3Com Introduces New Stackable Platform for Meeting Critical
Communications Needs of Small- and Medium-Sized Businesses
08:08 a.m. Apr 23, 1998 Eastern
SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 23, 1998--
New SuperStack(R) II Remote Access System 1500 Provides Flexible
Solution for Local and Remote Access to Data, Voice, and Video
Communications
Today 3Com (NASDAQ:COMS) unveiled its SuperStack(R) II Remote Access
System 1500. Designed in a stackable, flexible form-factor to meet the demands of
small- and medium-sized businesses, the new family of products offers reliable
access to the Internet/intranet and critical corporate network applications.
The SuperStack II Remote Access System 1500 gives customers a complete
mix-and-match remote access solution for enterprises that can be expanded as their
businesses grow and application needs change.
Smaller businesses are realizing the need to implement the latest technology to
remain competitive with larger organizations. These companies want to access
e-mail, share files among fellow employees, share printers and faxes, as well as
implement remote access applications. 3Com's SuperStack II Remote Access
System 1500 is allowing them to do all of these and more. In addition, these
companies may not have the financial resources that their larger competitors have.
Realizing this, 3Com is offering this new system at a price point that will allow
most every company to take advantage of the latest technology.
The SuperStack II Remote Access System 1500 allows companies to be "more
connected" by combining WAN and LAN connectivity into one box. The system
allows users to "dial-in," so those workers on the road or telecommuting can have
access to the corporate network; dial-out features allow users to access the
Internet; and LAN-to-LAN routing lets users in the office send e-mail and share
files, printers and fax machines. In addition, SuperStack II Remote Access System
1500 has been designed to support voice and video applications for future video
conferencing capabilities.
"Small- and medium-sized businesses want the same technology benefits large
enterprises enjoy but have a small pocketbook," said Sharon Studer, vice president
and general manager, 3Com Remote Access Products Division. "3Com has made
a LAN/WAN, converged network platform now affordable." Scaleability and
Modularity
The SuperStack II Remote Access System 1500 consists of two main components,
the Access Router 1500 and Expansion Unit 1500; two access I/O cards, a
four-port V.Everything(R)/V.34 analog modem, and a two-port ISDN-BRI modem.
A fully-populated SuperStack II Remote Access System 1500 unit can support up
to a total of 24 analog ports or 12 ISDN BRI digital ports, or a mixture of both. A
fully scaled unit is ideal for businesses with fewer than 500 employees. Universal
Connect
The SuperStack II Remote Access System 1500 features 3Com's Universal
Connect(TM) technology. This means each port in the unit can automatically detect
and support both analog and digital connections no matter the mix. No other
company offers this type of feature.
Users simply dial one phone number to access information, reducing the cost of
installing and maintaining separate phone numbers for analog and digital users. So,
remote users calling from a hotel room across analog lines can use the same phone
number to access the corporate network as a telecommuter who has ISDN
installed and wants to access the same information. Universal Connect supports
3Com's x2(TM) technology and the new ITU V.90 (56K) technology.
Management and Security
The SuperStack II Remote Access System 1500 is managed and monitored by
3Com's Transcend Remote Access Manager, a Windows GUI-based application,
for both local and remote management. The unit can also be managed through the
local console port.
The SuperStack II Remote Access System 1500 includes a variety of security
features, including fixed and roaming "dial-back" and filtering mechanisms that
control and monitor user access. Using industry standard PAP, CHAP or RADIUS
security protocols, the products' filtering capabilities allow administrators to define
what applications users may access, store user names, passwords and filtering
profiles, and track connection time and speeds. Full-Featured Remote Access and
Internetworking
The new family of products also offer full-featured internetworking software
capabilities based upon 3Com's award-winning remote access and modem code.
Users are provided with dial-in/dial-out features for LAN access and terminal
services; routing of IP, IPX and AppleTalk protocols (bridging all others); spoofing
and bandwidth management across leased lines, T1/E1 or Frame Relay networks.
3Com's Access Plus Strategy
The SuperStack II Remote Access System 1500 demonstrates 3Com's
commitment to its Access Plus strategy by developing products that offer
customers reliability well into the future. The new Remote Access System 1500
guarantees investment protection by allowing for future software upgrades of new
features and enhancements.
In addition, because the unit is stackable and can sustain an increase in port density,
the unit is ideal for businesses who expect future growth. This allows for a low cost
of ownership, now and into the future. Ease of use features found in the Remote
Access 1500 enable customers with little technical expertise to implement the same
high technology found in larger enterprises. Pricing and Availability
The SuperStack II Remote Access System 1500 will be available in North America
and Europe in July 1998. Pricing starts at $2,990 (USD) list for the base module and
a four-port I/O card. 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.
Note To Editors: 3Com, SuperStack, Transcend and V.Everything are registered
trademarks of 3Com Corporation or its subsidiaries. Universal Connect and x2 are
trademarks of 3Com Corporation or its subsidiaries.
IPX is a trademark of Stratacom. AppleTalk is a trademark of Apple Computer. All
other names and brands are the property of their respective owners.
o~~~ O |
