FastComm Targets IBM 3745 Customers with New ChanlComm 7790 Front End Processor.STERLING, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 26, 1999--FastComm Communications Corp. (OTC OTC See: Over-the-counter. OTC See over-the-counter market (OTC). BB: FSCX) will announce today the launch of the ChanlComm(R) 7790. The ChanlComm(R) 7790 comes with a host of standard popular features including online reconfiguration of communication lines; real-time status & performance monitoring that includes line and channel activity; graphically displayed line loading; modem signal status; and system alarms. The remote console A terminal or workstation in a remote location that is used to monitor and control a local computer. allows multiple ChanlComm(R) 7790's to be controlled from a single console. Easy menu-driven configuration screens and graphical status screens reduce operator workload and provide a meaningful real-time view of the network. The host-attached 7790 is channel connected, with traditional bus and tag cables to the mainframe. Each 7790 provides 64 T1/E1 interfaces and 4 channels for legacy communications. Up to four 7790s can be stacked to provide 256 T1/E1 lines controlled from a single console. The next generation 7790, due later this year, will include Escon fiber to the host, embedded Inserted into. See embedded system. frame relay A high-speed packet switching protocol used in wide area networks (WANs). Providing a granular service of up to DS3 speed (45 Mbps), it has become popular for LAN to LAN connections across remote distances, and services are offered by most major carriers. , ATM and a remote stand-alone version currently planned as the ChanlComm(R) 7795. Front end processors (FEPs), in today's mainframe environment, represent over a million communication ports. In a typical data center, IBM (International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, www.ibm.com) The world's largest computer company. IBM's product lines include the S/390 mainframes (zSeries), AS/400 midrange business systems (iSeries), RS/6000 workstations and servers (pSeries), Intel-based servers (xSeries) FEPs co-exist with Cisco routers. The IBM FEP See front end processor. transfers legacy traffic (SNA (Systems Network Architecture) IBM's mainframe network standards introduced in 1974. Originally a centralized architecture with a host computer controlling many terminals, enhancements, such as APPN and APPC (LU 6. and Bisync), while the Cisco router is used primarily to route TCP/IP TCP/IP in full Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol Standard Internet communications protocols that allow digital computers to communicate over long distances. traffic. In IBM's attempt to gain back market share that it lost to Cisco, IBM introduced the 3746-950. This unit provides both legacy and routing communication functions without the Network Control Program (NCP (1) (Network Control Program) See SNA and network control program. (2) (NetWare Core Protocol) The file sharing protocol used in a NetWare network. ) as it is currently defined. The ChanlComm(R) 7790 provides both legacy and routing functions, but at a significantly reduced cost (up to 70% less) as compared with the 3746-950. While the Cisco 7500 provides routing and switching functions, it does not provide for legacy communications, which are a major requirement in the data center and will continue to be so for the foreseeable future. "FastComm has solved a significant problem for enterprise users of mainframe computers, especially the over 200,000 SNA customers worldwide. They have used the concept of feature packaging, coupled with the best technology available today, to finally curb runaway licensing fees and base unit pricing unit pricing n. The pricing of goods on the basis of cost per unit of measure. ", says Andy Bihain, a Senior Analyst with the DMR (Digital Media Receiver) See digital media hub. Group. The ChanlComm(R) 7790 is available with redundant power supplies and hot swappable See hot swap. components providing high availability Also called "RAS" (reliability, availability, serviceability) or "fault resilient," it refers to a multiprocessing system that can quickly recover from a failure. There may be a minute or two of downtime while one system switches over to another, but processing will continue. . "The ChanlComm(R) 7790 provides the data center manager with a powerful and easily manageable communications processor that supports today's legacy communications needs while, at the same time, provides a cost effective migration path towards newer networked communications" said KG Data's president, Kenneth Bloom. The 7790 will be integrated with FastComm's frame relay and routing technology to provide the end user with a single integrated end to end communications solution. IBM, The Competition IBM is the major supplier for the corporate data network market. Historically, the first FEP was a 2701 that handled bisynchronous (Bisync) communications lines. With the advent of SNA communications, IBM introduced the 3705, which was superceded by the 3725, then the 3720, and finally the 3745. To provide configuration and control of communication lines, the FEP runs various software programs, two of which are the Network Control Program (NCP) and System Services Program (SSP (1) (Service Switching Point) The local exchange node in an SS7 telephone network. The SSP can be part of the voice switch or in a separate computer connected to it. ). Depending on the FEP model and operating system operating system (OS) Software that controls the operation of a computer, directs the input and output of data, keeps track of files, and controls the processing of computer programs. , NCP and SSP are licensed at approximately $1,500-$3,600 per month, per unit, per site and some port number formula. If it is necessary to provide Bisync communications in addition to other disciplines, then another software product, Partitioned par·ti·tion n. 1. a. The act or process of dividing something into parts. b. The state of being so divided. 2. a. Emulation Program (PEP), is required. PEP adds another $350 per month to the operating costs operating costs npl → gastos mpl operacionales . This can become expensive for large data centers with multiple FEPs, as each FEP has its own software license. NCP is cumbersome to use and many companies have employees dedicated to configuration and maintenance of NCP, while smaller companies are forced to hire consultants to maintain their networks. These outside companies (and many internal cost centers) charge hefty fees for NCP GENs. It is not uncommon to see charges exceeding $2,000 per event. With the Model 7790, there are no on-demand NCP GENs needed. The Customer's IBM 3745 Paradox A 3745 FEP can range in price from $80,000 to $500,000 depending on the number of ports, channels and type of features installed. While there are a substantial number of 3705 and 3725s installed, IBM no longer supports the hardware, nor do they support the version of NCP that runs on the 3725. Thus the only upgrade path available from IBM is to the 3745 or 3746-950 (see below). The IBM 3745 FEP supports communications line speeds from 2400bps (bits per second) to 2.048 Mbps (million bits per second). However, as the speed of the line increases, the number of lines supported decreases. For example, a 3745-B210 can support 96 lines at 9600bps. At 19.2 kbps the number of lines drops to 48. At speeds greater than 19.2 kbps, high speed processors and special interface cards must be used. To support thirty-two 56 kbps lines, an expansion frame would be required at an additional cost. By contrast, the 7790 does not have these limitations. FastComm's Solution -- The 7790 does not require NCP to operate since it has its own internal equivalent with no recurring re·cur intr.v. re·curred, re·cur·ring, re·curs 1. To happen, come up, or show up again or repeatedly. 2. To return to one's attention or memory. 3. To return in thought or discourse. license fee. -- Configurations can be done online via a menu driven interface that is easy to use and requires little training, thus eliminating the need to perform interuptive NCP GENs on weekends and evenings. -- System changes are dynamic, without restarting the unit, making it attractive to sites that have dynamic configuration requirements. -- Scaling is unnecessary. All of the 7790's lines can be operated at high speeds. -- A cost-effective migration path is provided to users from unsupported older IBM solutions. The Customer's IBM 3746-900 Dilemma The IBM 3746-900 is a required interconnect (1) To attach one device to another. (2) A physical port (plug, socket) or wireless port (transmitter, receiver) used to attach one device to another. controller attached to an IBM 3745 to provide frame relay, switching and routing functions. Since the 3746-900 requires the 3745 attachment, additional software license fees compound the per-port cost significantly. As described above, the 3745 base unit is limited to the number of communication lines connected. By using the 3746-900 as an expansion unit, the user has the ability to add more lines. The 3746-900 has a base price of $38,000 and can grow to $250,000. The 3746-900 is attached to the 3745 by token ring A local area network (LAN) access method developed by IBM. Conforming to the IEEE 802.5 standard, Token Ring uses a token ring access method and connects up to 255 nodes in a star topology at 4, 16 or 100 Mbps. and uses the 3745's NCP to control SNA connections. FastComm's Solution -- The ChanlComm(R) 7790, like the ChanlComm(R) 7745, does not currently require any licensed host software (i.e.: NCP, SSP, or PEP). -- The 7790 is totally self-contained and does not require additional hardware. -- The 7790 is fully integrated and provides communications for all legacy protocols such as SDLC/SNA and Bisync, along with the newest LAN (Local Area Network) A communications network that serves users within a confined geographical area. The "clients" are the user's workstations typically running Windows, although Mac and Linux clients are also used. protocols and wide area connections such as frame relay, ATM, and ISDN ISDN in full Integrated Services Digital Network Digital telecommunications network that operates over standard copper telephone wires or other media. . -- The 7790 has a cost model targeted at 25% of the comparably configured con·fig·ure tr.v. con·fig·ured, con·fig·ur·ing, con·fig·ures To design, arrange, set up, or shape with a view to specific applications or uses: 3745/3746-900 (effectively a 3746-950). -- The 7790 has redundant power supplies to accommodate the most secured environments. Hot Note to Techs: all boards are "hot swappable", meaning that they may be changed while the unit is online. Configuration moves, adds & changes are done online and do not require interrupting the network to affect changes. The Customer's 3746-950 Dilemma The 3746-950 is IBM's first move away from the traditional FEP-NCP requirement. The 950 is a stand-alone channel attached FEP that provides traditional SNA/SDLC, network connectivity and wide area connections. It provides all of the necessary network connections, routing and switching functions (except for Bisync communications). To provide this function, a 3745 running NCP is required. The 3746-950 is priced similarly to the model 900, with the added cost of an expansion frame that is required to perform any switching, X.25 and LAN connection. This increases the base price by $34,000 plus the cost of added features. Even though there are no NCP license fees, there are software-operating licenses required. These charges may actually exceed the current charges for NCP. IBM has increased the capacity of the line processors. The unit can handle more high-speed lines. FastComm's Solution -- The 7790 provides many of the legacy features of the Model 950 at a much lower entry price. Future enhancements will allow a full feature comparative list. -- The 7790 supports native Bisync and all of the legacy protocols. -- The 7790 operates with both parallel and ESCON (4Q99) channels, allowing simple migration to new host platforms. There are no bus & tag cables with the Model 950. Therefore, only one platform is needed to migrate from legacy environs. -- The 7790 has redundant power supplies for those demanding sites. -- All electronics are "hot swappable" and may be changed while the unit is online. -- A stack of 7790s has 256 communications lines all operating at T1/E1 speeds. What About the IBM 3172 Interconnect Controller? The legacy IBM 3172 controller is a channel attached communication processor that provides connectivity to token ring and Ethernet networks. It was introduced by IBM to fulfill the need to support LAN connections to a mainframe. The 3172 is a gateway between the mainframe and LAN. This allows remote devices, using TCP/IP, to access applications on the mainframe. The 3172 is a micro channel PS/2 personal computer with four available slots for add-in adapters. Unlike the 3745 the 3172 does not require NCP, but it does require VTAM (Virtual Telecommunications Access Method) Also ACF/VTAM (Advanced Communications Function/VTAM), it is software that controls communications in an IBM SNA environment. release 4. A twin Ethernet connection is priced at $35,000. In 1996, pressured by Cisco's 7000 channel attached router and KG Data Systems' SyncLink, IBM added features to the 3172. These features include support for SDLC (Synchronous Data Link Control) The primary data link protocol used in IBM's SNA networks. It is a bit-oriented synchronous protocol that is a subset of the HDLC protocol. See SNA, DLC and Microsoft DLC. 1. and wide area communications capabilities; i.e., frame relay and X.25. Even though these features were added, the limited processing capacity of the 3172 limited their usefulness. This was a failed attempt intended to provide IBM with a more cost competitive solution than a traditional FEP for smaller users. Depending on configuration and software features, the 3172 can be priced at over $75,000. And, since there are only four slots available for adapters, the usefulness in reasonable sized networks is limited. Only two wide area connections (frame relay or X.25) are allowed. FastComm's Solution -- The ChanlComm(R)7745 and 7790 are price and feature competitive with the IBM 3172. -- Both the 7745 and 7790 overcome the limitations on the numbers of communication lines, -- LAN attachments and legacy protocol support. Cisco Just Doesn't Get It The Cisco 7500 router, Cisco's flagship product A primary product of a company, which is typically why the company was founded and/or what made it well known. For example, MS-DOS, Windows and the Microsoft Office suite have been flagship products of Microsoft. CorelDRAW is a flagship product of Corel Corporation. , can be a channel attached device that allows the user to route SNA data. It is a versatile device that can be configured by plugging different processor boards into a common backplane An interconnecting device that has sockets for printed circuit boards to plug into. Passive and Active Although resistors may be used, a "passive" backplane adds no processing in the circuit. . The early Cisco routers carried native token ring and Ethernet traffic to a mainframe via a series of bridges to a backbone LAN and then to the mainframe. With the advent of frame relay, ATM and ISDN, Cisco made these wide areas network transport solutions available. The Cisco 7500 carries SDLC, Bisync and TCP/IP traffic over frame relay, or any of the other wide area network protocols. The 7500 does not use NCP to connect to the mainframe, but requires the latest version of the VTAM operating system. It should be noted that Cisco carries SDLC traffic only over frame relay connections and does not provide direct connection for legacy SNA. When used to transport Bisync, the 7500 must be connected to an IBM front end processor because its channel attachment is SNA only. The Cisco 7500 is priced lower when compared to an IBM front-end processor front-end processor - (FEP) 1. A small computer necessary to enable an IBM mainframe using SNA to communicate beyond the limits of the dinosaur pen. 2. A small computer controlling the screen and keyboard of a Symbolics 3600 LISP Machine. , but can range from $60,000 to $150,000, depending on it's configuration. The FastComm Approach -- The 7790 provides a total connectivity solution geared for the data center. -- The 7790 provides wide area connections, routing, switching and support for legacy connections such as Bisync, CTCA CTCA Cancer Treatment Centers of America CTCA Canadian Telecommunications Consultants Association CTCA Channel-To-Channel Adapter CTCA Construction Technology Centre Atlantic, Inc. (channel to channel adapter A device that allows one system to connect to and work with another. An adapter is often a simple circuit that converts one set of signals to another; however, the term often refers to devices which are more accurately called "controllers. ), and traditional SDLC connections. -- The 7790 is competitively priced and is at least 30% below the Cisco 7500 solution. What Happened to the ChanlComm(R) 7745? The 7790 is simply its matured big brother. All features that popularized the 7745 are in the 7790. The 7745 can support up to 16 SDLC communications lines that run at 256 kbps, simultaneously. The ChanlComm(R) 7745 configuration program can be run online and changes can be made while the system is running. The configurations are completely menu driven, easy to use, and have online help functions The ChanlComm monitoring system provides the user all network information on a real-time display. The information displayed and controls provided are similar to IBM's Netview(tm) monitoring program. But Netview(tm) costs approximately $50,000 and can only be viewed from a console on the network. Remote viewing, from anywhere on the network, is standard with the ChanlComm remote console. The real-time information provided by the ChanlComm(R) monitoring system includes line alarms, performance information with a graphic display of line load and activity, and the status of all connected devices. Since the 7745 does not require NCP, it is defined to the system as multiple local controllers. This has an added benefit of reducing the amount of memory required on the mainframe for equivalent number of connected physical devices. ChanlComm(R) is also designed for unattended operation, as it will automatically restart To resume computer operation after a planned or unplanned termination. See boot, warm boot and checkpoint/restart. communications lines that have failed. The ChanlComm(R) 7745 ranges in price from $17,500 for a four-line unit to $25,000 for a 16-line unit. Channel to Channel Adapter capability (CTCA) and communications with a remote NCP (PU4 capability) will be available in 1Q99. "We've been using the ChanlComm(R) 7745 in our nationwide network for over 2 years and are looking forward to upgrading to the ChanlComm(R) 7790. The ChanlComm(R) is not only reliable and easy to use but has afforded us enormous cost savings over the traditional FEP solution" said Allan Sperber, Director of MIS for Jetro Cash & Carry. See the next page for more on the 7745. For more information, or to request a data sheet of any FastComm product, contact us via phone 703-318-7750; fax to 703-787-4625; email to info@fastcomm.com; or visit FastComm on the World Wide Web at http:\\www.fastcomm.com. Forward looking statements are made in this release pursuant to the safe harbor Safe Harbor 1. A legal provision to reduce or eliminate liability as long as good faith is demonstrated. 2. A form of shark repellent implemented by a target company acquiring a business that is so poorly regulated that the target itself is less attractive. provisions of the Private Securities Litigation reform Act The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (PSLRA) implemented several significant substantive changes affecting certain cases brought under the federal securities laws, including changes related to pleading, discovery, liability, class representation and awards fees and of 1995. Investors are cautioned that all forward looking statements are subject to risk and uncertainties, including without limitation, the timing of new announcements or introductions by the company and its competitors, the hiring and retention of key employees, competitive pricing pressure, dependence on third party for components and products, and general economic conditions in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. and international markets and the risk factors detailed from time to time in the Company's periodic reports and registration statements filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. FastComm is a designer developer and manufacturer of a complete family of access products which provide a single seamless transport in multi-protocol environments for Voice/Data and Video networking over LAN/WAN LAN/WAN Local Area Network/Wide Area Network and Global networks. Our products include the WEB Router(tm) and ECX-Router(tm), EtherFRAD(tm), RingFRAD(tm), VoiceFRAD(tm), QUICK II(tm), Chanlcomm(R), GlobalStack(tm). These products provide routed and switched Voice/Data and Video access solutions that require variable bandwidth from 9.6 Kbps to full T1/E1, over Leased Line A private communications channel leased from a common carrier. Most digital lines require four wires (two pairs) for full-duplex transmission. (communications, networking) leased line , Frame Relay, X.25 and dial-up analog networks. FastComm, stylized styl·ize tr.v. styl·ized, styl·iz·ing, styl·iz·es 1. To restrict or make conform to a particular style. 2. To represent conventionally; conventionalize. logo, WEB.router, ECX-Router, FrameProtect, LAN+Legacy, MaximumPriority, FastRATE, MonoFRAD, EtherFRAD, RingFRAD, QUICK II, GlobalStack, and SuperView are trademarks of FastComm Communications Corp., the exclusive licensee of ChanlComm(R) products, by KG Data, Corp. All rights reserved. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners; i.e., IBM, IBM 3172, 3725, 3745, 3746-900 and 3746-950 are trademarks of IBM, Corp. Cisco and Cisco 7500 are trademarks of Cisco Corporation |
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