MAJOR PRODUCT ANNOUNCEMENTS: 3Com Targets Rapidly Growing
Small-to-Medium Enterprise Market With New Affordable Line of
Networking Systems - 10:04 a.m., Eastern
Taps Huge Market with Industry's Broadest Choice of Easy-to-Use
Ethernet Solutions for Price-Sensitive Users; Unmanaged Hubs to
Layer 3 Gigabit Switches
SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 5, 1998-- Complementing its
position as a leader in sophisticated, large enterprise networking
systems and building on its market share leading solutions for
small-to-medium enterprise (SME) networks, 3Com Corporation (NASDAQ:COMS)
announced a new family of SuperStack(r) II products -- plus enhancements
to its current lines -- aimed at the fast-growing $10 billion SME
networking market. With this new line of price/performance leading
systems supported by powerful worldwide distribution channels that
have made it the overall market share leader in Ethernet systems, 3Com
is aggressively targeting the growing market of price-sensitive
customers who demand low-cost, easy-to-implement, high quality
networking solutions. This expanding class of buyers includes companies
with 25 to 500 computer users who are rapidly adopting networks to
share information, tap business through the Internet and deploy new
productivity enhancing multimedia and real-time voice/video business
applications.
Included in today's announcement is the entirely new SuperStack II
Baseline family of switches and hubs offering affordable, plug-and-play
solutions for price-sensitive, entry-level users who do not require
the management capabilities available in higher-end 3Com(r) systems for larger enterprises. The new product family breaks price barriers
with new industry-leading price points up to 20% below competing
solution including 10/100 switching for as low as $99 US list per user.
The SuperStack II Baseline solutions can be networked with more powerful, feature rich 3Com SuperStack II and Core Builder(TM) systems,
geared toward larger business enterprises. Also announced are SuperStack II Layer 3 10/100 and 1000 Mbps switches, sporting more
sophisticated "Layer 3" functionality for power users. These products
offer industry-leading price performance with full wire-speed Gigabit
Ethernet for $1,875 US list price per port.
"We continue to lead the industry in bringing the latest technologies
to cost-conscious users at prices they can afford," said Edgar Masri,
senior vice president of 3Com's Small to Medium Enterprise Business
Unit. "Our new stackable Layer 3 switches provide smaller organizations
with an affordably priced, right-sized core networking and power-user
solution that works with our market-leading SuperStack II workgroup
switches. Our new SuperStack II Baseline family allows entry-level
users to purchase simpler, yet reliable systems that get them instantly
connected." Simplicity and Affordability of New SuperStack II Baseline
Family 3Com is extending the reach of its market share leading
networking solutions to wider markets with the new low-cost,
entry-level, unmanaged, unstackable SuperStack II Baseline family of
hubs and switches. Now users can purchase fast-fix, reliable, basic
connectivity solutions from a top-tier networking vendor, without
compromising quality. US list prices start from just $17 US list price
per port for Ethernet hubs and $58 US list price per port for 10/100
autosensing hubs. 3Com's SuperStack II Baseline family of hubs and
switches also offers the reassurance of a Lifetime Limited Warranty.
SuperStack II Switches deliver "Best in Class" performance and
scalability.
3Com's existing SuperStack II system continues to meet the needs of
mainstream networks, where performance, flexibility and control are
key requirements. These fully managed, 10/100/1000 Mbps stackable
solutions deliver transparent migration to higher-speed technologies
as part of a strategic purchase program to build networks that meet
both current and future requirements.
In a recent competitive test of Layer 2 switches in real world
configurations, 3Com's SuperStack II switching solutions were certified
"UP TO SPEC" by The Tolly Group. The "UP TO SPEC" certification
assures end-users that equipment performs in accordance with vendor
specifications and serves as a valuable resource for end-user product
selection. 3Com's SuperStack II switches were compared with the Cisco
Catalyst 2916M XL and 1900 and the Bay Networks BayStack 350T-HD and
303 solutions. "In all test scenarios the SuperStack II Switch 3300
and 1100 out-performed the Bay and Cisco products and delivered 100%
of the offered traffic." The Tolly Group 1998(1) Layer 3 Switching
Acceptance Grows
Layer 3 switching functionality in the products announced today
provides an affordable way to control the unpredictable traffic in
today's small and medium enterprise networks. According to Infonetics
Research Inc.'s recent study of U.S. medium-sized businesses, 52% of switch-buyers consider Layer 3 switching important. "Companies of all
sizes are implementing Layer 3 switching," said Michael Howard, CEO of
Infonetics Research. "We believe that vendors should support this
Layer 3 market demand with chassis, standalone and stackable solutions."
The new Layer 3 SuperStack II Switch 3800 provides wire-speed IP routing
at up to 5 million packets per second below $400 US list price per
port. In addition, the previously announced SuperStack II Switch 9000
(featuring eight 1000Base-SX ports, wire-speed IP routing at up to
11.9 million packets per second) is now shipping with Layer 3
functionality. Both switches support industry standard IEEE 802.1Q and
protocol-based VLANs, with hardware-embedded Class of Service (IEEE
802.1p) to help users migrating towards multimedia-based, converged
networks carrying voice, video and data traffic over IP. The new
stackable Layer 3 solutions complement existing 3Com multi-protocol,
multi-technology chassis switches designed for the core of larger
networks: the CoreBuilder 3500 Layer 3 high-function switch and the
CoreBuilder 9000 chassis systems for Layer 3, ATM and Gigabit Ethernet
high-capacity network cores.
Pricing and Availability
SuperStack II Switch 3800: 24 x 10/100 autosensing ports with one
Gigabit Ethernet port (enabled through 1000BASE-SX or LX Gigabit
Interface Connector) is priced at US list $399 per port or US list
$9,975/system. Planned for shipment May 1998.
SuperStack II Switch 9000 is priced at US list $1875 per port or US
list $14,995/system. Customers with existing SuperStack II Switch
9000 Layer 2 switches may upgrade to Layer 3 switches via a hardware
exchange at no charge under the terms of 3Com's Technology Migration
Program. L3 software. Planned for shipment May 1998.
SuperStack II Baseline Hubs: 12 port unmanaged Ethernet hubs for US
list $22 per port or US List $265 per unit.24 port model for US list
$17 per port or US List $415 per unit. Now shipping.
SuperStack II Baseline Dual Speed Hubs: 12 port unmanaged 10/100
autosensing ports for US list $75 per port or US List $895 per unit.
24 port model for US list $58 per port or US List $1,395 per unit.
Now shipping.
SuperStack II Baseline Switch: 12 x 10 Mbps plus 2 x 10/100 ports for
US list $64 per port or US List $895 per unit. Now shipping.
SuperStack II Baseline 10/100 Switch: 12 x 10/100 autosensing ports
for US list $133 per port or US List $1,595 per unit, 24 x 10/100
autosensing ports for $99 US per port or US List $2,375 per unit.
Planned for shipment May 1998.
About 3Com
3Com Corporation enables individuals and organizations worldwide to communicate and share
information and resources at anytime from anywhere. As one of the world's preeminent
suppliers of data, voice and video communications technology, 3Com has delivered networking
solutions to more than 100 million customers worldwide. The company provides large
enterprises, small and medium enterprises, network service providers and carriers, and
consumers with comprehensive, innovative information access products and system solutions for
building intelligent, reliable and high performance local and wide area networks. For further
information, visit 3Com's World Wide Web site at 3com.com, or the press site at
3com.com.
3Com and SuperStack are registered trademarks and CoreBuilder is a trademark of 3Com
Corporation. All other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective
companies with which they are associated.
(1)Independently verified by The Tolly Group, 1998 available at:
tolly.com
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