Cisco Breaks New Ground in Managing and Scaling ATM Networks.

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 9, 1996--Cisco Systems, Inc. today announced the availability of two new products for managing and scaling ATM networks.

Cisco is now shipping AtmDirector(TM), a graphical, system-level ATM management application that greatly simplifies configuring, monitoring and troubleshooting a network of ATM switches, ATM-attached routers and LAN switches. In addition, the company is the first to ship software based on the ATM Forum's Private Network-to-Network Interface (P-NNI) Phase 1 specification. P-NNI software, running on Cisco's LightStream 1010 campus ATM switch, provides an industry-standard way of routing calls through large ATM networks.

"These advanced new capabilities demonstrate our strategic commitment to helping customers build large-scale, commercial ATM networks," said Anthony Alles, Cisco's director of ATM product management.

AtmDirector, which is fully integrated with the CiscoView(TM) graphical device management application, automatically discovers and illustrates the topology of an ATM network and displays real-time link information. Network managers can troubleshoot the network by using AtmDirector to select any virtual connection on an ATM link and trace its entire path. Additionally, the application provides an intuitive interface for creating Permanent Virtual Connections (PVCs) across an ATM network, where ATM signaling and routing protocols are used to ease configuration during connection set-up.

AtmDirector can be used with Cisco's advanced virtual LAN management applications to better manage LAN Emulation-based ATM networks consisting of multiple, interconnected ATM switches, LAN switches and routers.

"The old tools and applications used to manage shared LANs will not suffice when managing an ATM network," said John McConnell, president of McConnell Consulting, Inc., of Boulder, Colo. "These advanced ATM management functions will allow network administrators to more easily understand and apply the management data available for ATM networks."

Meanwhile, Cisco's LightStream 1010 is the first ATM switch to support P-NNI Phase 1 software, which delivers far more robust ATM routing and switch-to-switch signaling than the proprietary or interim schemes typically available.

P-NNI protocols support the set-up of ATM connections in which any aspect of the intended traffic flow and desired quality of service (QoS) can be specified and used as a basis of call routing. This will enable a network of Cisco LightStream switches to exchange not only reachability information, but QoS metrics such as bandwidth, cell delays, burstiness, latency and jitter. Cisco's P-NNI implementation also supports advanced capabilities such as link load balancing, connection admission control and access lists for ATM security.

P-NNI protocols have been designed to scale across all sizes of ATM networks, from small campus networks of a few switches to global networks with thousands of switches. This level of scalability is greater than that of any existing routing protocol. While the P-NNI protocols are among the most sophisticated routing algorithms ever developed, Cisco has ensured that its P-NNI implementation on the LightStream 1010 is plug-and-play.

"We brought up an entire LAN-emulated ATM network, with multiple ATM and LAN switches, in a matter of minutes thanks to Cisco's autoconfiguration mechanisms," said Allen Robel, senior network planner at Indiana University in Bloomington. "We were very impressed with the scalability and sophistication of the LightStream 1010's P-NNI software."

According to Alles, "Our next-generation, LightStream 1010 campus ATM switch has met with rapid market acceptance since its recent introduction. It joins the Cisco StrataCom IGX, for multiservice WAN switching, and the Cisco StrataCom BPX, for service provider networks, as strategic platforms that customers are now deploying with confidence in large, mission-critical networks. AtmDirector and P-NNI are the kinds of capabilities customers need to transition ATM from test beds to production networks."

Pricing and availability

Product                      --    Price    --   Availability
AtmDirector
 (when ordered alone)        --   $4,995    --    Immediate
AtmDirector (when ordered
 as an upgrade to the
 CiscoWorks(TM) management
 application suite)          --   $2,995    --    Immediate
P-NNI software for the
 Cisco LightStream 1010
 (when ordered as an individual
 Cisco IOS software feature
 license)                    --   $2,500    --    Immediate

Cisco Systems (Nasdaq: CSCO) is the leading global supplier of internetworking solutions for corporate intranets and the global Internet. Cisco's products -- including routers, LAN and WAN switches, dial-up access servers and network management software -- are integrated by Cisco IOS software to link geographically dispersed LANs, WANs and IBM networks. Company news and product/service information are available at World Wide Web site http://www.cisco.com. Cisco is headquartered in San Jose, Calif. -0-

NOTE TO EDITORS: AtmDirector, CiscoView, Cisco IOS, CiscoWorks and Cisco Systems are trademarks, and Cisco and the Cisco Systems logo are registered trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. All other trademarks, service marks, registered trademarks or registered service marks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners.

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