Olicom Unveils High-Capacity 32-Port ATM Switch; Designed for High-Availability, Mission-Critical Network Backbones.

LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 5, 1998--

Aggressively-Priced CrossFire 9200 ATM Switch Doubles Switch

Fabric and Port Capacity of Industry-Acclaimed CrossFire 9100

Olicom (Nasdaq:OLCMF), a leading global supplier of high-performance networking solutions, today unveiled a new high-capacity ATM switch specifically designed for deploying high-speed, fault tolerant backbones in the large enterprise network. Olicom's new CrossFire(TM) 9200 ATM Switch, built on the same modular architecture as the highly acclaimed CrossFire 9100, can be outfitted with up to 32 155 Mbps ports or seven 622 Mbps ports (or a combination of both). Whereas the CrossFire 9100 represents an ideal entry-level ATM switching solution, the CrossFire 9200 is an enterprise-class backbone ATM switch with a host of redundancy and fault tolerance features that make it ideally suited for mission-critical networking.

With an unprecedented price of less than $1,000 per port for an ATM backbone switch, and utilizing a 5 Gbps shared memory, fully non-blocking switch fabric, the CrossFire 9200 defines a new level of price-performance in ATM switching. This leadership role is further amplified by a number of innovative configuration and management features that dramatically lower the barrier to ATM migration in enterprise Ethernet and Token-Ring networks.

"Our new CrossFire 9200 reinforces Olicom's leadership in ATM and represents an important step forward for large enterprise customers in need of a robust, reliable and cost-effective backbone solution," said Jorgen Hog, vice president, network products for Olicom. "The CrossFire 9200 successfully addresses all of the critical issues, such as cost, complexity and reliability, that may have impeded network managers from deploying ATM in the past."

Olicom's new CrossFire 9200 ATM Switch plays an important role in the Company's ClearStep(TM) migration strategy, designed to help Token-Ring enterprises implement the most intelligent and cost-effective path to the future. ClearStep leverages the industry's widest range of upgrade options available to Token-Ring customers, including switched Token-Ring, High-Speed Token-Ring, Fast Ethernet, and ATM. Cost-effective ATM switching is a particularly important upgrade option for those enterprises needing to connect Fast Ethernet LANs and Token-Ring LANs across a high-speed backbone.

Leadership in ATM Backbones

Several important features establish the CrossFire 9200 in a leadership position as a large-enterprise ATM backbone switch:

-- Modular Architecture - The CrossFire 9200's modular design gives customers considerable flexibility in accommodating the widest range of network configurations and future growth requirements. Customers can mix and match 155 Mbps and 622 Mbps modules to configure a solution specifically suited to meet their immediate needs, and to plan for future network expansion. Modularity also enables the switch to be upgraded with investment-enhancing features, such as a new processor, upgrade features, and future port modules;

-- Industry-Leading Fault Tolerance - The CrossFire 9200 provides the industry's most comprehensive set of advanced fault-tolerance features, designed to ensure mission-critical performance in the enterprise network. These include: proactive error detection and monitoring; dual power supply option; hot-swappable modules; automatic termination of "broken" virtual circuits; and fully integrated redundant LANE services.

In addition, the CrossFire 9200 incorporates Olicom's ClearSession(TM) network fault tolerance technology, designed to ensure the non-stop availability of network resources in a high-speed switched environment. Specifically, CNNI (ClearSession Network-to-Network Interface), part of Olicom's device software running on a redundant mesh of CrossFire ATM Switches, ensures sub-three second failure recovery of any network connection across the ATM backbone. No other ATM backbone redundancy solution can match the fast reconnect times accomplished by CNNI;

-- High-Speed Switch-to-Switch Connectivity - with support for up to seven 622 Mbps connections to and from a single switch, the CrossFire 9200 enables enterprises to build a backbone infrastructure that can accommodate the most demanding inter-switch bandwidth requirements;

-- Scaleability - Support for the ATM Forum's Private Network-to-Network Interface (PNNI) protocols allows networks of CrossFire 9200s to scale to thousands of switches (with no theoretical limit) while still delivering interoperable, QoS-based routing;

The CrossFire 9200 features eight (8) front-facing, hot-swappable module slots that can accommodate a maximum of eight 155Mbps modules, each with four 155Mbps UTP or fiber (OC-3) ATM ports (for a total of 32 155Mbps ports), and up to seven 622Mbps (OC-12) modules, providing a flexible platform for a wide range of networking needs. The switching fabric is "32 x 32 OC-3," which means it is capable of switching cells at wire speed between all 32 ports simultaneously. The switch also includes a high-performance RISC processor used for network management and LAN Emulation services.

Industry trade magazine Network Computing reviewed Olicom's CrossFire 9100 ATM Switch, the predecessor to the new CrossFire 9200, in their November 15, 1997 roundup of leading ATM switches. The CrossFire 9100 won many accolades in the review, although it was a smaller capacity switch than the others tested. Network Computing wrote: "If Olicom has a bigger switch in the works based on the same technology, it will be a force to be reckoned with." Olicom's new CrossFire 9200 is precisely the switch that Network Computing had in mind. Network Computing also remarked: "...the 9100 has one of the most complete and up-to-date feature sets we've seen ... and it supports enterprise features that even the big boys lack." The CrossFire 9200 leverages the same robust feature set that made the CrossFire 9100 a leader in its class.

Unprecedented Ease-of-Deployment

Olicom's new switch represents a vital stepping-stone to smoothly and reliably integrating high-speed ATM backbones with traditional Token-Ring and Ethernet LANs. Several important characteristics of the CrossFire 9200 give enterprise customers a critical advantage in facilitating the smooth integration of ATM into existing networks:

-- Ease of use - The CrossFire 9200 boasts a wide range of ease-of-use features unique in the industry, including: an innovative graphical management application; auto-configuration and auto-detection of port modules; "hot swap" support; automatic translation between different user network interfaces like UNI 3.0 and 3.1; and a host of additional features specifically designed to simplify the configuration and management of an ATM network;

-- Advanced traffic management - The CrossFire 9200 features comprehensive support for advanced traffic management in ATM networks, and supports the ATM Forum's ABR Explicit Rate scheme. This advanced traffic management feature adds a level of flow control to the network unmatched in other ATM switches now on the market; the benefit of this feature is very high line utilization with virtually no cell or frame losses, which is particularly important in data-intensive applications;

-- Serviceability - All key functions on the CrossFire 9200 are easy-to-replace modules - the processor module, feature module, port modules, power supplies, and fan unit - enabling the switch to be serviced or upgraded easily without bringing down the network;

-- Future-proof through adherence to standards - The CrossFire 9200 has been designed from the ground up to be compatible with all relevant ATM Forum and IEEE standards, guaranteeing interoperability as customers' networks evolve. Together with Olicom's range of advanced CrossFire Token-Ring Switches and CrossFire Fast Ethernet Switches, the CrossFire 9200 is the perfect component for reducing network congestion and enabling full ATM bandwidth access for campus backbone networks.

Pricing and Availability

Olicom's CrossFire 9200 ATM Switch, with prices ranging from $16,225 for a 4-port (155 Mbps UTP) configuration to $31,800 for a 32-port (155 Mbps UTP) configuration, will be available in volume in July 1998.

Olicom Background

Olicom, a leading global supplier of high-performance data networking solutions, designs, develops, manufactures, and markets its products for large, geographically dispersed enterprises. Olicom specializes in providing end-to-end connectivity solutions, advanced technical support services and ClearStep evolution strategies for networks in transition. The Company's products are distributed worldwide by a network of strategic partners and resellers. More information on Olicom is available from the company's SEC filings or by contacting the company directly. See Olicom news, product, and service information on its Web site at http://www.olicom.com. -0-

This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from predicted results and trends. Further information on factors that could affect the company's results are detailed from time to time in Olicom's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Olicom is a registered trademark, and ClearSession, ClearStep and CrossFire and are trademarks of Olicom A/S. All other brand and product names are registered trademarks of their respective holders.

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