Accton's New Fast SwitcHubs Deliver Optimal Performance for Ethernet and Fast Ethernet.

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--February 14, 1997--Accton Technology Corporation today announced the release of a new switching product for customers easily migrating to 100BASE-T networks, the Fast SwitcHub-8s (ES3008-TX). These new Accton switching hub combines the versatility of 10/100BASE-T networking with state-of-the-art switching technology at either half or full duplex, giving customers plug-and-play connectivity for Ethernet or Fast Ethernet.

One of the real advantages of installing Accton's new Fast SwitcHub is that it gives users a high-performance switching solution to support their existing 10BASE-T workgroups, and the option to upgrade to Fast Ethernet without having to install a new interconnectivity device. Each of the eight ports supports either 10BASE-T or 100BASE-T connectivity, and each port features auto negotiation so no additional configuration is needed to connect to another device. With auto-negotiation, the switch port automatically determines the appropriate speed for optimal throughput. All the ports also support both half and full duplex, so when connected to a full-duplex device or network adapter, they can achieve even faster throughput.

Accton has incorporated a unique ASIC technology into the new Fast SwitcHub that supports adaptive cut-through switching. Unlike other switching systems that have to filter and forward packets resulting in longer latency times and poorer performance, Accton's adaptive cut-through detects error conditions in the network and chooses the best switching approach: either cut-through without error-checking for fastest performance, fragment-free cut-through which filters header information, or store-and-forward which reads the entire packet. Adaptive cut-through not only minimizes configuration time but allows you to fine-tune switch performance.

"Accton has been a world leader in Ethernet switching for some time, and our competitive advantage comes from technology such as the switching ASIC we developed to deliver these advanced data flow control features," said Mr. A.J. Huang, Executive Vice President of Accton Technology. "With the release of these new Fast SwitcHubs we offer Accton customers an easy interconnectivity solution that will continue to deliver the best possible performance, whether they are cabling for Ethernet or Fast Ethernet." Accton has also developed a unique back pressure flow control technology to minimize packet loss. Once the switch buffer fills up, it sends out a command to slow incoming network traffic to minimize packet loss.

The Fast SwitcHub also comes equipped with Accton's exclusive SmartWatch front panel display to make it easy to configure the system, monitor network performance, and quickly diagnose problems. SmartWatch features a comprehensive set of LED indicators that monitor the status of the switch, including traffic activity on every port.

The Fast SwitcHub-8s (ES3008-TX) is priced at $3,815 and will be available later this month.

Accton Technology Corporation manufactures workgroup connectivity hardware and software, including a complete product line for Ethernet applications. Accton USA, which handles mass-market product distribution throughout the Western Hemisphere, is located at 1962 Zanker Road, San Jose, CA 95112; telephone [phone]; FAX: [phone]; www.accton.com. Accton Express Ltd., which is responsible for supporting value-added resellers, system integrators, and third-party suppliers with Accton networking products, is located at 61 Spit Brook Road, Executive Tower, Suite 304, Nashua, NH 03060; telephone [phone]; FAX: [phone]. Accton also has sales offices in Tokyo, Sydney, London, Frankfurt, Beijing, Dubai, Bombay and Taipei.

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