3Com Achieves Significant Performance Increases in Server Networking
Business Wire - November 29, 1999 09:17
SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 29, 1999--
New Gigabit EtherLink Server Network Interface
Card Offers 30% Higher Performance Than the Competition to Meet
Growing Server Networking Requirements
3Com Corporation (Nasdaq: COMS) today announced that its new Gigabit EtherLink(R) server network interface card (NIC), the 3C985B-SX with DynamicAccess(R) server technology for fiber-based networks, outperforms competitive products by an average of 30 percent in the server networking market, while achieving a 44 percent performance increase over its earlier product version. This latest version of the server NIC, using a version 1.3 software upgrade, is the newest addition to 3Com's broad standards-based family of high performance server NICs for the Gigabit Ethernet environment.
Based on an independent benchmark test by LANQuest Labs, 3Com's Gigabit EtherLink server NIC outperformed the competition in both bi-directional traffic flow and downstream traffic flow tests in typical networks. According to the results of the LANQuest test (September 1999), 3Com's Gigabit EtherLink server NIC significantly outperformed the competition by up to 63.86 percent when measured by the peak throughput in a direct throughput performance comparison, and by an average of 30 percent in a downstream test in three different operating systems. Greater performance results translate to faster server response and higher productivity for end-users.
The bi-directional test revealed that 3Com's NIC performed 21.54 percent more efficiently in the Windows 2000 environment and an average of 13.21 percent over the competition in all three network operating environments including Windows 2000, Windows NT 4.0 and NetWare 5.
"LANQuest found 3Com's Gigabit EtherLink server NIC outperformed its competition in two separate benchmark tests to determine the peak throughput of each NIC in downstream and bi-directional traffic flow in a switched network," said Miryana Bunic, Lab Engineer for LANQuest Labs. "The benchmarks were performed over multiple network environments and operating systems. Using the latest in performance analysis tools and running the test several times for accuracy, the 3Com(R) server NIC demonstrates quicker throughput against the competition."
New Features Increase Performance, Reliability
3Com's latest Gigabit EtherLink server NIC, using the version 1.3 software release, provides superior performance with its DynamicAccess server technology and feature sets -- offering network mangers an end-to-end solution with higher-performing, more reliable server connections in all PC server networking environments.
Server NIC enhancements include:
-- Support for new servers equipped with 64-bit/66 megahertz (MHz)
PCI slots for higher performance and efficient data transfers via
the PCI interface
-- Resilient server links with multi-speed failover for a lower cost
solution to increase server availability
-- Bi-directional load balancing that works with any Fast Ethernet
or Gigabit Ethernet switch to easily expand server connection
bandwidth and eliminates server congestion in a mixed vendor
switching environment
-- Broad driver support for Windows NT, Netware and Unix for
increased compatibility with the most popular server environments
-- Addition of an SCO Unixware 7 driver
The newest Gigabit Ethernet network interface card perfectly fits the needs of medium- to large enterprises requiring improved server response time through a Gigabit Ethernet backbone and vertical markets using high-bandwidth applications, and is especially suited for publishing, pre-press, imaging and computer-aided design (CAD) due to its large data-transfer capability.
"The performance gains of 3Com's new Gigabit EtherLink Server NIC are another example of the company's continued commitment to providing customers with intelligent, high performance and reliable server networking products," said Tom Werner, vice president and general manager of 3Com's Business Connectivity Group. "3Com continues to be an industry leader by building its server networking products to meet the demands of the exploding growth in PC server computing."
Pricing and Availability
The new software for the Gigabit EtherLink server NIC (model number 3C985B-SX), which includes upgrade drivers and DynamicAccess server features, is currently available on the 3Com Website as a free download at support.3com.com This new software is also compatible with the previous version, the 3C985-SX hardware/NIC. 3Com is also shipping its latest Gigabit EtherLink server NIC with the version 1.3 software upgrade, the 3C985B-SX, to customers today through traditional 3Com channels. The Gigabit EtherLink server NIC has a list price of US$4,450 for a five-pack and US$895 for single units.
About 3Com Corporation
With over 300 million customers worldwide, 3Com Corporation connects more people to information in more ways than any other networking company. 3Com delivers innovative information access products and network system solutions to enterprises, small businesses, carriers and network service providers, PC OEMs and consumers. 3Com. More connected.(TM) For further information, visit 3Com's press site at www.3com.com/pressbox.
3Com, EtherLink and DynamicAccess are registered trademarks, and More connected. is a trademark of 3Com Corporation. All other brands and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.
|
