Ariel Announces Linux Support For Family Of ISDN BRI Adapter Cards; Makes Drivers Available To Public Through Open Source Initiative.

Business Editors and High-Tech Writers

PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 15, 2000

Ariel Corp. (NASDAQ:ADSP), a leading supplier of Windows NT and Linux remote access solutions, Monday announced the availability of RedHat 6.0 Linux for Ariel's family of PCI-based ISDN adapter cards.

Ariel also announced that it will make the source code for its Linux remote access drivers available to the public free of charge through the Open Source Initiative. Ariel's ISDN adapter cards give communications OEMs and system integrators a scaleable, low-cost, out-of-the-box solution for adding up to four ports of BRI access and eight ports of V.90 data/fax to Linux systems.

"Linux makes an ideal platform for communications OEMs and systems integrators who want to equip PC servers with affordable, robust remote access and fax," said Dennis Schneider, senior vice president of worldwide marketing at Ariel. "Ariel pioneered remote access solutions for open systems platforms, and was the first company to provide a high-density remote access solution for Linux systems. Now, we are extending Linux support to our ISDN adapter cards, which make it easy for OEMs to offer Linux remote access solutions that provide a low total cost of ownership and are simple to install, maintain and administer."

Ariel's family of ISDN PCI adapter cards give Linux computers the physical connections required for remote dial-in and LAN dial out. Available with up to four BRI interfaces (eight B channels), eight V.90 modems, and eight HDLC controllers, the adapter cards transform Linux computers into full-featured remote access and FAX servers.

Ariel's ISDN adapter cards are available in four models: a single-port BRI card (ExpresSO PCI); a two-port BRI card (EspresS0 4B); a four-port BRI card (Megaspeed 8B); and a four-port BRI card (RS800) that provides up to eight optional V.90 data and FAX modems. The cards are compatible with a variety of ISDN switches, including 5ESS, National ISDN-1, ETSI (Euro-ISDN), and VN4. The RS800, when equipped with V.90 modems, interfaces with FAX servers through a generic FAX Class 1 or 2 modem interface.

All Ariel ISDN BRI cards provide a standard ISDN4Linux interface, which enables them to run Internet and remote access applications like Web browsers and FTP clients. The cards also provide a tty interface. This enables them to run popular Linux fax applications like HYLAfax that are required for corporate fax communication systems.

The Linux drivers for all of Ariel's ISDN BRI cards are available free of charge through the Open Source Initiative, an organization created to further the state of the art in software development by making source code available free of charge to the public and removing licensing and other distribution barriers.

"Linux and the open-source movement are a perfect fit for Ariel's open systems philosophy," remarked Dennis Schneider. "Last year, we made the Linux driver source code for our high-density PCI and Compact PCI 56K/ISDN remote access products available through the Open Source Initiative. Now, we're pleased to announce that we will be providing Linux drivers for our ISDN adapter cards. Long term, we will continue to do our best to further the development and deployment of open systems technologies like Linux."

System requirements for Ariel's ISDN adapter cards are a Pentium-based PC server (200 MHz or higher), 32 Mbytes of RAM, and the Linux kernel (version 2.2 or higher).

List price for Ariel BRI Linux cards start at 200. All four cards are available immediately.

More on Ariel

Ariel Corp. is a leading provider of high-density, remote-access plug-in cards for applications such as Internet access, corporate Intranet/Extranet access, on-line services, telecommuting, transaction processing and unified messaging. Ariel's remote access products make it easy for OEMs and system integrators targeting ISPs, corporate enterprises and other service providers to add high-density remote access to open systems platforms running a variety of popular operating systems, including Windows NT and Linux.

For more information on Ariel's products in North America, contact Ariel Corp. at 2540 Route 130, Cranbury, N.J. 08512. Phone [phone], fax [phone], E-mail: [e-mail]. World Wide Web: www.ariel.com.

For more information on Ariel's products in Europe, contact Ariel Deutschland GmbH at Stockumer Str 394, 44227 Dortmund, Germany. Phone [phone]. Fax [phone]. Email: [e-mail]. World Wide Web: www.ariel.com.

Ariel is a registered trademark of Ariel Corp.