Allied Telesyn Challenges for Larger Share of High-End Gigabit Layer 3 Switch Market; Out-of-the-Box IPv6 Capable 9900 Series Offers Rich QoS Functionality, Hardware Redundancy, Flexibility and Industry-Leading Value.

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Allied Telesyn, a global provider of secure, end-to-end Ethernet/IP solutions for businesses of all sizes, has added the 9900 series of 10/100/1000T switches to its broad Layer 3 line-up. With an enhanced feature set and hardware redundancy, the 9900s will impress network administrators who seek an advanced -- and more affordable -- Layer 3 switch solution for network aggregation tier or server and IP storage farms. Such features are commonly associated with more expensive solutions from vendors such as Cisco Systems Inc. and Extreme Networks Inc.

Three models in the 9900 series are currently available and shipping. The AT-9924T, which has a list price of $5,295, is a 24-port 10/100/1000T switch with four additional small form factor pluggable (SFP) ports for fiber Gigabit Ethernet connections. The flexible AT-9924TS, which lists for $7,731, features two high-speed 20Gbps expansion bays that allow network managers to customize and change configurations via expansion modules that slot into the base unit. The AT-9924SP is a 24-port SFP-only switch and lists for $5,695.

"This product line has been designed from the start to compete aggressively with products from the leading vendors," says Philip Yim, Allied Telesyn's Executive Vice President of Marketing and Product Development. "With its rich feature set, advanced QoS functionality and hardware redundancy, the 9900 series is a tough act to beat."

With the launch of the 9900 series, Allied Telesyn is now shipping four families of 10/100/1000 switches: the unmanaged desktop GS900 series, the workgroup and departmental 9400 Layer 2+ series, the stackable 9700 basic Layer 3 series and the new 9900 advanced Layer 3 series for core and server farm aggregation.

All models in the 9900 series are in a 1RU form factor with front-to-back cooling and dual, hot-swappable, load-sharing internal PSU modules (AC and DC versions). LEDs on the front and back panels indicate if these components are inoperable or missing. A front-mounted out-of-band network and serial management port offers flexible configuration and recovery options in case the primary network is unreachable. And a web-based management interface is available through the regular switch ports.

9900 series switches are ideal for users planning a migration from IPv4 to IPv6. They are IPv6 capable out-of-the-box, and an optional IPv6 accelerator card is also available. Spurred on by the hot IPv6 network market in Europe and Japan, the 9900s are among the first non-chassis switches available that provide hardware-based IPv6.

The IPv6 support capabilities of the 9900 series perform equally well with IPv4. Layer 3 capabilities including RIP (Routing Information Protocol), OSPF (Open Shortest Path First), IGMP (Internet Group Management Protocol) and DVMRP (Distance Vector Multicast Routing Protocol). The units also support VRRP (Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol) to synchronize routing tables of multiple devices. BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) is also supported.

The 9900 series offers 4,096 distinct VLANs (virtual LANs) and VLAN double tagging in addition to 8 service queues per port. For added security, the 9900 series supports 1,024 ACLs (Access Control Lists), which can be bound to Link Aggregation Groups, VLANs or individual ports.

Sophisticated QoS capabilities are a key component of the 9900's advanced feature set. These capabilities include dual-rate, fine-granularity bandwidth metering per traffic class; three-color bandwidth conformance class distribution; and pre and post remarking of DSCP, VLAN Tag User Priority, Bandwidth Class, and Egress Queue. They also support queue shaping with RED or simple tail drop, weighted round robin and strict priority scheduling and egress limiting.

Allied Telesyn products are backed by a complete range of technical support options, including 24/7 web and phone support. Allied Telesyn products can be purchased directly, or via leading value-added resellers, e-commerce sites, and direct marketers.

For more information on the 9900 series switches, call 800-424-4284 or visit Allied Telesyn's website at www.alliedtelesyn.com.

About Allied Telesyn, Inc.

Allied Telesyn was founded in 1987 with the goal of producing reliable, standards-based networking products. Focused on Ethernet/IP solutions geared to applications, Allied Telesyn offers carrier-class access-edge products including Layer 3 switches, fiber/copper Multiservice Access Platforms, and CPE. We're also a leading global manufacturer of media converters, unmanaged switches, and NICs. Our customer-driven approach has made Allied Telesyn the ideal choice for IT professionals looking for high-quality, feature-rich network solutions at a lower price.