AirSoft's Powerburst extends remote node acceleration to Windows NT LAN environments.CUPERTINO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 19, 1996--AirSoft Inc. Monday announced availability of Version 1.2 of its Powerburst remote node A terminal or computer located apart from the main network. It may refer to a branch office or a traveling user with a laptop. Access to the company LAN is typically made via an Internet or dial-up connection. See remote control software. acceleration software. Powerburst is an award-winning, software-only solution, which increases application response time by 200 percent to 400 percent for remote node access to LAN-based files. Access time to applications such as e-mail, databases, productivity tools and schedulers is greatly reduced by Powerburst's architecture. It's innovative Client/Agent design and patent-pending caching algorithms eliminate redundant file system calls, thereby minimizing network traffic and increasing remote access performance. In addition, Powerburst is fully compatible with existing remote node hardware and software solutions, and delivers instant performance increases to remote and mobile network users without making any modifications to their existing network configuration. Key Features of Powerburst v1.2 include: o Acceleration of server applications running on Windows NT (Windows New Technology) A 32-bit operating system from Microsoft for Intel x86 CPUs. NT is the core technology in Windows 2000 and Windows XP (see Windows). Available in separate client and server versions, it includes built-in networking and preemptive multitasking. Advanced Server as well as the previously supported NetWare 3.X and 4.X environments. Remote access client environments supported will continue to include Windows 3.1, 3.11 and Windows for Workgroups A version of Windows 3.1 introduced in 1992 that added peer-to-peer networking. See Windows. (operating system) Windows for Workgroups - (WFW, WFWG) A version of Windows 3.1 which works with a network. Although stand-alone 3. . o Automatic upgrade capability to enhance network administration and configuration management. The Powerburst Client software running on remote machines will detect newer versions of the Powerburst Agent software and automatically upgrade to the latest client version. o Expanded and enhanced Agent configuration options which will allow as many as 200 Netware servers to be accessed by a single Powerburst Agent (up from a previous maximum of 64 servers). The Agent also has been enhanced to automatically adapt to the unavailability of some servers on its configured list and to start up and connect with all available servers. o Enhanced Client configuration and performance. User options provide control for designating which networked drives will be mapped for caching and acceleration, thereby allowing acceleration to be targeted at user-specified WAN connected drives. Other changes provide for enhanced monitoring/ management of disk cache See cache. space and targeted performance optimization for widely used applications, such as MS Mail. According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Gary Krall, AirSoft's vice president, marketing: "These newest Powerburst features, such as broadened server support and enhanced network administration, are primarily driven by the initial version's wide acceptance within large corporate environments. In addition to the network administrators who have already adopted Powerburst as a standardized solution (Chem.) a solution which is used as a reagent, and is of a known and standard strength; specifically, a normal solution, containing in each cubic centimeter as many milligrams of the element in question as the number representing its atomic weight; thus, a normal solution of silver for all their mobile and remote-access users, the large base of companies using Windows NT Advanced Servers can now take full advantage of Powerburst's remote node acceleration." Industry Response to Powerburst Powerburst, originally introduced in August 1995, has already gained wide acceptance among industry analysts, value-added resellers, network administrators and remote users. According to testing conducted by the Gartner Group (company) Gartner Group - One of the biggest IT industry research firms. Address: Connecticut, USA. , Powerburst accelerated remote use of e-mail by a factor of better than 10 to one. A December 1995 Gartner Group report stated that "Powerburst is the first product to significantly reduce I/O (Input/Output) The transfer of data between the CPU and a peripheral device. Every transfer is an output from one device and an input to another. See PC input/output. I/O - Input/Output and latency delays in remote node connections. Windows users who access off-the-shelf shared file-based applications over dial-up and wireless remote node access will gain immediate benefits from Powerburst." Jay Coleman of the Bonneville Power Administration The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) is a U.S. self-financed federal agency which transmits and sells wholesale electricity in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and western Montana. The BPA is part of the U.S. Department of Energy, and is headquartered in Portland, Oregon. , a Portland, Ore., division of the US Department of Energy, said: "We're using Powerburst in conjunction with our LAN-based Windows NT servers and remote users running Windows for Workgroups who dial in via Microsoft's RAS (1) See network access server. (2) (Remote Access Service) A Windows NT/2000 Server feature that allows remote users access to the network from their Windows laptops or desktops via modem. See RRAS and network access server. . Our users have experienced the remote access performance of MS Mail to be increased by at least a factor of three times." According to Jose Prats, president of Integrated Digital Networks (a member of AirSoft's Powernet reseller program), "A primary aspect of our business is assisting corporate customers to migrate their existing networks to incorporate remote access capability, and Powerburst has become a key tool which allows us to say `yes' much more often." How Powerburst Works Powerburst consists of two software components: the "Client," a Windows-based software program which is installed on the remote workstation, and the "Agent," a DOS-based program which is installed on a dedicated machine that interfaces with the file server. The Powerburst Client runs on any Windows 3.x Windows 3.x can refer to either an individual or all of the following versions of Microsoft Windows:
in full Microsoft Disk Operating System Operating system for personal computers. MS-DOS was based on DOS, developed in 1980 by Seattle Computer Products. Microsoft Corp. bought the rights to DOS in 1981, and released MS-DOS with IBM's PC that year. 5.0 or higher and having LAN (Local Area Network) A communications network that serves users within a confined geographical area. The "clients" are the user's workstations typically running Windows, although Mac and Linux clients are also used. access to the Netware or Windows NT application server. Operating in tandem Adv. 1. in tandem - one behind the other; "ride tandem on a bicycle built for two"; "riding horses down the path in tandem" tandem , the Powerburst Client and Agent apply AirSoft's advanced patent-pending caching algorithms to eliminate redundant file system calls, thus minimizing inefficiencies inherent in network communications over remote node connections. The key to Powerburst's effectiveness is that it eliminates much of the latency inherent with file-system-based network applications by minimizing the amount of network traffic generated between the applications and file server. Powerburst is not a data compression data compression Process of reducing the amount of data needed for storage or transmission of a given piece of information (text, graphics, video, sound, etc.), typically by use of encoding techniques. system like those used with modems or routers. Instead, Powerburst is designed to specifically address the latency problems associated with dial-up network (1) The switched telephone network regulated by government and administered by common carriers. Also called "plain old telephone system" (POTS) and "public switched telephone network" (PSTN). (2) A network that can be accessed remotely via analog modems or ISDN. connections and can increase performance beyond levels that can be achieved by simply upgrading to a faster connection. In fact, the Powerburst caching algorithms take advantage of telecommunications data compression schemes and can deliver the same performance improvements whether users are connected via a 9600-baud link, 28.8 Kbps link or ISDN ISDN in full Integrated Services Digital Network Digital telecommunications network that operates over standard copper telephone wires or other media. connections. Availability and Pricing Powerburst Agent software is available for $995. Each Agent is capable of supporting up to 64 simultaneous users. Powerburst Client software is available in multiuser licenses starting at $645 for a five-user pack and ranging to $245,000 for a 5,000-user license from AirSoft. Powerburst Agent and Client software is available immediately from any of AirSoft's Powernet value-added resellers. Free upgrades from Powerburst v1.0 for v1.2 are also available immediately for existing Powerburst licensees and software maintenance customers. AirSoft was founded in 1993 and specializes in developing high-performance communications software (communications, software) communications software - Application programs, operating system components, and probably firmware, forming part of a communication system. These different software components might be classified according to the functions within the Open Systems to optimize mobile and branch office users' access to corporate LAN resources. Using proven technology developed for the award-winning AirAccess product introduced in 1993, AirSoft is pioneering new approaches to remote workstation connectivity, creating a new family of solutions to more closely link remote users to the network enterprise. The company headquarters are located at 20833 Stevens Creek Blvd., Suite 200, Cupertino, Calif. 95014; telephone 408/777-7500; fax 408/777-7527; http://www.airsoft.com. Note: AirSoft is a registered trademark and Powerburst is a trademark of AirSoft Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Photos available on request. CONTACT: AirSoft Inc. Gary Krall, 408/777-1895 or The Ardell Group Karina Wollesen, 619/792-7964 |
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