Disaster recovery leader chooses CrossComm for ATM edge solution; Comdisco Disaster Recovery Services adds to its team of suppliers for nationwide ATM system.

MARLBOROUGH, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 17, 1996--CrossComm Corporation, a supplier of routing, switching and ATM connectivity products has been chosen by Comdisco Disaster Recovery Services to supply ATM edge routing products for its nationwide disaster recovery network.

Comdisco is the world's largest and most experienced provider of business continuity services, with a nationwide ATM network linking Comdisco's 28 North American recovery facilities.

According to Dennis Cook, Director of Network Products for Comdisco, "CDRS Net is our main vehicle for providing recovery services. It is a hybrid network consisting of very high speed links (OC3 to OC48) in the main backbone, right down to 56Kbps to some of the smaller feeder sites. Some time ago we had chosen Newbridge as our ATM switch provider, and several of their 36150 and 36170 devices are now installed. We needed a reliable, versatile ATM edge router product to complement these switches and provide our customers with a seamless high speed LAN extension capability. We were able to find these products at CrossComm."

William "BJ" Johnson, CrossComm's President and CEO responded, "We are pleased to be associated with a quality company like Comdisco. Comdisco chose us to fulfill this need over perceived market leaders. This is a very demanding environment for our products. It is also a strong signal that we can offer leading edge products that interoperate with other vendors' -- and add significant value to multivendor networks. It also validates the cost-effective use of ATM in the development of intranets."

Edge routers are now installed throughout Comdisco's ATM network infrastructure, with centralized management in Wood Dale, IL. Many of the recovery sites are tied into CDRS Net at OC3 (155Mbps) or DS3 (45Mbps) speeds. In support of a customer test or disaster, LAN traffic is re-established over the ATM network to a Comdisco backup system, using the CrossComm ATM edge router or a "transportable unit" (V.35 router). It is also possible to link the customer's remote sites to CDRS Net, and thus mirror the customer's network topology as well.

"Comdisco supports well over 4,000 recovery plan tests per year," said Cook. "Most of the time these tests are run in eight to twenty-four hour increments. The equipment must work reliably and consistently, and the vendor's support must be rock-solid. CrossComm performed flawlessly during our three month evaluation period, completing over sixty tests with our clients, and their support was top-notch."

One of Comdisco's main requirements for networking equipment is flexibility. Many tests are back-to back, requiring the equipment to be reconfigured at a moment's notice. CrossComm's edge router equipment can be reconfigured locally through the console port, or remotely, through the IMS network management station. All configuration parameters are "soft" and are stored in non-volatile RAM. This greatly reduces the set-up time and significantly lowers the risk that the tests will fail. CrossComm's IMS network management station, built on Hewlett-Packard's OpenView, is a graphics based system capable of managing all CrossComm's products and modules in an integrated fashion. In addition to being able to manage any SNMP device, it offers many advanced network management applications such as RMON, Session Capture, Network Inventory and Expert Test.

About CrossComm Corporation

CrossComm Corporation (NASDAQ/XCOM), founded in 1987, designs, develops, manufactures and sells high-performance intranet and networking solutions, enabling customers to integrate the benefits of ATM technology, while preserving their legacy LAN environments. The company also offers complete, high performance, scaleable LAN switching solutions that can grow as bandwidth demands increase. Worldwide headquarters are located at 450 Donald Lynch Boulevard, Marlborough, MA 01752.

About Comdisco

Founded in 1980, Comdisco Disaster Recovery Services, headquartered in Rosemont, IL, is the world's largest and most experienced provider of business continuity services. It has a network of computer and Workarea Recovery Solutions facilities available to subscribers in the event of a disruption affecting their businesses. Comdisco operates recovery facilities throughout North America, as well as in Germany, France, Great Britain, and the Pacific Rim.

Comdisco Disaster Recovery Services is a division of Comdisco, Inc. (NYSE:CDO), one of the world's leading providers of solutions that include equipment leasing, remarketing, and reconditioning; asset management; business continuity; technology integration and network services.

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All CrossComm product names herein are trademarked by CrossComm Corporation. CDRS Net is a registered trademark of Comdisco, Inc. All other product or company names are trademarked by their respective companies.

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