Press/DIGITAL Licenses FDDI Full Duplex Technology to Cisco
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Digital Equipment Corporation
Maynard, Massachusetts 01754-2571
Editorial contact:
Jessica Fay
(617) 266-8400, ext. 112
jf...@hi-tech.com
Melissa Morales
Digital Equipment Corporation
(508) 486-5198
mora...@mail.dec.com
Steve Bauer
Cisco Systems, Inc.
(408) 526-4433
sba...@cisco.com
DIGITAL Licenses FDDI Full Duplex Technology to Cisco
Provides Maximum Bandwidth and Investment Protection
for Switched FDDI Networks
MAYNARD, Mass., April 22, 1997 -- Digital Equipment Corporation
(NYSE:DEC) and Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO) today announced a
licensing agreement for Digital's patented FDDI Full Duplex
Technology (FFDT) to be used on Cisco's high-end routers. The
agreement will enable Cisco high-end routers to maximize performance
when connected to full duplex FDDI-capable devices, such as
Digital's GIGAswitch/FDDI backbone switch. The agreement will also
provide FDDI customers with a path encompassing future growth and
capacity needs.
Digital pioneered FFDT to further the robust nature of FDDI
networks. Enabling two 100 Mbps simultaneous, independent data paths
between any sending station and any receiving station, FFDT provides
an aggregate throughput of up to 200 Mbps, twice that of traditional
FDDI, with point-to-point connections. For example, Digital's
GIGAswitch and FFDT enable a given router to transmit to a second
router while simultaneously receiving from a third router.
In network backbones, which support a large number of switched
connections, FFDT enables customers to significantly boost
throughput without changing their network infrastructure.
Digital's FFDT autoconfiguration capability allows
plug-and-play and interoperability with FDDI standard products.
Products supporting FFDT are automatically configured to operate at
full duplex mode.
Business Research Group's recent Network 2000 study of network
managers showed that FDDI is used as the primary medium for backbone
networks in 56% of the businesses surveyed. "FDDI will continue to
be a viable force in the campus backbone through 1999," said Greg
Cline, Business Research Group's Director of Networking and Internet
Research. According to In-Stat, FDDI switching deployments grew
nearly 250% last year.
"The real bet-your-business-and-your-career workhorses at the
switched FDDI backbone are Digital GIGAswitch/FDDI switches and
Cisco 7500 series routers," said Robert Rennick, vice president and
general manager of Digital's Network Product Business. "By licensing
our FDDI Full Duplex Technology to Cisco, Digital is very pleased to
be able to continue to meet our customers' needs for performance
improvement, investment protection and interoperability with proven
technologies."
Cliff Meltzer, vice president and general manager at Cisco
Systems, said, "With full duplex FDDI, we're again improving the
price and performance of our FDDI connectivity by offering this
option on our high-end routers. This technology complements our
wide range of network interfaces."
Frank Byrum, vice president of network engineering at Infinet
Network Services, an Internet service provider (ISP) based in
Norfolk, Va., said, "Enabling my core network devices, including
GIGAswitches and Cisco routers, to run at equivalent speeds
significantly boosts the performance of the applications running
over our FDDI network. FFDT not only extends the bandwidth available
to my users, it also protects my current investment."
Availability
Digital's FDDI Full Duplex Technology is currently available on
Cisco 7200 series and 7500 series routers.
FFDT has been shipping on Digital's GIGAswitch/FDDI since the
product's introduction.
About Cisco Systems
Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in
networking for the Internet. News and information are available at
http://www.cisco.com.
About Digital Equipment Corporation
Digital Equipment Corporation is a world leader in open client/
server solutions from personal computing to integrated worldwide
information systems. Digital's scalable Alpha and Intel platforms,
storage, networking, software and services, together with industry-
focused solutions from business partners, help organizations compete
and win in today's global marketplace.
Additional information on Digital's networking solutions is
available on the World Wide Web at http://www.networks.digital.com.
####
Note to Editors: Digital, the Digital logo and GIGAswitch are
trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation.
Cisco Systems is a trademark, and Cisco and the
Cisco logo are registered trademarks of Cisco
Systems, Inc.
CORP/97/619
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