3Com Simplifies Converged Network Management for Enterprise Customers and Small Businesses.

Business/Technology Editors

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 17, 2000

Transcend(R) Network Supervisor Allows Users to Discover, Map and

Monitor Converged Networks 

3Com Corporation (Nasdaq:COMS) today announced new management software features that deliver easier-to-use network management, enabling customers to set up and manage networks effortlessly. 3Com(R) Transcend(R) Network Supervisor 2.0 offers a new level of support and simplicity to managing enterprise networks and offers more automation for small businesses. The new Transcend Network Supervisor enhancements include increased scalability, Palm(TM) handheld computer management, new NBX(R) LAN telephony system support, enhanced network discovery, improved device recognition and improved display. Ideal for businesses with limited or overworked technical staff, Transcend Network Supervisor automatically discovers, maps out and monitors the network.

"3Com has developed a way for network management to be easier than ever before to meet a manager's need to focus on enhancing performance, ensuring uptime and solving business issues," said Karen Oddey, vice president and general manager of workgroup systems, Business Networks Group, 3Com. "As 3Com helps customers set up their automated networks, it is phenomenal how much time and money a business organization can save when network management is radically simple and reliable."

The delivery of the new version of Transcend Network Supervisor underscores 3Com's focus on simplifying networking for both enterprise customers and small businesses. As the market leader in small business (reported by Cahners In-Stat, May 2000), 3Com provides a network management solution ideal for small business customers needing intuitively simple solutions. In addition, continuing to provide network solutions to enterprise customers, 3Com ties together the SuperStack(R) switches, NBX LAN telephony system and 3Com Internet security using Transcend Network Supervisor. For the more experienced administrator, Transcend Network Supervisor provides advanced features to help enhance network performance, including stress monitoring, event logging and alert generation functions.

"The smooth, continuous operation of our Gigabit Ethernet network is critical to every student, faculty and staff member who depend on it for research, collaborative communications or administrative work," said Ivana Corinti, assistant director, telecommunications, Mercy College. "Using 3Com's new Transcend Network Supervisor 2.0, we have a bird's eye view into all of our 1,500 network nodes to monitor stress levels on a per-device basis. As a result, we're able to manage the network proactively and sustain the network performance and uptime our users require."

New Features of Transcend Network Supervisor

Transcend Network Supervisor is a successful network management solution, which was introduced last year with its small business support, its graphical view of the network, its monitoring of device stress levels and its easy navigation for users to identify problems. The following are the new enhancements to Network Supervisor 2.0:

-- increased scalability to 1,500 nodes - per network map - that are automatically discovered;

-- key network information can be exported to and examined by Palm handhelds;

-- discovery and display of 3Com NBX LAN telephony system and NBX business telephones;

-- improved recognition of end stations and their operating systems during discovery and in the topology maps;

-- simple launch of device management directly from network map;

-- simpler defaults of information, and;

-- improved graphical user interface.

While focused on providing optimal management for 3Com devices, Transcend Network Supervisor can also identify and monitor non 3Com devices and show where they fit into the network topology.

Pricing and Availability

Transcend Network Supervisor 2.0 is free software that is expected to become available in August 2000 on 3Com's Web site (www.3com.com/tns) and bundled in a wide range of 3Com commercial products. Also included is one year of free 3Com technical support.

Other New 3Com Network Management Announcements

To inform enterprise customers of enhanced management solutions, 3Com also announced today new versions of advanced network management products - Transcend Network Control Services v1.2 for Windows NT and Transcend Enterprise Manager v6.3 for Windows NT. These products are suitable for customers using 3Com's Switch 4007 and SuperStack II 9100 switch in more intricate enterprise networks. Both products have a new feature called Address Tracker, which provides IP address tracking and IP-to-MAC address correlation for network devices and end-user nodes. Transcend Network Control Services v1.2 and Transcend Enterprise Manager v6.3 offer support for 3Com's most current device agents. In addition, Transcend Enterprise Manager is now offered at only $995.

About 3Com Corporation

3Com simplifies how people connect to information and services through easy-to-use, connectivity products and solutions for consumers and commercial organizations. The company also provides access infrastructures and IP services platforms for network service providers. For further information, visit www.3com.com or the press site at www.3com.com/pressbox.

3Com, NBX, SuperStack and Transcend are registered trademarks of 3Com Corporation. Palm is a trademark of Palm, Inc. or its subsidiaries. All other names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.