3Com Takes Lead in Race to Introduce Policy-Based Networking
Industry's First Enterprise-wide Solution For Prioritizing Network Traffic Assures Peak Performance For Business-Critical Applications, Dramatically Cuts Network Management Staff Time
SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 16, 1998-- Following its recent introduction of the industry's only complete desktop-to-core network 10/100/1000 megabit-per-second (Mbps) LAN system, 3Com Corporation (Nasdaq: COMS - news) today announced the industry's first enterprise-wide network traffic prioritization solution. Based on 3Com's advanced TranscendWare(TM) software, the new solution will let IT professionals set policy across their networks to prioritize traffic according to importance. This innovation will improve enterprises' business-critical operations and significantly reduce network management staff time to manage the performance of their networks.
3Com's prioritization or class of service (CoS) solution will enable network managers to categorize traffic into classes to ensure that critical applications (such as crucial health care or financial data) and delay-sensitive applications (such as multimedia) receive priority over less critical traffic (such as recreational Web surfing or general inter-office email).
The first of its kind, this solution is based on industry standards and operates with other vendors' equipment for both Ethernet and ATM (asynchronous transfer mode) networks. The solution will roll out for 3Com LAN and WAN products during the course of 1998, starting in the first quarter of 1998. It will culminate in Q3 1998 with a single software application the Transcend(R) Policy Manager featuring a single user interface for setting traffic priority across an entire enterprise network based on 3Com's wide range of networking products.
Products for this solution include the recently introduced Fast EtherLink(R) XL 10/100 Mbps network interface card (NIC), 10/100 and 100/1000 Mbps SuperStack(R) II switches, and CoreBuilder(TM) Layer 3 switches, as well as existing 3Com(R) NICs, NETBuilder(R) II routers and AccessBuilder(R) 9000 family of WAN access devices.
''With as little as an hour of set-up time, network managers can begin using 3Com's new automated network traffic prioritization for an initial core set of enterprise-wide critical applications that a typical business has. For many users, this core set will often be in the range of five to ten distinguished applications,'' said John Morency, Director, Network Business Practice for the Renaissance Group Worldwide, Inc. consultancy. ''These automated services can reduce the level of manual network management by 10 to 15 percent for an average network support staff and free up these personnel for the more proactive tasks, such as network planning, that they really want to do.''
Delivering The Goods To Network Managers
3Com's traffic prioritization solution has several key advantages, including:
Works in multi-vendor environments: To ensure interoperability with non-3Com devices, the solution is based on key industry-standards, such as 802.1p and IP TOS (Type Of Service). This includes support for all desktops and servers with non-3Com NICs (via software download), switches that support 802.1p and WAN routers that use IP TOS.
Scalable solution: The solution provides immediate value-add to a network, whether implemented in a zone of the network or enterprise-wide. For example, by adding priority-enabled switches into the LAN core or routers in the WAN, priority enforcement will occur there, where network congestion is typically greatest. Implementing at the desktop, server or workgroup level adds even more value.
Fully automated: Implementation is easy, because single-command, central policy control sets policy for all devices. Once policies are set, the network enforces them automatically.
Ready for Network Service Provider support: By supporting TOS in routers used in public networks, the solution will support differentiated services provided by network service providers.
''This solution is the dashboard that users will use to drive class-of-service in their next-generation, voice/video/data converged networks,'' said Ron Sege, executive vice president, 3Com Corporation. ''It is the industry's first tangible implementation of policy-based networking and combines with our powerful Gigabit Ethernet migration system and Layer 3 switches for an unbeatable enterprise network.''
High Priority Applications
3Com's traffic prioritization solution will enable businesses to prioritize traffic over the network according to their specific business needs, such as:
-- Brokerage: critical online trading applications -- Retail: point-of-sale transactions -- Health Care: telemedicine and radiology imaging -- Banking: customer service and video-based training -- Legal: video conferencing and document imaging -- Manufacturing: shop floor process control -- Education: classroom-to-classroom video and long-distance
learning applications -- Hospitality: online reservation booking systems
How It Works
First, IT management will typically meet with business managers to determine which applications, departments, workgroups and individuals should get priority. Next, using Transcend Policy Manager, IT management sets prioritization policies. (3Com will additionally provide default priority settings to simplify set-up.) These policies are stored in Transcend Policy Server, which dispenses policies to network devices, which then automatically enforce priority throughout the enterprise. Policies can be set across the entire enterprise or incrementally in the following areas:
Desktops and Servers: End systems, such as the new Fast EtherLink XL 10/100 NIC, prioritize applications, tag packets with priority, and forward the packets onto the network;
Workgroups: SuperStack II family of workgroup switches recognize prioritized traffic, queue it accordingly and pass it to its destination;
LAN Cores: wire-speed Layer 3 switches, such as the CoreBuilder 3500 switch, prioritize traffic to and from servers at the network core, where traffic converges and congestion can be at its worst;
Virtual Private Networks and Routed WANs: NETBuilder II routers queue and forward traffic based on IP TOS;
ATM WANs: AccessBuilder 9000 ATM multiservices access platforms prioritize and forward voice, video and data on appropriate queues.
''The intelligence required to achieve end-to-end traffic prioritization and policy must be distributed throughout the network,'' said Mary Petrosky, Senior Analyst at The Burton Group. ''3Com is in a strong position to deliver all the necessary pieces -- from desktop to the core.''
Roadmap: Traffic Prioritization Availability
3Com's Traffic Prioritization solution will be rolled out as follows: support in routed and ATM WANs is available now; LAN core support (with 802.1p) will be available starting in Q1 1998; desktop support via DynamicAccess(R) software (with 802.1p) will be available in Q1 1998; and workgroup support is available now with pre-standard 802.1p and with full 802.1p support expected in Q2 1998. Support for mapping priorities from Ethernet networks to ATM network classes of service in both the LAN and WAN is expected in 2H of 1998.
In Q1 and Q2 1998, each type of 3Com system (switch, router, NIC, etc.) will have its own application for setting traffic prioritization, culminating in Q3 1998 with Transcend Policy Manager, a single application for setting priority globally across all 3Com systems across the network. Also expected to be available in Q3 1998 is the Transcend Policy Server, which warehouses and distributes policies.
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 enterprises, network service providers and carriers, small businesses 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, AccessBuilder, DynamicAccess, EtherLink, NETBuilder, SuperStack and transcend are registered trademarks and CoreBuilder and TranscendWare are trademarks of 3Com Corporation or its subsidiaries. |
