FORE and Microsoft
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FORE Systems' ForeRunner ASX-4000 ATM Switches Deployed by
Microsoft Corporation to Further Enhance Flexibility and Scalability of Network
Backbone
Deployment of New Switches Extends Microsoft's High Performance Networking
Solution
PITTSBURGH, Jan. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- FORE Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: FORE -
news), a leading global supplier of multiservice networking solutions, today
announced that several of its ForeRunner® ASX™-4000 ATM (asynchronous transfer
mode) switches have been deployed at the core of Microsoft Corporation's
(Nasdaq: MSFT - news) enterprise network in Redmond, Washington. With the new
switches in its network, Microsoft has upgraded its existing FORE Systems
infrastructure to provide even more reliability, flexibility and scalability.
''Our corporate network is very demanding and we need the most reliable, high-speed
solution to support our company's mission-critical applications,'' said Arne
Josefsberg, general manager, Information Technology Group, Microsoft Corp. ''Since
implementing FORE ATM technology at our network core in 1997, we've
reaped the benefits of improved network performance and dependability. Microsoft is
committed to ATM for our campus network transport and we look forward
to the business benefits of FORE's ForeRunner ASX-4000.''
Microsoft Upgrades Existing High Performance Network Architecture
Microsoft first turned to a FORE Systems solution for the core of its network in
September 1997. FORE and GTE, one of the largest publicly held
telecommunications companies in the world, were selected by Microsoft to provide the
ATM network backbone and related services as part of the company's
campus-wide enterprise network upgrade. With the recent deployment of the
ASX-4000, Microsoft has upgraded its existing ATM backbone solution that consists
of numerous ForeRunner ASX-1000 and ForeRunner ASX-200BX switches, and
connected them to the ASX-4000s.
''We are excited that Microsoft has chosen to expand on its existing FORE Systems
solution by deploying the ASX-4000 at the core of its mission-critical
network,'' said Thomas J. Gill, president and CEO of FORE Systems. ''Microsoft is yet
another company that has realized the substantial benefits of a high
performance, multiservice network core from FORE Systems. The ASX-4000 will
provide Microsoft with unparalleled speed, flexibility and scalability.''
''Microsoft is an example of another large enterprise that has seen the value of ATM
technology for its network core,'' said David Passmore, founder and research
director for NetReference, Inc. ''Microsoft's selection of FORE's ASX-4000 ATM
switches clearly demonstrates its continued satisfaction with its previously
installed FORE ATM switching products.''
About the ASX-4000
The ASX-4000 is a groundbreaking switch from FORE Systems that utilizes the same
proven ForeThought® software as the company's other award winning
ATM switches. The ASX-4000 offers 10, 20, 30 or 40 Gbps of non-blocking,
full-duplex switching capacity, and it delivers the first OC-48c (2.5 Gbps) ATM
ports in the industry. Providing a scalable, reliable, high-speed foundation for building
networking solutions that last, the ASX-4000 is specifically designed for the
backbone of large enterprise and service provider networks.
About FORE Systems
FORE Systems is a leading global supplier of networking solutions based on an
Intelligent Infrastructure™ designed to handle the networked applications of today
and tomorrow.
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This is very significant for FORE.
The statement from MSFT:
''Our corporate network is very demanding and we need the most reliable, high-speed
solution to support our company's mission-critical applications,'' said Arne
Josefsberg, general manager, Information Technology Group, Microsoft Corp. ''Since
implementing FORE ATM technology at our network core in 1997, we've
reaped the benefits of improved network performance and dependability. "
This will put ASX4000 at the forefront for many large enterprises and SPs. |
