For Immediate Release
March 9, 2004

Mysticom Semiconductor and Siemon Extend 10 Gigabit Ethernet for Data Center Applications

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., March 9, 2004 – Mysticom Semiconductor, a leading supplier of high speed communication integrated circuits (ICs), and The Siemon Company, a global leader in the network cabling industry, today announced that testing of Siemon’s category 7/class F TERA(TM) cabling system with Mysticom’s MY3124 XAUI Retiming Transceiver has extended the transmission distance of 10 Gigabit Ethernet for data center applications from 15 meters to 25 meters. The MY3124 chip and TERA(TM) cable assembly nearly doubles the distance supported by current Infiniband(TM) twinax copper solutions at approximately half the cost.

The real time interoperability test included two MY3124, 10G XAUI-XAUI Retiming Transceivers operating over category 7/class F TERA(TM) cable assemblies achieving a post code BER of 10-16 for the entire duration of the 72 hour test simulating a network environment. This BER level was obtained using the most stringent IEEE approved 10 Gigabit Ethernet Standard Continuous Jitter Pattern Test (CJPAT).

“The increase in bandwidth and storage have created a need for cost effective multi-gigabit uplinks and interconnects in the enterprise and the data center,” said Wiren Perera, Mysticom’s Vice President of Marketing. “Working with Siemon has allowed us to extend the reach of 10 Gigabit on standards-based twisted-pair copper cables and deliver cost effective solutions to these applications using our existing technology.”

Applications such as server and gateway connectivity in data centers, storage area networks and switch aggregation require 10G links. “Siemon is leading the industry for 10G transmission in data centers as well as applications that extend from the data center to the desktop,” said Robert C. Carlson, Siemon’s Vice President of Global Marketing. “Siemon is actively involved in the 10G IEEE 802.3an Task Force and its category 7/class F TERA(TM) system will support 10G Ethernet over a full 100-meter, 4-connector channel model connecting data centers to enterprise network users.”

About the Mysticom MY3124
The MY3124 is a XAUI-to-XAUI Retiming device that has two identical 10 Gigabit Attachment Unit Interfaces (XAUI). The device has programmable data rates with an operating range from 1Gbps up to 3.1875Gbps. The MY3124 is intended to drive extended distances for point-to-point communications in applications requiring 10 Gigabit over copper and fiber links.

The device is well suited for stackable switch, chassis-to-chassis, and switch-to-server system inter-connections. The device features Mysticom’s unique Signal Quality Index that is used in conjunction with adaptive line-conditioning software to fine tune five signal link parameters for optimal system performance.

About the Siemon TERA™
The Siemon TERA™, category 7/class F cabling system exceeds the requirements specified in the second edition of ISO/IEC 11801, “Information Technology – Generic Cabling for Customer Premises”. The standardized cabling provides higher bandwidth performance and superior noise immunity for storage, switch-to-switch and datacenter applications. The four quadrant fully shielded TERA™ connector and PiMF (pairs in metal foil) fully shielded cable provide superior immunity to electromagnetic interference, alien crosstalk and other sources of noise which may be found in data center environments.

Two category 7/class F PCB mount TERA™ connectors fit within the XPAK and X2 multisource agreement (MSA) packages which allow for simple upgrades of the 10G Ethernet hot pluggable modules. MSAs define performance, interfaces, physical dimensions, and environmental conditions for the modules to enable low cost 10G solutions for extended distances.

About Mysticom Semiconductor
Founded in 1997, Mysticom provides complex DSP and mixed-signal VLSI solutions for use in high-speed communication systems. Mysticom's products range from 10/100 Mbps Ethernet PHY cores to 10Gbps transceiver integrated circuits (ICs) for Ethernet and backplane applications. Mysticom is one of the few companies in the world to have successfully developed high-speed physical layer networking technologies that can be used in local, metropolitan, and wide area networks. Mysticom is headquartered in Netanya, Israel with marketing, sales, design and customer support offices in Mountain View, Calif. Additional information can be found at www.mysticom.com. Sales Office contacts are: United States (West): Phone: +1 (650) 210-8080 and United States (East): Phone: +1 (603) 860-0091

About Siemon
Established in 1903, Siemon is an industry leader specializing in the manufacture and innovation of high quality, high-performance network cabling solutions. Headquartered in Connecticut, USA Siemon has global offices and partners throughout the world. Siemon offers the most comprehensive suite of copper (unshielded and shielded twisted-pair) and fibre cabling systems available. With over 400 active patents specific to structured cabling, Siemon Labs invests heavily in R&D and development of industry standards, underlining the company's long-term commitment to its customers and the industry.

Siemon’s Australian head office is located in Allambie Heights, Sydney, with offices also located in Brisbane and Melbourne.

For more information about this press release, please contact:
Alana Patton
The Siemon Company
Marketing Communications Executive
Tel : (02) 8977 7500

Julie Webb
Mysticom Inc.
650-210-8080

Mysticom is a registered trademark of Mysticom Ltd.
TERA is a trademark of The Siemon Company
All other registered trademarks or trademarks are property of their respective owners.