Madge Networks Outlines Multilayer IP/IPX Switching Strategy to Help Customers Break the Router Habit; First All-Silicon Combined Switching and Routing Solution Helps Customers Lower Costs, Boost Performance and Reduce Network Complexity.SAN JOSE San Jose, city, United States San Jose (sănəzā`, săn hōzā`), city (1990 pop. 782,248), seat of Santa Clara co., W central Calif.; founded 1777, inc. 1850. , Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 20, 1997--Madge Networks, a leading worldwide provider of end-to-end switched networking solutions, today announced a detailed strategy for combining hardware-based switching and routing services over 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. backbones, offering customers increased speed and functionality at substantial cost savings when compared with traditional switch/router solutions. The strategy builds on the MadgeOne(TM) multiservice architecture and centers on revolutionary Madge technology that has produced the industry's first all-silicon multilayer IP/IPX LAN switch A network device that cross-connects clients, servers and network devices. Also known as a "frame switch," stand-alone LAN switches are common in all Ethernet networks. A four-port switch is also typically built into a wired or wireless router for homes and small business (see wireless (for more details, please see accompanying Madge third-layer switching, second-layer switching 3LS(TM) module product news release). The key element of the strategy integrates functions of both frame switching Using frame switches to speed up network traffic. For example, when a 10Base-T Ethernet hub is replaced with an Ethernet frame switch, each sending and receiving pair of stations obtains the full bandwidth of the network. See frame switch. at layer 2 and packet forwarding Forwarding is the relaying of packets from one network segment to another by nodes in a computer network. The simplest forwarding model - unicasting - involves a packet being relayed from link to link along a chain leading from the packet's source to its destination. at layer 3 into a single, hardware-based switching system. (Layer 2 and layer 3 define the Data Link and Network layers in the seven-layer OSI model Following is a diagram and description of all the layers in the ISO standard for communications. For more on the purpose of this model, see OSI. For comparisons between the OSI model and other protocol stacks, see TCP/IP, NetWare, ATM, SNA and SS7. for computer networking.) Because conventional LAN switching solutions do not address the complete needs of most large LAN infrastructures, switches must typically be combined in the LAN with routers, which are required for packet forwarding between subnets. Madge's multilayer IP/IPX switching strategy is a crucial component of the MadgeOne architecture, first announced in mid-1996, for integrating data, voice and video. The strategy combines the functionality of a router with LAN switching to provide a complete and integrated solution for a multiservice LAN infrastructure. Madge's approach eliminates the performance bottlenecks of conventional routers, providing extra flexibility while simplifying moves and changes. The availability of silicon-based layer three switching allows customers to build end-to-end multiservice switched networks, maintaining security, addressing and broadcast control while eliminating the performance bottlenecks of conventional routers. "End users have clearly spoken. They want the price and performance advantages of frame switching. However, they also want routing functionality. By performing time critical routing tasks in VLSI VLSI: see integrated circuit. (1) (Very Large Scale Integration) Between 100,000 and one million transistors on a chip. See SSI, MSI, LSI and ULSI. (2) (VLSI Technology, Inc., Tempe, AZ, www.semiconductors. hardware, the Madge LANswitch 3LS module meets both of these requirements," said Jim Metzler, vice president, Consulting Services for Strategic Networks Consulting, Inc. "In addition, by interoperating with existing routers, the 3LS allows users to migrate their networks in a controlled fashion." Strategic Networks Consulting, Inc. is based in Rockland, Massachusetts. "Multilayer IP/IPX switching provides a complete, self-contained and fully scalable backbone solution for the entire LAN infrastructure," said Martin Taylor, Madge vice president of network architecture. "It offers far higher performance at far lower cost and with far greater flexibility than router-centric approaches to LAN design, without sacrificing the control and management functions customarily provided by routers. By deploying enterprise LAN backbones using multilayer IP/IPX switches, businesses can break the router habit and upgrade their networks for greater speed and power at a fraction of the cost of traditional LAN infrastructures." Additional Architectural Benefits In addition to substantially increasing performance while lowering costs, Madge's multilayer IP/IPX switching strategy de-couples logical network subnet (SUBNETwork) A logical division of a local area network, which is created to improve performance and provide security. To enhance performance, subnets limit the number of nodes that compete for available bandwidth. structures from the physical layout of the LAN. This enables any member of any subnet to be located anywhere within the LAN, greatly simplifying allocation and administration of IP addresses associated with moves, adds and changes -- because IP addressing no longer needs to be locked to the physical layout of the LAN. Standards-Based Approach Madge's multilayer IP/IPX switching is based on standards and, unlike vendor-specific methods such as "tag switching" or "IP switching," the Madge solution requires no additional proprietary protocols and is fully interoperable with existing LAN infrastructures. Non-IP/IPX protocols such as DECnet and AppleTalk, and non-routable protocols such as NetBIOS, DLC (1) (Data Link Control) See data link and OSI. (2) (Data Link Control) The data link layer protocol (layer 2) that is used in IBM's SNA networking. See SNA, data link protocol and Microsoft DLC. and DEC LAT, are bridged. Ethernet and FDDI (Fiber Distributed Data Interface) Often pronounced "fiddy," it was a LAN and MAN access method that had its heyday in the mid-1990s. FDDI was an ANSI standard token passing network that transmitted 100 Mbps over optical fiber up to 10 kilometers. First, Token Ring and ATM to Follow The first multilayer IP/IPX switching product, the 3LS switch, is available as a module for Madge's award-winning LANswitch(TM) hub. The product supports multilayer switching for Ethernet and FDDI as well as ATM edge routing. A Token Ring layer 3 switching module is planned for Madge's Smart Ringswitch product in 2H97. For cell-based backbones, Madge plans to implement multilayer switching via the emerging ATM Forum standard for Multi-Protocol Over ATM (MPOA (MultiProtocol Over ATM) An ATM Forum standard that provides routing of legacy protocols (IP, IPX, etc.) over ATM networks. MPOA separates the routing processing from the actual forwarding. ), which enables ATM networks to provide direct switched connections between and among IP stations and edge switches, regardless of the IP subnet address. 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 Statement Statements in this press release which refer to product plans, features, compatibility and performance and other statements which are not completely historical are forward-looking statements that may not give full weight to all of the potential risks (e.g., the difficulty in predicting schedules for and the development of high-technology products, rapid changes in technology, standards and competitive products, and changed priorities and resource allocation resource allocation Managed care The constellation of activities and decisions which form the basis for prioritizing health care needs resulting from these and other factors). These statements may differ materially from actual future events or results. For more information on risk factors, please refer to Madge's most recent SEC filing on Form 6-K. About Madge Networks Madge Networks (NASDAQ NASDAQ in full National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations U.S. market for over-the-counter securities. Established in 1971 by the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD), NASDAQ is an automated quotation system that reports on :MADGF) is a leading worldwide supplier of end-to-end switched networking solutions for large enterprises, with a special focus on multiservice networking, i.e., networks which will be able to support integrated data, voice and video. The company, an originator of ATM, Ethernet, ISDN ISDN in full Integrated Services Digital Network Digital telecommunications network that operates over standard copper telephone wires or other media. and Token Ring technology, offers a range of products from desktop connections through LAN and WAN switches and enterprise network management software. Madge is recognized for its customer support without limits, technology excellence and end-to-end networking expertise. It serves its multinational customer base in more than 20 countries worldwide from five major business centers located in Hong Kong, London, San Jose, Tel Aviv and Tokyo. -0- Note to Editors: Madge, the Madge Logo, LANswitch, MadgeOne and 3LS are trademarks, and in some jurisdictions may be registered trademarks, of Madge Networks or its affiliated companies Affiliated Companies A situation that occurs when one company owns a minority interest (less than 50%) in another company. Also refers to companies that are related to each other in some way. Notes: An affiliated company is sometimes referred to as a subsidiary. . Other trademarks appearing in this document are the property of their respective owners. CONTACT: Madge Networks Bill Jeppesen, 408/952-9014 bjeppese@madge.com or Teresa Camera, 408/952-9418 tcamera@madge.com |
|
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion