3Com Software Licensed for Windows 2000; Remotely Installs, Upgrades and Configures Clients of Windows 2000.

Business Editors and High-Tech Writers

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 4, 2000

3Com(R) Corporation (Nasdaq:COMS) today announced it has licensed to Microsoft Corp. software that will be included in every copy of Windows 2000.

This software technology will make installing Windows 2000 as simple as inserting a single floppy disk and turning the PC on. The software will also dramatically lower the cost of upgrading and repairing PCs.

&uot;We are excited to have worked closely with 3Com, a recognized leader in remote installation and Pre-OS software services, to deliver the Remote OS Installation technology in Windows 2000,&uot; said Keith White, director of Windows Marketing, Microsoft Corp.

&uot;The Remote OS Installation technology will enable easy and rapid deployment of Windows 2000 over a network, and help reduce the overall cost of migration for our customers.&uot;

Remote Operating System Installation: What Is It?

The Windows 2000-based remote boot solution lets a PC boot itself from a remote Windows 2000-based Remote OS Installation Server. To do this, an end user or an administrator inserts a remote boot floppy into the machine and turns the PC on. The software auto-detects the PC's network interface card and invokes an industry standard remote boot procedure.

This process culminates in the download and execution of a code image to remotely install an operating system. The software works with most network interface cards from 3Com, Hewlett-Packard, Intel, SMC, AMD, Compaq and others.

3Com -- Providing Great Tools

George Kostiuk, director of engineering for 3Com's Business Connectivity Group, said, &uot;3Com Remote OS Installation technology helps make the installation a systematic and simpler way to roll out Windows 2000 over a network.

&uot;Many of Microsoft's customers are also 3Com's customers -- this is one of the fundamental reasons 3Com and Microsoft announced a strategic alliance in January 1999. That alliance is founded on making computers and networks simple to use.&uot;

3Com has also been shipping network interface cards (NIC) pre-installed with a DynamicAccess(R) managed PC boot agent since 1998. This firmware agent includes several configurable industry standard boot protocols including PXE, DHCP, BOOTP and others.

With the managed PC boot agent on the 3Com NIC, Windows 2000 Professional can be easily deployed to a client over a network using the same technology, without the need for a floppy disk. For more information visit www.3com.com/managedpc.

About 3Com Corporation

With over 300 million customer connections worldwide, 3Com Corporation connects more people and organizations to information and each other in more innovative, simple and reliable ways than any other networking company. 3Com delivers e-Networking solutions through information access products and network systems to enterprises, small businesses, consumers, carriers and network service providers. For further information, visit 3Com's World Wide Web site at www.3com.com or the press site at www.3com.com/pressbox.

Note to Editors: 3Com and DynamicAccess are registered trademarks of 3Com Corporation. All other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.