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.Low price/port makes desktop mobility affordable for workgroups...
Lucent Technologies' Agile Networks subsidiary today introduced a high-performance Ethernet switch that extends Agile's unique automated networking capabilities to the private Ethernet market. Designed for large workgroups or departments within an enterprise, the VLX300 offers high-density Ethernet and Fast Ethernet connections with Agile's cost-saving software features at a very attractive price/port. It also offers uplinks to a choice of either Fast Ethernet or ATM backbones for connecting workgroups or departments. The VLX300 is the newest member of Agile's intelligent switching line, which is specifically designed to make networks more responsive to business needs. For example, the line supports automated setup of virtual local area networks (VLANs), automatically connecting users to the correct resources based on network layer protocols such as IP, IPX and others. One of the many advantages of this capability is that it gives users greater mobility by enabling them to change offices or connect laptops to the network in conference rooms without intervention from network administrators, thereby saving costly network engineering time and effort. "With a price point beginning at $380 per port, Lucent is providing network managers a very affordable and feature-rich VLAN switch that delivers dedicated Ethernet bandwidth to users," said Bill Seifert, president, Agile Networks. "The VLX300 is a significant proof point for Lucent's goal in advanced data networking: to bring network managers low cost of ownership with best-in-class network performance."
VLX300 Optimizes Ethernet Performance The VLX300 is a six-slot Ethernet switch with 10BASE-T support for as many as 72 servers and workstations. For high-performance servers and backbone connections, it handles up to 20 100BASE-T ports or one 155Mbps ATM OC-3 connection. The switch is optimized for Ethernet connections, delivering wire speed performance for 64-byte packets via high-speed frame switching and a separate frame-based bus on every card. The VLX300 leverages customers' investments in existing technology by interconnecting with existing router-based backbones or third-party switch-based backbones without modification. Agile's ATMman(TM) Virtual LAN Policy Manager software enables network managers to apply network-wide policies, such as restricting access to certain VLANs. Agile has partnered with one of Europe's "power house" multimedia vendors. "As a major supplier of data and multimedia networking products worldwide, we are committed to offering customers solutions that help solve business problems," said Olivier Givergues, marketing director of Thomson CSF Enterprise Networks in Paris. "We chose to private label the VLX300 as part of our complete ThomFlex ATM portfolio because it includes the ideal combination of automated VLAN features, configuration flexibility, and low price/port to help us deliver on that commitment." The VLX300 joins Agile's ATMizer(TM) products to fill in Lucent's campus LAN portfolio, which includes other Lucent products such as the DEFINITY(R) Enterprise Communications Server (ECS) and the MultiMedia Communications eXchange (MMCX) as well as hubs and routers from Bay Networks(R) and remote-access devices from Ascend(TM) Communications and Hypercom(R). Offered with an optional redundant power supply, the VLX300 will be generally available in June. Entry-level pricing starts at $14,000 for a configuration with 24 10BASE-T ports. The ATM uplink will be available at the end of the year. For more information, customers can call (888) 286-9526 or visit the Agile or Lucent web site
s at www.agile.com or www.lucent.com Agile is part of Lucent's Business Communications Systems unit, which provides communications systems and services to businesses worldwide and U.S. government customers. The unit will incorporate Agile products and expertise into Lucent's portfolio to help meet customers' data and multimedia premises network needs. Lucent Technologies designs, builds and delivers a wide range of public and private networks, communications systems and software, consumer and business telephone systems and microelectronics components. Bell Laboratories is the research and development arm for the company.
CONTACT: Linda Pugliano
Public Relations Manager
Business Communications Systems
Lucent Technologies
603/595-1362
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Linda Pugliano
603/595-1362 (home office)
908/953-7526 (office)
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Stephen Loudermilk
908/953-7514 (office)
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