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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 20, 1997--U.S. Robotics (NASDAQ:USRX) and Berkeley Software Design, Inc. (BSDI) today announced an enhanced version of the BSDI Internet Server system software for the U.S. Robotics Total Control EdgeServer, designed specifically to address Internet Service Providers' requirements for an all-in-one ISP Access Platform. As a result of the marketing alliance between BSDI and U.S. Robotics, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) can now deploy BSDI's ISP-market-leading Internet server software on U.S. Robotics' EdgeServer. Combined with the breakthrough Total Control remote access platform, an ISP can provide customers with top Internet performance while conserving bandwidth and system resources on an exceptionally cost-effective Internet backbone. U.S. Robotics' EdgeServer is a self-contained server integrated into the company's Total Control remote access chassis. Combined with BSDI's operating system software, it provides ISPs with a single, compact-footprint Point of Presence (POP) platform for reliable, cost-effective, high-bandwidth Internet access. The BSDI-EdgeServer combination is ideal for operating HTTP and FTP caches, providing E-mail and DNS services, authenticating user access, supporting out-sourced corporate firewalls, running secure virtual private networks, and delivering other essential network services.
ISPs Benefit by Conserving Bandwidth, Increasing Performance to User
Using the EdgeServer running BSDI's system software, much of the traffic on an ISP's backbone can be reduced or eliminated by intelligently caching content at the POP. Additional bandwidth optimization can be achieved by moving commonly used services, such as DNS and E-mail drops, to the POP. By locating these frequently accessed services at the network's edge, ISPs can confidently deliver very reliable and responsive network services. Incorporated into the Total Control remote access server, EdgeServer enables easy installation and less complex connections, and greatly reduces space requirements by eliminating the external server platforms otherwise required to run these applications. "The U.S. Robotics EdgeServer is an elegant solution for delivering network services, because it is so well integrated with our existing rack-mounted components," said Steve Heimlich, Manager of Infrastructure Development at ANS Communications, one of the leading ISPs providing a suite of managed network services to large- and mid-sized businesses. "The BSDI-powered EdgeServer has provided us with a fast, flexible solution and has enabled an easy port of our existing Unix applications. BSDI comes with full source code, which allows us to make minor modifications if necessary. It is a streamlined operating system implementation and therefore performs quite well in this environment. Support from BSDI, when needed, has been excellent." "Because of the flexibility of the EdgeServer and the overwhelming acceptance of the Total Control Enterprise Network Hub, U.S. Robotics continues to be customer-driven and form partnerships with leading ISP application providers such as BSDI to deliver the high-performance platforms that drive the Internet," said Ross Manire, senior vice president and general manager of U.S. Robotics' Network Systems Division. "Leading ISPs, such as ANS, are taking advantage of migrating applications, such as RADIUS authentication to POPs located at the edge of their networks, to deliver higher performance services to their end users. "The Internet-ready EdgeServer offers a critical time-to-market advantage for fast-growing ISPs," said Rob Kolstad, Ph.D., President of BSDI. "Combined with BSDI's system software, the EdgeServer provides everything the ISP needs to deliver exceptionally reliable, high-performance Internet services. This new `ISP in a Box' is exactly what the ISP community has been looking for." The BSDI-EdgeServer platform is designed to support ISP services, such as:
- RADIUS authentication - HTTP and FTP caching proxy - DNS - POP E-mail - IP service protection - E-mail filtering - NNTP caching - VPN services - Corporate firewalls
The integrated BSDI-EdgeServer platform will be available to qualified channel partners beginning in Q2 1997. |