3Com: Number One in Worldwide Ethernet Marketplace
08:04 a.m. Sep 01, 1998 Eastern
New Data Show World Continues Installing 3Com Ethernet Solutions
At More Than Three Times The Rate of Any Competitor; Emerges as
Gigabit Ethernet Leader
SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 1, 1998-- New
marketshare data show 3Com Corporation (NASDAQ:COMS) continues
to strengthen its lead in 10, 100 and 1,000Mbps Ethernet networking
capturing first place in the critical categories of Ethernet and
Fast Ethernet network interface cards, Fast Ethernet hubs and Fast
Ethernet workgroup switches during the first half of 1998.
In particular, 3Com surpassed all competitors in the new, fast-growing Gigabit
Switching category as per marketshare reported for the second calendar quarter of
this year (Cahners In Stat Group and Dell'Oro).
3Com's ongoing leadership in marketshare is clear evidence that businesses of every
size from around the world continue to turn to 3Com for high-performance, reliable
and easy-to-manage networking. By far, no one connects more users to networks
than 3Com.
Of the total Ethernet connections sold in the second calendar quarter of 1998, 3Com
sold nearly 33%, seizing the overall number one position. These connections include
10Mbps and 10/100Mbps NICs; PC Cards; LAN-on-Motherboard connections; 10
and 10/100 hubs; Layer 2 and Layer 3 10, 100 and 1,000Mbps switches; and routers.
3Com's results are more than triple the Ethernet connections sold by its nearest
competitor.
The categories 3Com leads in extend from the edge to the heart of the network.
Given the breadth of 3Com's leadership, it has the opportunity and obligation to help
its customers -- representing most of the networked world -- build a new generation
of converged networks that will transmit data, voice and video. 3Com CTO Describe
Transition to Converged Networks
"To build converged networks, four transitions must occur," said John Hart, 3Com's
senior vice president and chief technical officer. "First, based on customer feedback,
today's networks must move from complex administration toward zero administration
and from 98% availability to 99.99% availability.
"Then, to support new applications, networks must move from supporting
store-and-forward to supporting realtime traffic and from device management to
policy management. 3Com's products, that have such a commanding lead in the
marketplace, are all designed to help customers manage these transitions."
Illustrating leadership in the transition to policy-based networks, 3Com was the first
networking company to support the IEEE 802.1Q and 802.1p standards for
policy-based management and is the first company to implement these standards
from NICs to Gigabit switches to enable multimedia, converged networks. 3Com
Leadership from the Edge...
At the edge of the network, 3Com's marketshare of 10/100 Ethernet network
interface cards (NICs) -- both desktop and mobile -- grew to 50% for the first half of
1998 according to In-Stat. This growth is the result of continued enthusiasm for the
3Com Fast EtherLink(R) XL 10/100 NIC and 3Com Megahertz(R) PC cards for
notebook computers.
3Com NICs support the transition to policy-managed networks through
DynamicAccess(R) software enabling distributed RMON network management,
standards-based application prioritization and multicast control, and FastIP
performance improvements in highly routed-networks.
It is also the result of a growing number of sales to PC manufacturers, such as
Hewlett-Packard and Dell, who pre-install 3Com NICs to give their customers
out-of-the-box, onto-the-net connectivity. In addition, 3Com NICs offer PC
management features such as Remote Wake Up that lower the total cost of
ownership for PCs.
Working towards the center of the network, 3Com continues to lead in both
unmanaged and managed Ethernet hubs with 28% and 30% marketshare
respectively for the first half of 1998 according to the Dell'Oro Group. Topping the
growth in the Ethernet hub market is the growth in Fast Ethernet hubs segment.
This segment grew 234% compared to the first half of 1997 and 3Com extended its
marketshare lead from 35% to 51% for the first half 1998. 3Com's
OfficeConnect(R) line of products is the broadest and deepest line of equipment
specifically designed for small business. To best serve this market, 3Com created a
special worldwide channel of resellers that has grown to 12,000 partners.
The growth in 10/100 hubs, together with 3Com's leadership in 10/100Mbps
workgroup switching, clearly reflects 3Com's success in helping move enterprises of
every size to 10/100Mbps networking and realize the benefit of converged
networking. ...To the Heart of the Network
Based on marketshare, 3Com is the vendor of choice for both medium and large
enterprises who are transitioning from 10Mbps to fully switched 100Mbps and
1,000Mbps networks. These high-speed technologies are the building blocks for
handling real-time, bandwidth hungry intranet and converged voice, video and data
applications.
3Com's marketshare leadership in 100Mbps workgroup switching systems, 40% for
the quarter ending June 1998 according to the Dell'Oro Group, was earned through
sales to both medium and large enterprises around the world. In the new, high-profile
category of 1,000 Mbps (Gigabit) switches, network devices found at the core of
enterprise networks, 3Com earned the leading marketshare of 25% for the quarter
ending June 1998 according to the Dell'Oro Group.
3Com's leadership in Fast and Gigabit Ethernet categories is based on deployment of
the company's new generation of 100 Mbps and 1000 Mbps SuperStack(R) II 9300,
3900, 3300 and 1100 switches. These new Layer 2 switches incorporate
state-of-the-art policy, control and management features, such as IEEE 802.1p, IEEE
802.1Q, multicast filtering and RMON.
The switches work in concert with 3Com NICs and wide area networking systems
that are equipped with complementary policy, control and management features. All
these individual devices have complementary policy, control and management
features creating a complete, end-to-end infrastructures for today's intranets and
tomorrow's converged applications.
They are frequently deployed with 3Com's new modular CoreBuilder 3500 Layer 3
multiprotocol switch, which provides advanced control at the heart of large scale
networks. 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 pre-eminent suppliers of data, voice and video communications technology,
3Com has delivered networking solutions to more than 200 million customers
worldwide. The company provides large enterprises, small and medium enterprises,
carriers and network service providers, 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
http//www.3Com.com/pressbox.
Copyright 1998, Business Wire
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