"Conference Server" Expands Support For Corporate Networking Standards; MeetingPlace audioconferencing system now supports e-mail notification via QuickMail and SMTP messaging systems and centralized monitoring via SNMP.

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 11, 1995--In a move that continues to distinguish itself from traditional telecommunications vendors, Latitude Communications announced two new products that enable its MeetingPlace audioconferencing system to leverage existing corporate data communications and network infrastructures.

MeetingPlace E-mail Gateway for Macintosh enables end users to schedule audioconference ports, notify attendees, and distribute meeting materials from within CE Software's QuickMail or e-mail clients supporting the Simple Message Transport Protocol (SMTP).

The MeetingPlace SNMP option enables system managers to monitor the status of the MeetingPlace audioconferencing system from any Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) management station.

MeetingPlace is the industry's first conference server -- a customer premises audioconference system that connects not only to the telephone network but also to a customer's local or wide area network.

Its network connectivity enables MeetingPlace to integrate seamlessly into any corporate data center environment and provides end users advanced meeting management features from their own desktop computers.

"Huge potentials in cost-savings, security, and end user productivity are causing high-volume audioconference service bureau customers to bring their traffic in-house," said Stephen Pao, Product Manager for Latitude Communications. "The reason is that customer-premises audioconferencing systems, such as MeetingPlace, continue to lower the barriers to greater cost savings and productivity."

Meeting Setup and Automatic Notification over QuickMail

MeetingPlace E-mail Gateway for Macintosh expands Latitude's e-mail platform connectivity to CE Software's QuickMail and SMTP mail users. Announced initially in January of this year for cc:Mail and Lotus Notes users, MeetingPlace E-mail Gateway is a mail-enabled application that allows users to schedule MeetingPlace audioconferences from within their own familiar e-mail programs.

MeetingPlace E-mail Gateway users can also automatically notify attendees of the date and time of the call, and distribute meeting materials to attendees in advance of a conference call.

Users have complete control of the meeting process from their desks. Using a text-based schedule request form, meeting organizers specify the desired date, time, number of locations, and list of invitees for a meeting. They can also attach any relevant meeting materials, such as spreadsheets, presentation files, or word processor documents, and send the message to a mailbox monitored by MeetingPlace E-mail Gateway.

MeetingPlace E-mail Gateway automatically interprets the form, schedules the resources, and distributes meeting announcements with the attached meeting materials to the specified invitees. After successful completion of the meeting setup process, MeetingPlace E-mail Gateway sends a confirmation message back to the meeting organizer.

MeetingPlace E-mail Gateway for Macintosh works with CE Software's QuickMail version 3.0 or higher. The program requires System 7.0 or higher and MacTCP 2.0.4 or higher. System managers can install the program on the same Macintosh as the QuickMail server or on a standalone Macintosh with a 68030 microprocessor or better.

"By introducing a QuickMail version of MeetingPlace E-mail Gateway, Latitude opens up their innovative mail-enabled application to a significant base consisting of millions of users," said Jim O'Gara, Senior Product Marketing Manager for CE Software.

"We are very excited by their ability to offer real productivity benefits for a problem so many of us face -- the manual processes involved in setting up audioconference calls."

For customers who use SMTP as their enterprise-wide messaging backbones, Latitude Communications has also certified Mail-Link SMTP for QuickMail from StarNine Technologies, Inc. to run on the same Macintosh as MeetingPlace E-mail Gateway and the QuickMail server.

The integration of MeetingPlace E-mail Gateway for Macintosh, QuickMail, and Mail-Link SMTP for QuickMail on a single Macintosh offers an excellent standalone SMTP connectivity solution for customers who do not base their e-mail infrastructures on PC or Macintosh-based e-mail systems, such as cc:Mail, Lotus Notes, or QuickMail.

MeetingPlace E-mail Gateway licenses are issued against a specific MeetingPlace conference server. Pricing for the license varies based on the size and configuration of the associated MeetingPlace conference server, ranging from $1600 for an entry-level configuration to $18,000 for a fully configured system. MeetingPlace E-Mail Gateway is available for immediate shipment.

System Management Over SNMP

Latitude's MeetingPlace SNMP option adds a new tool to its system management suite. System managers perform the bulk of their system management functions through Latitude's MeetingTime client software. MeetingTime enables system managers to monitor the system, configure database parameters, run reports, and perform system backups from any Windows based PC on the LAN or WAN.

Using the new SNMP option, system managers can now also monitor MeetingPlace remotely using the same tools they use to monitor their other servers on the network.

The MeetingPlace SNMP option supports standard Management Information Base (MIB) II objects and provides read/write access to information such as system uptime, active network connections, and database parameters including the name, location, contact name, and software version.

Support for standard MIB-II functionality ensures that managers can monitor MeetingPlace activities without any special customization of their SNMP management stations.

MeetingPlace SNMP option licenses are issued against a specific MeetingPlace conference server. Pricing for the license varies based on the size and configuration of the associated MeetingPlace conference server, ranging from $400 for an entry-level configuration to $4,500 for a fully configured system. The MeetingPlace SNMP option is available for immediate shipment.

About Latitude Communications

Latitude Communications, Inc. is a California-based, privately held, venture-capital funded company. It was established to develop, manufacture, market, and support products and services to enable companies to conduct more productive business meetings among people in different locations. The company's first product, MeetingPlace, provides corporations a superior method to conduct audioconference calls.

Latitude Communications has direct operations in Boston, Chicago, New York, and San Francisco. Latitude Communications, 4001 Burton Drive, Santa Clara, CA 95054, 408/988-7200.

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Note to Editors: All prices and terms are for the United States only. MeetingPlace and MeetingTime are trademarks of Latitude Communications. Microsoft Windows is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation. Macintosh and MacTCP are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. cc:Mail, Inc. is a registered trademark of cc:Mail, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Lotus Development Corporation. Lotus and Lotus Notes are registered trademarks and Notes is a trademark of Lotus Development Corporation. QuickMail is a trademark of CE Software, Inc. QuickMail is a trademark of CE Software, Inc. Mail-Link is a trademark of StarNine Technologies, Inc. -0-

Mail-Link has an asterisk between "Mail" and "Link." This symbol may not appear properly in some systems.

CONTACT: Latitude Communications

Stephen Pao, 408/988-7280