SINGAPORE - July 2, 2003 - Cisco Systems® has established a Networked Solutions Integration Test Engineering (NSITE) lab in Singapore. The Asia Pacific NSITE lab is part of a global network of labs committed to helping Cisco's customers test complex IP networking solutions in real world conditions. The other NSITE labs are located in North Carolina and California in the US, and in the UK, Belgium and Italy in Europe.
The Singapore lab occupies 10,000 sq ft in Cisco's Capital Tower office and comprises US$40 million worth of networking equipment. The NSITE lab simulates a carrier-class network environment to enable complete systems testing and large scale customer environment integration of Cisco's voice and dial solutions. The lab is testing solutions for customers such as China Unicom, Japan's NTT and SingTel.
In addition to working with Cisco's customers in the Asia Pacific region and Japan, the NSITE lab will also help develop local technical talent in Singapore and the region through two initiatives. The first is through the Economic Development Board (EDB) of Singapore's Training and Attachment Program (TAP). The second involves an attachment program for staff from institutes of higher learning (IHLs) around the region for periods of up to 18 months.
"Singapore was the logical site for the NSITE lab that will serve the region. The NSITE labs play a very important role in Cisco's ability to support our customers. Cisco's customers can see the solutions actually working in a real world environment before they deploy it," said Ed Carney, Vice President, NSITE Labs, Cisco Systems, Inc.
Mr Ko Kheng Hwa, Managing Director, EDB said, "We are pleased to have a world-class technology company like Cisco Systems substantially increase its commitment to Singapore. Despite today's tough times, Cisco's strategic investment in the advanced NSITE Lab clearly reflects its continued support and confidence in Singapore. It also signifies Cisco adding to its breadth of activities in Singapore, which currently includes headquarter functions and manufacturing operations. Singapore is well-positioned to be a launch base for Cisco's regional expansion plans. Moving forward, we are committed to building up Singapore's capabilities in next generation networking technologies."
Cisco has been an active participant in EDB's Training and Attachment Program (TAP) since January 2000. The Singapore NSITE lab will host a new batch of seven TAP trainees, bringing the total number of trainees under this program to 20 over the past three years. "Cisco is an active partner with EDB in the TAP and our focus in this program is to develop knowledge capital in the local high tech industry. The trainees attached to the NSITE lab will have exposure to some of the most advanced networking technologies in the world and will pick up skills that they can in turn use for the benefit of the country," said Bill Chang, Regional Managing Director, South Asia, Cisco Systems.
"The IT industry may have been affected by economic challenges but it still remains a key pillar of Singapore's economy. By working closely with government agencies such as the EDB and the Infocomm Development Authority; industry bodies such as the Singapore infocomm Technology Federation; the IHLs; local companies and other MNCs, Cisco hopes to bring some of the buzz back into the industry." Chang added.
Under the NSITE-IHL Collaborative Initiative, qualified staff from universities and polytechnics from around the region will work for periods of up to 18 months in the NSITE lab. They can opt for any one of the five available attachment programs: Research, Web Development, Training, Testing and Automation. Under the guidance of Cisco staff in the NSITE lab, the participants will get to work with the latest technologies and even contribute to test and automation methodologies specific to requirements for the Asia Pacific region. The National University of Singapore, Nanyang Polytechnic and Ngee Ann Polytechnic will be the first to participate in the initiative.
The NSITE lab will be focused on advanced technology areas such as IPv6, data, voice and video integration, service provider Voice over IP and next-generation mobile wireless solutions. The lab's infrastructure features a variety of carrier elements, including STP's, Class 5 simulators, PBX's, Call Agents, SCP's, various access equipment (Cable, DSLAM, etc), a high speed IP core, and ATM transport network. A significant investment has been made in the development and acquisition of tools to stress and measure the effects of extreme traffic conditions. The NSITE lab is also fitted with American Power Conversion's revolutionary data centre architecture called InfraStruXureTM which integrates the rack, power, cooling, management, and services into an open, adaptable and integrated solution.
