Cabletron Protects Customer Investments in FDDI With New Switches.

ROCHESTER, N.H.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 15, 1998--

New VNswitches Allow for Layer 2 and Layer 3 Switching and

Provides Seamless Migration Path to

Next-Generation Technologies

Continuing its investment in the MultiSwitch 900 platform while enabling customers to further extend the capability of FDDI in their networks, Cabletron Systems (NYSE:CS) today announced the availability of two new VNswitch modules - VNswitch 900FF and VNswitch 900FX.

The VNswitch family of products provide customers with unprecedented levels of investment protection. Customers can combine multiple technologies in their network and they can migrate to next-generation switching technologies such as Gigabit Ethernet - all without changing the chassis. Concurrent Layer 2 switching and Layer 3 routing are also possible with these new VNswitches which will enhance the capabilities of an FDDI network.

"Customers demand the reliability and flexibility of FDDI in their network backbones," said Emmy Johnson, analyst with Cahners In-Stat Group. "Our research indicates that over half of the current users of FDDI will continue to run FDDI as their network backbone technology in the year 2000. These new VNswitch products will enable customers to extend the life of FDDI which provides them exactly what they want - investment protection."

Meeting the needs of customers in markets such as education, government, healthcare, and banking/finance, these products provide a simple, incremental- cost solution, dramatically increasing network bandwidth in a workgroup or departmental wiring closet.

MultiSwitch 900 customers, primarily running client/server applications like file transfers and email, utilize shared or half-duplex switched FDDI server or network connections. These new switches not only provide customers continued fault-tolerant and reliable use of FDDI in their networks, but they also deliver enhanced performance with full-duplex FDDI and non-disruptive integration of multiple technologies, like Fast Ethernet where needed.

As with the other nine members of the VNswitch 900 family, the new Vnswitch 900 products deliver over 750,000 pps aggregate switching throughput, line-rate Layer 2 switching on all ports, and concurrent Layer 3 IP routing at 100,000 pps. Customers have the ultimate flexibility of seamless data interconnection to other VNswitches across a 1.2 Gb/s multi- technology distributed switching fabric on the MultiSwitch 900 platform.

Pricing and Availability

The VNswitch 900FF (2-port SAS or DAS switched FDDI) is priced at $11,795. The VNswitch 900FX (1-port) SAS or DAS switched FDDI and 2-ports switched Fast Ethernet is priced at $9,795. Both of the new VNswitch 900 products are orderable through our distributors and Synergy Plus Partners and are shipping in volume.

About Cabletron

Cabletron Systems, a recognized leader in high-performance computer networking products, provides dependable network access and communications to millions of people throughout the world under its Smart Networking architecture. With scaleable products designed for Fortune 1000 enterprise networks, service providers and small businesses, Cabletron provides simple, reliable and cost-effective business solutions for the information age.

For more information visit Cabletron's website at http://www.cabletron.com.

Note to Editors: MultiSwitch 900, VNswitch and GIGAswitch are trademarks of Cabletron Systems.

CONTACT: Cabletron Systems

Melissa Morales

603/337-1541

[e-mail]

or

Ruder - Finn

Nicole Peters

212/593-6341

[e-mail]