Ascend announces new entry-level MAX remote access switch; MAX 200 offers upgradable open architecture for telecommuting and mobile computing.ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 25, 1995--Ascend Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq: ASND ASND A Streetcar Named Desire (play) ), based in Alameda, Calif., today announced the MAX 200, the newest member of Ascend's industry-leading family of remote access switches. Targeted at small businesses, remote offices, and small "community" ISPs (Internet Service Providers), the MAX 200 provides a modular platform for remote access offering a fully upgradable, open architecture for telecommuting, Internet access, and mobile computing. Ascend will demonstrate the MAX 200 this week at the Networld+Interop 95 tradeshow (Ascend Booth no. 4124), located here. The MAX 200 offers high-performance remote access via industry-standard PC Cards (PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association, San Jose, CA, www.pcmcia.org) An international standards body and trade association that was founded in 1989 to establish a standard for connecting peripherals to portable computers. PCMCIA created the PC Card. See PC Card. ), for analog dial-in, ISDN ISDN in full Integrated Services Digital Network Digital telecommunications network that operates over standard copper telephone wires or other media. (Integrated Services Digital Network Integrated services digital network (ISDN) A generic term referring to the integration of communications services transported over digital facilities such as wire pairs, coaxial cables, optical fibers, microwave radio, and satellites. ) and, in early 1996, Frame Relay support, according to Bernie Schneider, vice president of marketing for Ascend. "With the MAX 200, small business and remote office customers now have an ideal solution for their mobile workers and telecommuters to access corporate network resources," Schneider said. The MAX 200 supports multiple dial-in connections to an Ethernet network, supporting TCP/IP TCP/IP in full Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol Standard Internet communications protocols that allow digital computers to communicate over long distances. , IPX and Appletalk 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. protocols. It has a RISC-based architecture with slots for eight industry-standard PC Cards (PCMCIA). Installing PC Cards (PCMCIA) is easy and eliminates the power cords, cables, and initialization strings normally associated with separate external modems and terminal adapters. The modular platform makes upgrades such as adding additional modem or ISDN PC Cards, and support for Frame Relay, as simple as inserting a PC Card. "MAX 200 provides Corporate America and Internet Service Providers with a single, integrated remote access solution with central management, central security, and a common user authentication database and billing system," Schneider said. "Ascend is the only vendor to offer this level of scalability and remote access management." The MAX 200 supports PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol) The most popular method for transporting IP packets over a serial link between the user and the ISP. Developed in 1994 by the IETF and superseding the SLIP protocol, PPP establishes the session between the user's computer and the ISP using and Appletalk Remote Access AppleTalk Remote Access, or ARA, was a protocol stack that allowed AppleTalk to be run over modems. It became a fairly major product for Apple Computer in the early to mid-1990s when their first portable and laptop computers were available (and very popular). and is compatible with PCs running Windows 95, Windows 3.X and the MacIntosh OS. It is available now at a price of $2,400, which includes Ascend's client software needed to connect workstations to the MAX 200. Ascend Communications, Inc. develops, manufactures, markets, sells and supports a broad range of high-speed analog and digital wide-area network access products. These products use bandwidth on demand to enhance existing corporate networks for applications such as remote LAN access, telecommuting, SOHO Soho (sōhō`, sə–), district of Westminster, London, England, known for its continental restaurants. Once a fashionable quarter, it became popular among writers and artists in the 19th cent. and Internet access, and videoconferencing/multimedia access. -0- Note to Editors: Ascend is headquartered at 1275 Harbor Bay Parkway, Alameda, Calif., 94502. Phone: 800/621-9578 or 510/769-6001; Fax: 510/814-2300; E-mail: info@ascend.com. Ascend's World Wide Web address is http://www.ascend.com. CONTACT: Ascend Communications Jerri Emm, 510/769-6001, Email: jemm@ascend.com or Gallagher PR Kevin Gallagher, 510/743-7830, Email: kevin@gpr.com |
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