Welcome to another update from Data Connection's
Network Protocols Division.
Today we are announcing a re-branding of the company. Henceforth, Data Connection will
be known as Metaswitch Networks. After 28 years under the Data Connection name, it's time to
raise our profile to match our position as the leading supplier of network protocol technology
to communications equipment vendors. You'll be hearing a lot more about us in the future!
We have just reported our results for the 2008/2009 financial year, and our revenues have
continued their year-on-year increase, despite one of the toughest recessions on record.
You'll find more detail on these announcements below, together with an update on new product
features, and an invitation to meet us at SUPERCOMM in a few weeks time.
Re-branding Data Connection as Metaswitch Networks
Data Connection's Network Protocols Division (NPD) continues
to go from strength to strength. With a steady stream of new products and enhancements, and an
ever-expanding customer list that includes the top 10 communications equipment vendors worldwide,
the NPD is well positioned to continue as a major contributor to the company's overall growth.
In parallel, our Carrier Systems Division, which launched the Metaswitch brand name in 2000,
has grown rapidly and is widely recognized as the market leader in next generation switching and
advanced IP applications, with hundreds of service provider customers worldwide.
Given the growth of Metaswitch, and the visibility and reach that goes with it, we have decided
to consolidate the company brand as Metaswitch Networks - thereby eliminating confusion in the
marketplace with the "Data Connection" and "DCL" brands. Our long-standing
network protocol business becomes the Network Protocols Division of Metaswitch Networks. This change
takes effect today - October 7. Please check out our new logo and new website at
www.metaswitch.com.
Joe McGarvey, Principal Analyst at industry research firm Current Analysis said, "Bringing the
company's two divisions together under a single corporate brand is a logical move... It is the combination
of the carrier systems and network protocols businesses that makes for a successful, resilient company,
and demonstrates technology leadership on multiple levels within the industry. By presenting a single
corporate image to the market, Metaswitch stands to gain from increased awareness among vendors and
carriers alike."
As the quote implies, the thinking behind this re-branding is to create an opportunity for us to
increase visibility for all parts of our business, including our network protocols division. It does
not change our fundamentals or day to day operations. We still operate as a separate division within
the corporate structure, enabling us to stay 100% focused on our OEM customers. We remain committed to
investing in R&D to maintain our position as the world's best network protocol software supplier.
And we are still guided by our fundamental belief in quality engineering, reliability, exceptional
support and innovation, and protecting our customers' confidentiality.
So when you do business with us, such as working with our support engineers or strategizing with our
sales team, everything remains the same. Please join us in our excitement in elevating our profile in
the marketplace.
If you have any questions please contact your local NPD sales representative or email us at
.
New Product Developments
The development teams have been busy over the last year with product enhancements, third party test
events, and keeping up with the latest industry standards. As a result, we have made several releases
since the last update, where some of the highlight features are as follows.
IP Routing and MPLS
- New multicast routing products implementing IGMP and MLD.
- BFD (Bidirectional Forwarding Detection) integration in DC-ISIS, DC-RIP and DC-LDP.
- DC-OSPF support for distributed Neighbor Manager (providing increased scalability as needed in the most challenging carrier networks) and OSPFv3 Graceful Restart.
- DC-BGP performance and occupancy improvements, and support for Four-octet AS Number Space.
- DC-PIM support for IPv6 and Bootstrap Router (BSR) mechanism.
- DC-CSPF support for optimized routing to avoid overloaded IS-IS nodes.
- DC-MPLS support for Static point-to-multipoint (P2MP) LSPs, Ethernet LSPs, Fault Tolerant End-to- end recovery, End-to-end protection resharing on reversion, Point of Failure Reporting, OIF node ID separation, draft-ietf-pwe3-pw-mib-14, End-to-end recovery inter-domain signalling, additional flexibility for provisioning FRR backup tunnels, and LDP MD5 Authentication.
- DC-RTM support for Loose Next Hops.
Session Border Control (SBC) and Voice-over-IP (VoIP)
- DC-SBC support for SIP PBX integration, H.248 over SCTP, SIP IPv4-IPv6 interworking, ENUM server integration, and the IMS Ia v2 interface.
- DC-SBC support for SIP Redundant peer addresses, Multi-SBC Media Bypass, OPTIONS Ping Enhancements, CANCEL and BYE Header Passthrough, Fast Register Monitoring, SIP Call Transfer Agent, H.323 Video Support, H.450 Service Transparency, NetMeeting Interoperability, ENUM and Supplementary Routing Services, and Media information in PacketCable billing.
- DC-SIP improved multi-core performance, Signaling Compression (SIGCOMP), Outbound (draft- ietf-sip-outbound-20), Connected Identity (RFC 4916), RFC 4320, Enhanced Loop Detection, IP ToS marking and IPSec support.
- DC-Diameter support for Base Accounting, Credit Control Application (DCCA), and the IMS Rf, Ro, e2, Rx and Ty reference points.
Third Party Test Events
The development teams have also been involved in a range of third-party interoperability and
testing activities. For example we
- supported a number of customers using our MPLS and optical control plane network protocol software within their products participating in the OIF 2009 Worldwide Interoperability Demonstration.
- successfully completed a further round of multi- vendor interoperability testing at the University of New Hampshire InterOperability Laboratory (UNH-IOL) for all of our unicast and multicast IP Routing products - covering the OSPF, ISIS, RIP, BGP, PIM and IGMP protocols.
- attended the SIPit 22 interoperability event, and supported our DC-SIP customers at other SIPit events.
Looking ahead
We are continuing to invest in new product features, with releases planned later in 2009 and in 2010. If you are interested in finding out more, or if you have an interest in influencing our roadmap, please contact your local NPD sales representative.
Commercial Update
Financials
Today the company reported its annual results for
the 2008/2009 financial year ending August 31. Given the difficult economic environment, Metaswitch
is extremely excited to report overall revenue growth of 4.2% from £59.3 million to £61.8 million
(US$113.7 million), with operating margins remaining in excess of 20%. This marks the 28th year of
revenue growth and profitability for the company.
With a balanced mix of business across its MPLS, Routing, VoIP and Session Border Controller
product lines, the NPD maintained its leadership position as the protocol development partner of
choice with telecommunication equipment vendors worldwide.
Additions to our Executive Staff & Board of Directors
In August 2009 Metaswitch appointed Stephen Halstead to the position of
Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Halstead brings 19 years of operational and financial experience,
the last 10 of which he has spent in telecommunications in both public and privately-held companies.
Most recently, as co-founder of Heart Telecom Ltd, he established one of the UK's most innovative
B2B service providers. There he built on his prior experience as director of operations and finance
at Toucan Telecom where he played a key role in the company's acquisition by Pipex. Previously Stephen
was the CFO of Host Europe Plc, an AIM-listed internet hosting company, which became the UK's leading
SME web hosting provider.
In April 2009 Metaswitch announced the appointment of Kevin DeNuccio
to its Board of Directors. Mr. DeNuccio brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in service provider
operations and support to the company. Currently, Mr. DeNuccio is Vice Chairman of Redback Networks,
an Ericsson Company, and he also serves as a director on the board of JDS Uniphase Corp. Formerly,
he was President and CEO of Redback for eight years, and oversaw that company's successful transformation
and ultimate acquisition by Ericsson.
Recent NPD Customer Announcements
We continue to win new customers, and extend existing strategic customer relationships - to the point
where our customer list includes the top 10 communications equipment vendors worldwide. Notable customer
announcements recently include
- Extreme Networks using our VPLS solution on its BlackDiamond 10808 and 12800 Carrier Ethernet Switches.
- Force10 Networks integrating our IPv6-enabled OSPFv3 protocol software within FTOS, Force10's operating system that runs their entire switch/router product line.
- Connection oriented Ethernet player Gridpoint Systems using our Configuration Safe Store product (DC-CSS) to increase system availability.
- Palo Alto Networks choosing our IP Routing network protocols for their Next-Generation Firewall Platforms.
SUPERCOMM 2009 and House of Blues
If you are going to SUPERCOMM 2009
in Chicago (October 21-23) please do come by and visit us at our new Metaswitch booth (#1514) where both
the carrier systems and network protocol divisions will be present. We have meeting rooms available if
you would like to spend time with key executives.
John Lazar, our CEO, is also presenting on "Business Voice and Beyond" in the conference session
- on Wednesday, October 21, 2:15pm - 3:00pm.
Last, but not least, we are hosting a party at
House of Blues on the Wednesday evening
with free drinks and food, followed by a band starting at 10:00pm (details below). We would love it if you
could be there. Just let us know by email and we'll make sure your name is on the guest list - or just come
by the booth at the show, and mention this invitation, to pick up a ticket.
Wednesday, October 21, 6:30pm - 10:00pm
House of Blues
329 North Dearborn
Chicago, IL