3Com Eliminates Network Problem `Finger Pointing'; New DynamicAccess Network Performance Manager Allows IS Managers to Pinpoint and Solve End-to-End Response Time Bottlenecks.

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 14, 1999--

Building on its long-term strategy to add intelligence to the edge of the network, 3Com Corporation (Nasdaq: COMS) today announced the next generation of its DynamicAccess(R) technology. 3Com's new DynamicAccess network performance manager (NPM) is a stand-alone network management tool that allows IS managers to quickly identify and resolve network, systems and application issues in client/server environments. NPM is available to enterprise customers and resellers seeking standards-based, distributed management solutions for switched and high-speed networks.

NPM's simple-to-use web-based interface allows IS managers to graphically look at the network, track the performance of applications and pinpoint bottlenecks. NPM is an open management solution that works with hardware from multiple vendors. NPM delivers real-time application response time monitoring, full RMON/RMON2 management, system health monitoring and Quality of Service (QoS) traffic prioritization.

"DynamicAccess technology is the smart solution to IS problems," said Jef Graham, senior vice president of 3Com's Personal Connectivity Business Unit (PCBU). "3Com customers demand a competitive advantage that will boost network performance, resolve IS problems and keep workers productive. That's what DynamicAccess technology delivers."

Managing Networked Applications

Heavy Internet traffic, networked business applications and streaming multicasts all compete for bandwidth and potentially cause network bottlenecks. The lack of integrated enterprise-wide management solutions to pinpoint and fix these slow-downs can lead to `finger pointing' between IS support teams and reduced productivity.

NPM eliminates this trouble-ticket `finger pointing' by taking an open, standards-based approach to managing networked applications and determining whether bottlenecks are a result of desktop, server or network problems. NPM debuts with another new product called DynamicAccess LAN agent 2.0. Transparent to users, 3Com's LAN agent 2.0 can be remotely installed on PCs and servers to collect performance data for networked applications. NPM aggregates and analyzes this data from all LAN agents across the enterprise simultaneously.

"DynamicAccess network performance manager is an all-in-one support tool that will eliminate a lot of IS headaches," said John Morency, Vice President of IT Consulting Services at Renaissance Worldwide. "Collecting end-to-end network and application performance data at the client and server levels allows network administrators to view application performance through the user's eyes. This is where it matters most. You wouldn't get this accurate a view if you tried to instrument just the core of the network." -0-

New DynamicAccess Technology Features

3Com adds the following features to existing DynamicAccess technology
solutions:

--   Real-time application/network response time analysis -- Tracks
     end-to-end response times without requiring modifications to the
     actual application.

--   Full RMON/RMON2 Management -- Provides full, end-to-end RMON2
     management in switched and high-speed networks.

--   System Health Monitoring -- Delivers crucial PC and server data
     such as CPU utilization, hard disk space, system errors and
     available memory to determine if performance bottlenecks are
     caused by a lack of system resources.

--   QoS Configuration Management -- Enables network administrators to
     proactively establish QoS policies through a simple and intuitive
     user interface. Mission-critical applications receive higher
     forwarding priority than non-critical applications.

--   Auto-QoS -- Identifies applications based on the executable name
     and assigns the appropriate priority tag. This is vital to
     managing applications that use dynamic port assignments.

Integration with Leading Management Applications

3Com's DynamicAccess network performance manager includes a complete web-based management application solution right out of the box. The web interface displays key management data in real time allowing helpdesk and IT managers to troubleshoot performance issues as they occur. For longer term network performance benchmarking, NPM appears as a standard RMON/RMON2 probe for a variety of management applications, including 3Com's Transcend(R) Traffix(TM) Manager, NetScout Manager and HP's NetMetrix. NPM also integrates with Service Level Management tools such as the InfoVista performance analysis and reporting system for trend analysis and customizable reports.

Solving Real Customer Problems

"With its support for existing standards, network performance manager can support both our 3Com and mixed network environment. It will enhance our network management tool box to provide a powerful diagnostic tool for quickly isolating any network problems," said Joseph Piplica, Director of Network Engineering at the Home Shopping Network. "We decided to buy DynamicAccess technology because it will help us effectively determine the causes of network problems and keep our users productive."

Pricing and Availability

DynamicAccess network performance manager and LAN agent 2.0 are scheduled to ship in CYQ3 of this year. NPM runs on Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 and is priced at $10,995 per management server, which can support up to 3,000 clients/servers and 128 subnets.

DynamicAccess LAN agent 2.0 supports clients and servers running Windows 95, 98 and NT 4.0 and is priced at $50 per seat (volume discounts available). LAN agent 2.0 supports Network Device Interface Specification (NDIS) 3.x-compliant (or greater) network interface cards and PC cards for Ethernet, Fast Ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet networks. LAN agent 2.0 will ship with all supported 3Com(R) network interface cards (NICs) as a standard offering. It will be available as a free upgrade for existing 3Com NICs. 3Com also plans to release a list of NICs from other vendors that have been tested for interoperability.

For more information about DynamicAccess technology from 3Com, please visit www.3com.com/DynamicAccess.

About 3Com Corporation

With more than 200 million customers worldwide, 3Com Corporation connects more people to information in more ways than any other networking company. 3Com delivers innovative information access products and network system solutions to large, medium and small enterprises; carriers and network service providers; PC OEMs; and consumers. 3Com -- More connected(TM). For further information, visit 3Com's press site at www.3com.com/pressbox.

3Com, DynamicAccess and Transcend are registered trademarks and More connected and Traffix are trademarks of 3Com Corporation. All other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Note to press: for product photography, bios and a white paper on DynamicAccess technology, please visit 3Com's virtual press kit at www.3com.com/news/releases/vpkjune1499.html.