Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : Ascend Communications-News Only!!! (ASND) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Dee Jay who wrote (1295)	3/21/1998 2:13:00 AM
From: Tech97	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1629

Ascend RAS Gets Serious By Michael Surkan, PC Week Labs, PC Week March 20, 1998 2:36 PM PST Review Ascend Communications Inc. has added significant muscle to its MAX remote access server, equaling but not overcoming its midrange RAS competition. PC Week Labs tested a late beta version of Ascend's MAX 6000 server, due next week, and found that its increased modem-port density (96 certified ports vs. the MAX 4000's 48) and memory make it well-suited for handling corporations' growing need for 56K-bps analog modem network access. We highly recommend that MAX 4000 administrators feeling the remote access pinch consider upgrading to the new server. Sites looking into a remote access server should also consider the Cisco Systems Inc. 5200 and 3Com Corp. Total Control midrange servers, which provide the same port density as the MAX 6000 (and, unfortunately, the same complex configuration and administration). The MAX 6000's target market includes Internet service providers, but it is no match in this area for more scalable products such as the Cisco 5300 or Ascend's own MAX TNT, both of which can accommodate more than 500 simultaneous dial-up sessions. The MAX 6000's price is competitive with the midrange Cisco and 3Com servers. A MAX 6000 with a chassis comprising 96 modems will sell for $51,840 with a base memory configuration of 16MB of DRAM (dynamic RAM) and 2MB of flash memory. Its memory and power stores make it more adept than Ascend's previous-generation midrange server at handling the needs of a work force increasingly out of the office. The MAX 6000 features significantly more memory than the 4000 (up to 8MB of flash memory and 32MB of DRAM for the 6000 vs. 2MB of flash memory and 8MB of DRAM for the 4000), and it is based on a faster chip (a 64MHz Intel Corp. i960HD processor vs. the 4000's 25MHz i960). The MAX 6000 also comes with a 10/100M-bps auto-sensing Fast Ethernet port, not the 10M-bps Ethernet connector on the 4000. To overcome the MAX 4000's overheating problems, which cropped up in the move to 56K bps, the MAX 6000 is equipped with eight fans--double the complement on the 4000. Version 6.0 of TAOS (Total Access Operating System), which comes with the server and is also available separately, supports the Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol and Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol for virtual private networking. Numerous other additions extend protocols, including Open Shortest Path First, Routing Information Protocol and multicasting. However, the myriad and confusing text menus of the MAX 6000's TAOS will present steep learning requirements for many administrators. A new Java-based Configurator (previously available only on low-end Ascend PipeLine products) is included with the MAX 6000, but in tests it was useful only during the initial configuration of the device. The Configurator works only on Windows PCs running Microsoft Corp.'s Internet Explorer 4.0. The MAX 6000 supports all MAX 4000 adapters. We were able to move 16-port 56K-bps modem cards from a 4000 to the 6000 without any trouble. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ PC Week Labs Executive Summary: MAX 6000 Beta Ascend's MAX 6000 has double the port density of the company's previous-generation midrange RAS (96 vs. 48) and is a good choice for companies that need to service many remote users. Administrators of MAX 4000 servers should definitely consider upgrading, especially since the new server eliminates the overheating problems in the 4000. Pros: Doubles capacity of MAX 4000, supporting 98 56K-bps analog calls; additional fans alleviate overheating problems; includes Fast Ethernet port; L2TP and PPTP VPN support; Java-based software eases initial configuration. Cons: Administration is complex; Java Configurator runs only on Windows PCs with Internet Explorer; doesn't scale enough to meet ISP needs. Ascend Communications Inc., Alameda, Calif. (800) 621-9578; www.ascend.com Scoring methodology: www.pcweek.com/reviews/meth.html MAX 6000's Java-based Configurator made initial setup easy.