Why is Cisco absent from this conference?
World's Top Networking Engineers Gather to Advance
Interoperability Of IP Multicast Products
Business Wire - May 26, 1998 12:08
%STARDUST-TECHNOLOGIES COMS ASND %CALIFORNIA %COMPUTERS
%ELECTRONICS %COMED V%BW P%BW
CAMPBELL, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 26, 1998--
Vendors Demonstrate Commitment to Open Standards, Quality
Products and Customer Satisfaction
Top engineers from many of the world's leading IP Multicast product vendors will gather next
week in Campbell, California for the first IP Multicast Interoperability Invitational Event.
The event, sponsored by the IP Multicast Initiative (IPMI), will allow participating vendors to
test their products for interoperability with other IP Multicast-enabled products. The event
occurs June 1-5.
"Interoperability testing is an essential complement to the standards process," said Bob Roman,
Director of 3Com Business Development. "The IP Multicast Interoperability Invitational is a great
opportunity for our community to convey the full benefits of the work done by standards
organizations such as IETF and IEEE. 3Com has demonstrated its belief in the benefits of
multicast by supporting the technology across the product line and is now pleased to be one of
the first sponsors and participants in this important industry event."
"The IP Multicast Interoperability Invitational is driven by participating vendors' commitment to
open standards, quality products and customer-first thinking," said Rod Murchison, Manager of
Internetworking Product Line Management at Newbridge Networks. "There is no better
opportunity for Newbridge to work with other vendors to ensure that the body of IP Multicast
software and hardware products can be deployed together. Interoperability events such as this
allow vendors to work together to identify and resolve interoperability issues."
"Participating in the IP Multicast Interoperability Invitational allows us to validate our multicast
products with many of the leading multicast applications and infrastructure vendors," said Dana
Rasmussen, Director of Product Management, Bay Networks, Router Product Division. "This
interoperability testing demonstrates industry commitment to delivering business quality
multicast technology. Bay Networks is enthusiastic about this event and other efforts of the IP
Multicast Initiative which help our customers reap the benefits a multicast enabled
infrastructure."
World's Leading IP Multicast Vendors Demonstrate Commitment to Open Standards
The five-day event will feature the active participation of numerous companies who are
committed to IP Multicast interoperability. Participating vendors include 3COM (Nasdaq:
COMS), Ascend Communications (Nasdaq: ASND), Bay Networks (NYSE: BAY), Cabletron
(NYSE: CS), EMULive Imaging Corporation, Fore Systems (Nasdaq: FORE), Ganymede Software,
Gilat Satellite Networks (Nasdaq: GILTF), Hewlett-Packard Company (NYSE: HWP), IBM (NYSE:
IBM), ICAST, Intel (Nasdaq: INTC), Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT), Newbridge Networks (NYSE:
NN), Packet Engines, Packeteer, RealNetworks (Nasdaq: RNWK), StarBurst Communications,
Sun Microsystems (Nasdaq: SUNW), Torrent Networking and others.
Five Day Event Features In Depth Interoperability Testing
The IP Multicast Interoperability Invitational will feature five days of in depth interoperability
testing. Products from participating vendors will be tested in various network environments.
Participating engineering teams from each vendor will work closely with one-another to identify
interoperability issues and resolve problems. In the spirit of Internet technology interoperability
testing, test results will remain confidential.
During the event, participating engineers will contribute to the development of a robust test
matrix, which will provide guidelines for evaluating multiple interoperability concerns.
Interoperability concerns addressed by the matrix include applications (video and audio
streaming, conferencing and reliable multicast file-transfer); network management tools;
diagnostic tools; routing protocols with various edge considerations; WinSock 2 stack support;
IGMP interoperability. Switches will be tested for IGMP Snooping interoperability. Applications
such as video streaming products, reliable IP Multicast file transfer and network management will
be tested.
Stardust to Document Interoperability Guidelines
In addition to dramatically improving product interoperability, knowledge learned during the
event is expected to contribute to best practices for IP Multicast deployment. Following the
event, Stardust Forums will draw on this knowledge to author an interoperability guidelines
document designed to assist end-user organizations who plan to deploy IP Multicast. The
guidelines will form the basis of an entire chapter in the second edition of the IP Multicast
Deployment Guide, a comprehensive workbook and step-by-step planning guide for deploying IP
Multicast. The Deployment Guide, which will be published in late June, is offered at an
introductory price of $99.00 per copy.
About the IP Multicast Initiative
Founded in 1996, the IPMI is a multi-vendor cooperative effort to promote the deployment of
industry-standard IP Multicast technology. The IPMI is managed by Stardust Forums, a division
of Stardust Technologies. The IP Multicast Initiative's web address is
ipmulticast.com.
About Stardust
Stardust Forums, based in Campbell, California, is a leading provider of emerging Internet
technology forums and events for market stimulation, expansion and education. Stardust
develops new technology markets by building and managing communities of vendors to achieve
common goals. Stardust also produces and manages educational events focused on these
leading edge Internet technologies, protocols and standards.
Stardust is the home of the IP Multicast Initiative, Stardust WinSock Labs and the IP Multicast
Summit. Stardust can be reached by phone at 408/879-8080 or by fax at 408/879-8081. Stardust's
web address is stardust.com.
Vendors Speak out about IP Multicast Interoperability Invitational Event
Ascend Communications
"Ascend welcomes the opportunity to participate in the IP Multicast Interoperability Invitational
test as part of our ongoing efforts to deliver carrier-class solutions that support IP Multicast
standards," said Fred Sammartino, Director of IP Marketing, Ascend Communications Inc., Core
Systems Division. "Our service provider customers are very interested in IP Multicast and the
benefits and services it promises. As a member of the IPMI Forum, Ascend is committed to
helping customers realize these benefits. Industry-wide interoperability testing is an important
step toward the early acceptance and adoption of new technologies such as these that are
required for the next generation of Internet capabilities."
EMULive Imaging Corporation
"We are extremely pleased to be participating in Stardust's IP Multicast Interoperability Event,"
said Jory Anick, chief technology officer of Montreal, Canada-based EMULive Imaging
Corporation. "This event presents the opportunity for us to discuss with our worldwide
counterparts the possibility of creating partnerships as well as strategic alliances."
Fore Systems
"IP multicasting is a critical component of the emerging multi-service network environment,"
commented Ashok Madanahalli, FORE Systems' product line manager for ATM internetworking.
"Without it, video delivery and even data replication services consume too much bandwidth to
be practical. With IP multicast protocols, workstations and servers specify which 'feeds' are of
interest to them, and networking devices like our PowerHub and ES-3810 family deliver the
multicast traffic as needed."
Hewlett Packard Company
"HP is testing its networking solutions, including HP-UX servers, workstations and ProCurve
switches, at the IP Multicast Interoperability Invitational," said Jan Bell, worldwide marketing
manager at HP's Workgroup Networks Division. "This marks a significant milestone in the
successful deployment of IP Multicast."
IBM
"IBM, as a charter member of the IPMI, is dedicated to providing standards-based solutions for
efficient information distribution and management," said Don Haile, Vice-President of
Development for IBM's Network Hardware Division. "Interoperability events are crucial to
guaranteeing customer satisfaction in a multi-vendor environment. IBM's complete e-business
solutions include IP Multicast capabilities for the most efficient use of network resources."
ICAST
"ICAST believes that interoperability is where the rubber of open standards meets the road of
implementation," said Brian Smithson, director of product management at ICAST. "A
multi-vendor focus on interoperability can move the whole industry toward interoperability,
create a spirit of community among the vendors, and provide invaluable feedback to the
standards process. The IP Multicast Invitational Interoperability Event will benefit the industry
and customers alike."
Packeteer
"Packeteer looks forward enthusiastically to this event," Peter Schein, director of product
marketing at Packeteer. "IP Multicast interoperability represents Packeteer's commitment to
industry standards and reinforces Packeteer's position as the leader in multi-protocol,
multi-service bandwidth management for business-critical applications on wide-area networks."
Packet Engines
"Packet Engines is excited to include the PowerRail Enterprise Routing Switch in the IP Multicast
Interoperability Invitational," said Kevin Sheehan, director of product marketing at Packet
Engines. "With the rapid growth of IP Multicast applications, users need to be assured of
multi-vendor interoperability. This event provides Packet Engines an excellent forum in which to
demonstrate standards-compliance and interoperability, and to reaffirm our leadership in high
performance networking."
RealNetworks
"As a Charter Member of IPMI, a leading developer of streaming media products, and one of the
largest distributed multicast providers in the world, we're very excited about this event," said
Kevin Epstein, RealNetworks Server Product Manager. "The opportunity to demonstrate open
standards interoperability in a public forum can only further the adoption of the technology."
Torrent Networking Technologies
"Torrent is very enthusiastic about this event," said Lou Martinage, Director of Product
Marketing at Torrent Networking Technologies. "We look forward to demonstrating full
multivendor interoperability for the unmatched multicast routing capabilities of our IP9000
Gigabit Router."
CONTACT: Dovetail Public Relations
Corey Oiesen/Mark Coker, 408/395-3600
coreydpr@aol.com or mark@dovetailpr.com
or
Stardust Forums
Martin Bickford, 408/879-8080
martinb@stardust.com
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