Enterprise Customers Select 3Com to Transition From FDDI to Higher Speed and Convergence-Ready Networks.

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 5, 1999--

New Modules for CoreBuilder(R) Switches Provide FDDI Users Smooth,

Reliable Migration Path to High-Speed Gigabit

Ethernet, ATM and Layer 3 Convergence Ready Networks

3Com Corporation (NASDAQ:COMS) today introduced new FDDI modules for its CoreBuilder 3500 Layer 3 High-Function and next generation CoreBuilder 9000 Enterprise switches. These modules have enabled customers, such as Sony Electronics and Fleet Credit Card Services, to easily and cost-effectively migrate from FDDI networks to a high-speed, fully-switched infrastructure for better network performance and control. The new infrastructure also lays a foundation for supporting converged voice/video/data applications in the future.

The FDDI interface modules are easily integrated into the CoreBuilder 3500 and 9000 switches, providing customers with Gigabit Ethernet and ATM connectivity options and Layer 3 switching control. While other vendors offer FDDI support in their legacy products, 3Com is the only vendor in the industry offering FDDI migration capabilities within its next generation switching platforms.

Typical switch configurations, for example, combine FDDI and Fast Ethernet port modules with Gigabit Ethernet or ATM downlinks, enabling customers to migrate their backbones from shared FDDI concentrators to the wire-speed performance of the CoreBuilder 3500 and 9000 switches. This configuration allows new servers to be added to the Fast Ethernet links at one-fourth the price of FDDI connections, and new users to the high-speed backbone offering up to 10 times the performance at approximately the same price per port. The CoreBuilder 3500 and 9000 switches also handle IP, IPX and AppleTalk routing and provide quality of service (QoS) and class of service (CoS) support, enabling mission critical applications to be prioritized over background tasks.

"We selected 3Com because the company provided the combination of the best FDDI migration path with advanced networking technology support, allowing us to transition to a higher-speed network that would meet our requirements to support voice, video and data applications," said Brian Dahill, manager of communications infrastructure and planning for the Sony Technology Center in San Diego. "With the 3Com infrastructure in place, we expect to see significant cost savings while being able to support our company growth into emerging markets."

Michael Speyer, program manager for the Yankee Group, said, "FDDI's value as a high-performance, reliable technology has made it the backbone technology of choice in about 6,000 of the world's largest enterprise networks. However, as bandwidth requirements have grown, companies need to migrate to switched backbones that provide higher bandwidth and higher availability. Whether FDDI customers are planning to transition to Gigabit Ethernet or ATM, they will have to look for vendors, like 3Com, that have the experience, technology and support to take them to the next level of converged networking."

In February 1999, 3Com announced that the company has further extended its leadership in the Ethernet local area network (LAN) switching and hub market, according to fourth quarter 1998 reports from market analysts The Dell'Oro Group and Cahners In-Stat Group. To date, 3Com remains the undisputed leader in overall Ethernet connectivity worldwide with a 35 percent share (Dell'Oro Group and Cahners In-Stat Group). This is three times the market share of Cisco, 3Com's closest competitor.

"Our concern will always be with solving customer problems and needs, and this is evidenced by the market leadership 3Com enjoys in the Ethernet switching arena," said Andy Gottlieb, vice president of Large Enterprise marketing at 3Com. "With this announcement, 3Com continues serving the market with the best performing networking solutions at the lowest possible cost while preserving customers' investments in their existing networks."

CoreBuilder 3500 Layer 3 High-Function and 9000 Enterprise Switches

The 3Com(R) CoreBuilder 3500 Layer 3 High-Function switch redefines price/performance and functionality in high-end switching and routing. Built around 3Com's Flexible Intelligent Routing Engine (FIRE), a sophisticated third-generation ASIC technology, the switch provides wire-speed Layer 2 and Layer 3 traffic forwarding and supports real-time, multimedia network traffic using the most advanced policy-based services found in networking devices today. Combined with flexible virtual LAN (VLAN) support, multicast services, multiprotocol routing, and network management with RMON-1, RMON-2, and Roving Analysis Port (RAP), the CoreBuilder 3500 Layer 3 switch provides a robust and resilient networking infrastructure.

The CoreBuilder 9000 Enterprise switch offers the highest core switching capacity in the industry today. Designed for deployment in the high density wiring closet, campus backbone, data center, and at the WAN edge, the CoreBuilder 9000 switch delivers exceptional levels of performance and control mandated by the needs of today's enterprise networks. A unique combination of Layer 2 and Layer 3 control features in the CoreBuilder 9000 switch removes the performance bottlenecks and topological constraints of router-based backbones. Like the CoreBuilder 3500 switch, the CoreBuilder 9000 switch is based on 3Com's FIRE ASIC, which incorporates both ATM and Gigabit Ethernet technologies to deliver high-volume bandwidth for diverse enterprise applications.

Pricing and Availability

U.S. List pricing for the CoreBuilder FDDI modules is as follows:

CoreBuilder 3500 FDDI module - 6-port MMF $14,995, 6-port SMF $19,995. Both available now.

CoreBuilder 9000 FDDI module - 6-port MMF $17,995. Scheduled availability Q3CY99.

About 3Com Corporation

With more than 200 million customers worldwide, 3Com Corporation connects more people to information in more ways than any other networking company. 3Com delivers innovative information access products and network system solutions to large, medium and small enterprises; carriers and network service providers; PC OEMs; and consumers. 3Com -- More connected(TM) For further information, visit 3Com's World Wide Web site at www.3com.com or the press site at www.3com.com/pressbox.

3Com and CoreBuilder are registered trademarks and More connected. is a trademark of 3Com Corporation. Other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.