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

To: djane who wrote (45912)	5/2/1998 5:04:00 AM
From: djane	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 61433

Data Products Explode At Interop (Inter@ctive Week) From Inter@ctive Week for April 27, 1998 by Kathleen Cholewka The stage is set for networking attractions of all shapes and sizes at the Networld+Interop show to be held this week in Las Vegas. Virtual private networking -- the technology that enables secure data connections over the Net -- is coming of age, as many companies bring out new developments this go-around. For example, networking hardware giant Ascend Communications Inc. (www.ascend.com) plans to announce its MultiVPN strategy, designed to allow service providers to offer a broader range of virtual private network (VPN) services. VP Remote Networking includes Internet-based VPNs while VP Trunking lets end users optimize the use of their bandwidth in times of congestion and helps guarantee service level agreements (SLAs). VIP Routing uses Ascend's IP Navigator to extend private Internet Protocol (IP) addresses over the wide area network to form an extension of the private network. Ascend also plans to announce a Customer Network Management gateway, which enables a real-time, two-directional view of VPNs and generates SLA reports. New products from Bay Networks Inc. (www.baynetworks.com) are expected to include the Accelar routing switch. But Bay also will introduce a low-end extranet switch, the ES1000, geared toward branch and small offices, along with extranet switch software version 1.5, which adds easier management and value-added features to extranet services. What's more, the company's Directory-Enabled Provisioning Management software for VPNs and extranets will debut. Additionally, Bay says it will announce Ethernet, Fast Ethernet and higher-density Token Ring switching modules for its frame and cell-based modular enterprise platforms. Outsourcing will play a part in some product announcements. For example, General Datacom Corp. (www.gdc.com) plans to unveil low-end access products meant to be sold or leased by service providers to their customers. Its AT1000 Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) access termination unit enables service providers to offer ATM services all the way to the customer premises. Its product will help providers establish a fail-safe interface with end-user equipment at the customer site in order to ensure control over traffic shaping, monitoring or testing ATM services. Pricing starts at $6,300. Also, GDC is releasing three multiservice access concentrator boxes: the MAC100 ATM access box, with T1, Ethernet and serial interfaces; the MAC200, a data-only frame relay access device; and the MAC300, which features voice via a four-port analog module and standard compression up to 12-to-1. Each MAC features IP and Internetwork Packet Exchange (IPX) routing. Pricing ranges from $1,800 for the MAC200 to $4,600 for the MAC100. In other announcements, management software will get a face-lift from some vendors. The focus will be on end users' taking the reins in managing and provisioning their network services. Sync Research (www.sync. com) is expected to announce Release 7 of its management software for its enterprise frame relay access devices and routers. The software will allow network administrators to designate a source and destination route for backup lines in case of network failures. NetScout Systems Inc. (www. netscout.com) plans to add an applications flow management system, which includes AppScout, a Web-based system that monitors and reports on application usage in real-time. Quallaby Corp. (www.quallaby. com) will show a customer-defined services management system. Its Proviso Service Level Agreement management product lets service providers customize their SLAs and lets customers handle their own ordering of services. Some heavyweights in hardware will also strut new stuff at the show. For example, Avici Systems Inc. of Chelmsford, Mass., in which Northern Telecom Inc. holds a 20 percent stake, will release a terabit switch router (TSR). The switch package, capable of operating at 6 terabits per second, will be in beta tests later this year. It will compete with products from Argon Networks Inc., Cisco Systems Inc. and NetCore Systems Inc. Also on hand will be the MegaSwitch MS7500HD from Nbase Communications Inc. (www.nbase.com), including interfaces to ATM, Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet and Integrated Services Digital Network interfaces. IP telephony vendors will have news, too. Vienna Systems Inc. (www. viennasys.com) has come out with two thin-client devices that will enable IP telephone calls over cable or IP networks. The IPCourrier is an Ethernet phone, which acts like a private branch exchange phone but attaches to an Ethernet local area network. The IPShuttle lets end users with regular analog phones connect to a cable network. Both network phones cost $600 and should ship in June. Finally, Digital Subscriber Line (xDSL) systems will vie for attention. Adtran Inc. plans to introduce frame access products to connect to xDSL modems. Redback Networks Inc. will demonstrate systems designed to simplify the management of xDSL services. And Interspeed Inc. plans to unveil its data networking products for xDSL-based services.