Pat, here is press release form 3COM.Since NN's 36170 and other products are now part of 3COM ATM line ( see 3COM-NN press release 2/98)this contract should add also to NN ravenue.
Tuesday June 2, 12:31 pm Eastern Time
Company Press Release
3Com ATM Solutions Excel in Rigorous Tests to Achieve IT-21
Certification from the U.S. Navy
Leading Networking Solutions Provider Outperforms Competitors to Gain Eligibility
for Participation in Billion-Dollar Overhaul of Navy Information Systems
SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 2, 1998-- 3Com Corporation (NASDAQ:COMS - news) today
announced that the U.S. Navy has certified its ATM (asynchronous transfer mode) core and edge switches for participation
in IT-21 (Information Technology for the 21st Century).
Launched in 1997, IT-21 is the Navy's sweeping initiative to upgrade networked communications and data delivery in its
fleets and shore-based facilities using advanced, commercially available technologies.
3Com, which provides scalable, high-performance enterprise networks, received certification for all eight products it
submitted, surpassing the number of products certified by any other vendor. 3Com's high-function switches and network
interface cards (NICs) also delivered far more consistent performance than competing hardware.
''Achieving IT-21 certification reflects 3Com's commitment and ability to provide the Navy and other branches of our
armed forces with proven networking solutions,'' said Steve Roth, 3Com Director of Federal Operations. ''Over the
course of the IT-21 testing, 3Com uniquely demonstrated that its high-function switches can satisfy the Navy's most
stringent bandwidth, scalability and reliability needs, and we are looking forward to serving in this important initiative.''
Modernizing for the Next Century
IT-21 is a response to the Navy's need to modernize voice, video and data infrastructures onboard its 300-ship Pacific and
Atlantic fleets and strategic worldwide land installations with state-of-the-art systems. Having previously used a variety of
networking architectures, the military institution battled performance problems emanating from multiple protocols that
complicated user training, network management and interoperability. These networks also lacked sufficient bandwidth and
quality of service to rapidly and consistently deliver the latest multimedia applications critical to the Navy's mission, such
as ship-to-ship videoconferencing and operation simulations.
To remedy this, the Navy developed IT-21 and implemented a rigorous testing program to qualify networking vendors.
The Navy stipulated that vendors support local area networks (LANs) with 622 megabit per second (Mbps) OC-12 ATM
backbone connectivity and 155 Mbps OC-3 ATM or a minimum of 100 Mbps Fast Ethernet connectivity to edge devices,
servers and desktops. With standardization of protocols a top priority, the Navy also required that all equipment must be
operable in mixed vendor environments.
The Broadest Range of Solutions for High-Speed Shipboard Communications
During IT-21 testing, each 3Com device passed every phase of the Navy's uncompromising test plan. In one battery of
tests to determine how reliably switches transfer data between high-capacity DEC servers and Pentium Pro-based
workstations, a critical process for shipboard operations, 3Com switches and NICs delivered the most consistent
performance of all competing products. Even test-induced failures in primary backbone links or LAN Emulation (LANE)
services did not impede the performance of 3Com's switches.
The 3Com devices excelled at providing end-to-end OC-3 and OC-12 throughput, enabling the Navy to converge voice,
video and data in a single networking infrastructure. 3Com's high-function CoreBuilder(TM) 3500 switch also provided
flawless wire-speed Layer 3 switching, which the Navy can use to enhance communications among ships' subnetworks
and simplify network reconfigurations.
''The breadth of 3Com products gives us the flexibility to meet the Navy's needs more precisely and cost-effectively than
any other vendor,'' said Roth. ''In addition to exceptional ATM performance, 3Com's interoperable solutions provide
unsurpassed scalability, which is critical during combat situations when increased bandwidth is needed to handle surges in
network traffic.
''3Com is also the only vendor to certify core-to-NIC solutions with the capability to provide full ATM redundancy,
ensuring continuous availability in environments where a communication failure can be potentially disastrous.''
In addition to the CoreBuilder 3500 platform, the Navy certified the following 3Com products and modules:
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-- CoreBuilder(TM) 7000HD ATM switch equipped with a 5.0 gigabit per
second switching engine, a Dual Port OC-12 Module, an Eight-Port
OC-3 Module and a 16-Port Fast Ethernet Module
-- CoreBuilder(TM) 5000 high-function switch configured with an ATM
Switch Module, a Four-Port Fast Ethernet Fiber Module and a
Four-Port Fast Ethernet UTP Module
-- CoreBuilder(TM) 2500 high-function switch with an ATM Module
-- SuperStack(R) II Switch 1000 12-port switch with an ATM Module
-- SuperStack(R) II Switch 3000 10/100 switch with an ATM Module
-- SuperStack(R) II Switch 3000 FX switch with an ATM Module
-- ATMLink(TM) NIC -- one of only two network adapters that provided
the performance and dependability to earn IT-21 certification
''The CoreBuilder family of switches can provide enterprise-wide ATM or Gigabit Ethernet connectivity for the largest
ship and land-based installation,'' noted Roth. ''They deliver high port-density and features such as remote monitoring
(RMON) to safeguard network operations. The SuperStack II switches offer scalable performance in compact chassis that
are ideal for the tight quarters on-board Navy vessels.
''These systems can deliver the Navy's applications -- from unclassified email to mission-critical combat data -- under the
most trying conditions. Using 3Com's IT-21-certified products, we believe the Navy now has the tools it needs to meet its
communications needs, improve operational processes and bolster its military preparedness well into the next century.''
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, carriers and network service providers, and consumers
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 and its Federal site at 3comfederal.com.
Note to Editors: 3Com, SuperStack and ATMLink are registered trademarks and CoreBuilder is a trademark of 3Com
Corporation. All other brands and names are the property of their respective owners.
Contact:
3Com Corporate Communications
Peter Ruzicka, 408/764-5853
Peter_Ruzicka@3Com.com |
