MRV Communications Introduces Industry's First 144 Port SFP Physical Layer CROSS-CONNECT for Emerging 4GFC SAN

Phoenix, AZ – Storage Networking World – April 7, 2004 – MRV Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq: MRVC), today introduced the industry’s first 144 port SFP Media Cross-Connect (NC316-144PMC-4) to support the emerging 4Gbps Fibre Channel (GFC) data rate. The cross-connect will enable storage labs to extend their automated testing capabilities to include the 4GFC data rate.

The programmable digital cross-connect permits any port to any port connectivity using flexible SFP interfaces and delivering per port bandwidth from DC to 4.25 Gbps with an impressive overall system bandwidth that exceeds 1 Terabit per second. Supporting the emerging 4 Gig Fibre Channel protocol in a cross-connect system is an industry first. With the flexibility of an SFP platform, the cross-connect supports multimode and singlemode fiber and both Coarse Wave Division Multiplexing (CWDM) and Dense WDM. The cross-connect transparently supports any combination of communication protocols, including SONET (OC-3 to OC-48), Ethernet (10/100/1000), Fibre Channel (1/2/4), iSCSI and even proprietary protocols.

The compact and modular design of the 144 port media cross-connect platform requires only 4.5U of rack space. It can be configured with up to four hot swappable blades of 36 SFP interfaces each, providing unprecedented scalability to match network growth. It comes bundled with advanced management software, scripting capabilities and is fully managed by MegaVision, MRV's premier network management system (NMS). Both the SFP transceivers used in the cross-connect and its interface blades are hot swappable for quick and easy in-field service and upgrades.

Complimenting MRV's extensive family of physical layer cross-connect switches, which includes 32, 34, and 72 port systems, the cross-connect raises the bar even further for what a programmable digital cross-connect can do. Just a few of the possible applications for the versatile SFP Media Cross-Connect include: testing and interoperability labs, enterprise networks that combine LAN and SAN with wire once capabilities, digital video distribution and WDM solutions.

"The 144 port SFP Media Cross-Connect provides a timely solution for storage labs as well as enterprise networks implementing 4 Gig Fibre Channel,” stated Noam Lotan, president and CEO of MRV Communications. “There is no doubt that the cross-connect provides a logical and essential migration path to advanced network solutions like 4GFC."

About MRV Communications, Inc. MRV provides network infrastructure equipment and services, and optical components. The Company conducts its business along three principal segments: the networking group, the optical components group and development stage enterprises. MRV’s networking group provides equipment used by commercial customers, governments and telecommunications service providers, and include switches, routers, network physical infrastructure equipment and remote device management equipment as well as specialized networking products for defense and aerospace applications. MRV’s optical components group designs, manufactures and sells optical communications components, primarily through its wholly owned subsidiary LuminentOIC, Inc. These components include components for Fiber-to-the-Home, or FTTH, applications, fiber optic transceivers, and CWDM applications. The Company markets and sells its products worldwide, through a variety of channels, which include a dedicated direct sales force, manufacturers' representatives, value-added-resellers, distributors and systems integrators. MRV has operations in Europe that provide network system design, integration and distribution services that include products manufactured by third-party vendors, as well as MRV products. Such specialization enhances access to customers and allows the Company to penetrate targeted vertical and regional markets.

About Computer Bus Tools, located in Newbury Park, specializes in the sales of sophisticated bus analysis and associated technologies for a variety of markets and network topographies including Fibre Channel, Gigabit Ethernet, 1394a/b, sFPDP and other protocols for the storage, military and commercial markets. Computer Bus Tools can be reached at (805) 376-6048, or on the Web at www.bustools.com Computer Bus Tools, the Computer Bus Tools logo are trademarks of Computer Bus Tools. All other brands, names, or trademarks mentioned in this document or Web site are the property of their respective owners.

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