffics and protocols. It is a carrier-class, highly scalable, non-disruptive telephony platform supporting any migration path from legacy proprietary TDM switches to the open packet-telephony model (NGN). CIRPACK’s solution helps preserve existing investments when moving to Next Generation Networks technologies or when introducing high-margin value-added services.

CIRPACK is working with industry leaders to provide global solutions. These partners include Amper, Cisco, Compta, Fujitsu Telecom, Marconi, Netbricks, Polycom, Telindus, RAD and more. CIRPACK’s customers include Kaptech (LDCOM Group), Tiscali, Free Telecom and Altitude Telecom among others.

CIRPACK is a European company headquartered near Paris. For more information, please visit www.cirpack.com or contact info@cirpack.com.

Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds. MontaVista is a trademark of MontaVista Software, Inc. Java is a trademark and JavaOne is a service mark of Sun Microsystems, Inc. All other names mentioned are trademarks, registered trademarks or service marks of their respective companies.

ISSUED ON BEHALF OF:

MontaVista Software
ZA du Buisson de la Couldre
341 Avenue des Bouleaux
78190 Trappes
France
Tel: 01 30 16 28 08
Fax: 01 30 16 28 29
E-mail: dvidal@mvista.com
Contacts: Dorine Vidal

And

CIRPACK
Tel: +33 (0)1 41 44 37 82
E-mail : fmaisl@cirpack.com
Contact: Fabien MAISL

MORE INFORMATION FROM:

ReachOut – Marketing Communications
42 rue des Harias
78124 Mareil-sur-Mauldre
France
Tel: 01 34 75 84 83
Fax: 01 34 75 08 39
E-mail: Stephen@reachout.fr
Stephen Porter