Bay Networks, IBM and 3Com Announce Network Interoperability Alliance.

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 20, 1996--Bay Networks, IBM and 3Com Corporation announced an alliance today to help customers simplify, standardize and enhance the design and deployment of local area networks (LANs) through open, common product interoperability specifications and testing.

LAN customers often face a bewildering variety of device specifications, technologies and different standards, which has complicated product selection and can hinder network deployment and growth. Today's agreement will help people make greater use of current networking opportunities and enable them to better capitalize on networking's enormous future potential.

These common and open specifications will enable customers to build more fully integrated networks spanning LANs, routing, internetworking, and Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM). The three key layers for building LANs involve desktop computers and servers, edge and core networking devices, and network management. The three companies' architectures are already designed around these three levels and so provide a common foundation for greater product interoperability. Networks using the most demanding applications need the super speeds which switching provides in order to offer the highest performance and quality.

"This interoperability announcement will enable customers to select and integrate best-of-breed technologies that will deliver the performance and quality of service essential to next-generation applications," said Andy Ludwick, president and CEO of Bay Networks. "The commitment on the part of these three companies to build superior LAN products that have been pre-tested for interoperability, moves the industry a significant step forward."

"Customers will benefit immediately from greater interoperability. They will be better able to plan for meeting the requirements of network expansion and complexity. Those customers that I've personally spoken to are delighted to hear that Bay Networks and 3Com have joined with IBM to create this interoperability program," said Lutz Hahne, general manager, IBM Networking Hardware Division.

"This plan marks a comprehensive step toward integrating desktops and servers and edge networking devices and core networking devices into a simplified and open networking environment," said Eric Benhamou, chairman and CEO of 3Com. "This three-level architectural approach acknowledges the installed base of hub and desktop devices,and lets users evolve their networks from where they are, without the need for wholesale change. Simplified, open networks have always been 3Com's philosophy, and we are excited to be working IBM and Bay Networks."

"This is a brilliant way to help customers like myself who have to integrate and manage heterogeneous LANs. I have networking gear from each of them at Foxwoods, and this approach will make my life easier," said Jerry Wyble, MIS manager at Foxwoods Casino in Mashantucket, CT.

"As networks become more complex, customers face increasingly difficult issues related to standards and compatibility," said Nick Lippis, president of Strategic Networks Consulting, Inc. "This announcement provides a forum for addressing these interoperability challenges and is a welcome move for the industry."

The initial standards that the companies plan to implement constitute the foundation of today's rapidly growing networks and which provide a path to those in the future. The companies plan to adopt key strengths of BaySIS/a from Bay Networks, Switched Virtual Networking (SVN)/a with Multiprotocol Switched Services (MSS)/a from IBM, and Transcend/a from 3Com to help customers build more fully integrated solutions. As with other industry standards such as Ethernet, the framework is open for others to adopt. The key specifications and technologies are zero hop routing, IEEE 802.1 p and q standards, and Integrated Private Network to Network Interface (I-PNNI).

Zero hop routing means desktop computers and servers in different parts of a network can communicate with the same efficiency and performance as if they were in the same part of the network. The three companies plan to extend this concept into both LAN and Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) environments. ATM enables voice, video, graphics, and data to be transmitted over the same lines at super speeds and eliminates the need to build costly, separate networks to handle each of these types of data separately. Zero hop routing leverages existing ATM Forum LAN emulation and IETF standards.

The IEEE 802 Executive Committee recently approved the development of a new Virtual LAN (VLAN) interoperability standard to be known as 802.1q. The standard will go beyond earlier approaches to VLAN interoperability, including 802.10, in that it covers not only frame formats, but also rules for mapping packets to VLANs, packet forwarding, loop detection protocols,quality-of-service parameters,management architecture and MIBs. The result will be a flexible, comprehensive solution for interoperable VLANs, making them easier to define and to deliver better performance.

I-PNNI is a single routing protocol for both ATM and existing internetworking layer protocols like Internet Protocol (IP). IP's growth is explosive as more businesses deploy Intranet and Internet solutions. I-PNNI is one of the key components of work needed to bring real-time and quality-of-service-sensitive IP applications to end users.

In April, the PNNI Working Group of the ATM Forum passed a proposal to begin work on the I-PNNI standard. This means I-PNNI will become the core technology for integrating the two worlds of IP and ATM, so that IP users can receive the benefits of ATM in a more cost-effective manner.

The three companies will propose these specifications to standards organizations like the IEEE, IETF and ATM Forum. Bay Networks, IBM, and 3Com will work with them to achieve broad acceptance of this approach to the design and deployment of LANs. Other companies will be contacted to solicit their support. The specifications are open and non-proprietary, and any vendor may adopt them.

The companies will also jointly test their LAN products to ensure interoperability, so customers, who often buy these devices from all three firms, can be confident that their purchases can be integrated. So many products from the three companies are already installed in networks around the world that customers also value the commitment to backwards compatibility or compatibility between old and new devices. Further information can be found in the technical white paper that the companies are distributing today. The companies will also publish this document on the Internet. This and other data can be obtained through these Home Pages: www.baynetworks.com, www.raleigh.ibm.com, www.ibm.com, and www.3com.com or by contacting the companies at [e-mail],[e-mail] or [e-mail].

A press conference will be held to describe the Network Interoperability Alliance starting at 8:30 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time at the Renaissance Meeting Center in Santa Clara, CA. Mr.Ludwick, Mr.Benhamou and Mr.Hahne will be present at the Center to speak with reporters. The Center's number is 408-562-6111.For reporters on the East Coast,a live video link will be available in Newton, MA at the Newton Marriott. The telephone number is 617-969-1000. Technical executives will be present at the Newton Marriott to answer questions from reporters.

Bay Networks, Inc. is a worldwide leader in the internetworking market, providing a full line of products that serve enterprises, workgroups, small offices, and mobile workers. The company offers market-leading LAN and ATM switches, hubs, routers, remote and Internet access solutions, and network management applications, all unified by the BaySIS architecture.

IBM's Networking Hardware Division (NHD) develops and manufactures leading-edge networking technologies and products. Headquartered in Research Triangle Park, NC, NHD also provides consultation, education, service, and support worldwide to help customers achieve their business objectives.

3Com Corporation has helped more than 28 million people gain access to critical information through high-speed networks. Designed to serve large enterprises, small offices and homes, 3Com products provide a scalable architecture to meet the immediate and long-term connectivity needs of today's user. With research and developments on three continents, 3Com is one of the data networking industry's largest and fastest growing companies. -0-

/a: Trademark or registered trademarks of the respective companies

CONTACT: Bay Networks

Chris Carleton, 503/436-3706

or

IBM

Tom Belz, 919/254-1128

or

3Com

Ben Gibson, 408/764-5279