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Please see the note at the end of this document.
Olicom's CrossFire™ Token-Ring Switch Boosts Bandwidth
CrossFire is first product in new series for Token-Ring, Ethernet, and ATM
switching
April, 1996, LAS VEGAS, NV - Olicom (Nasdaq:OLCMF), a leading supplier of
high-performance networking solutions, today unveiled its CrossFire™ Token-Ring
stackable switch, the first in a new series of LAN switch solutions.
The stackable architecture of the CrossFire Token-Ring switch will enable users
to expand switched LANs cost-effectively. The CrossFire switch's standard CrossLink feature, a scalable, high-speed pipe between CrossFire switches,
boosts bandwidth between switches and builds redundancy into the backbone. Using
CrossLink, one to four ports can be used to create a single link functioning at
up to 128 Mbps.
The CrossFire Switch provides from 8 to 12 ports, each supporting a shared or
dedicated 4 or 16 Mbps Token-Ring segment. Users can add a Universal Expansion
Module for either four more Token-Ring ports, two Token-Ring fiber ports, or one
ATM 155 Mbps port supporting LAN emulation. Each standard Token-Ring port
supports up to 1,700 active connections for a maximum of 6,000 per switch.
CrossFire Delivers Scalable Bandwidth Increases for Backbones and Servers on
Token-Ring Networks
In enterprise networks utilizing Token-Ring, demands for increased bandwidth are
high due to network growth and, ultimately, network congestion. With its
advanced ASIC design and parallel processing architecture, the CrossFire
Token-Ring switch scalably increases bandwidth on the backbone, at server
connections, and for desktops. On the backbone, CrossFire switches replace
bridges and hubs for connections between workgroups and servers, providing an
immediate network performance increase. The CrossFire switch's parallel
processing power greatly decreases data transfer time from one ring to another,
and is approximately 30 times more efficient than a traditional bridge.
To increase bandwidth at servers and workstations, the CrossFire Token-Ring
switch uses full-duplex operation, fully compliant with the IEEE 802.5u standard
for Dedicated Token-Ring. All of Olicom's most popular adapters offer
full-duplex connections.
Low Cost-of-Ownership
The CrossFire Token-Ring switch allows virtual "plug and play" installation and
automatic configuration. To install CrossFire into a client/server workgroup,
users need only connect existing Multistation Access Units (MAUs) or Control
Access Units (CAUs) to ports on the switch; servers are connected to individual
ports. No changes are necessary to existing application and network operating
system software, adapters, network hardware, or cabling. The switch
autoconfigures on power-up and self detects the ring speed and type of
connection for each port. In most cases, a CrossFire Token-Ring can be installed
and made fully operational in minutes.
Pricing and Availability
The CrossFire Token-Ring switch will be available in June, 1996, at a US list
price of $5,600.
Olicom's LAN Switching Strategy Includes Products To Boost LAN Performance,
and Facilitate Migration to ATM
"Olicom customers tell us they want to leverage their existing networking
investments without getting stuck with limited technology. The simplicity,
attractive pricing, and low cost-of-ownership offered by our new suite of LAN
switch solutions, starting with the CrossFire Token-Ring switch, delivers not
only unprecedented investment protection, but also provides an easy upgrade path
to ATM," comments Erik Johannsen, Olicom Director of Product Marketing.
"These solutions will fully leverage our technological and price/performance
leadership."
Johannsen said that Olicom's goal is "to provide complete switching solutions
for Token-Ring, Ethernet, and ATM. Olicom's new LAN switching strategy will give
managers of Token-Ring and Ethernet networks the ability to cost-effectively
extend existing investments, boost productivity, and flexibly migrate to ATM.
Our range of LAN switch solutions will strengthen Olicom's position as a
supplier of complete high-performance PC, workgroup, and backbone network
solutions. It focuses on bringing LAN switching to the desktop on a mass scale."
With the announcement of the CrossFire Token-Ring switch, Olicom enables users
of Token-Ring networks to extend their investments with a cost-effective,
easy-to-implement method for increasing performance and eliminating network
bottlenecks. Simultaneously, the CrossFire Token-Ring switch lets network
managers flexibly implement 155 Mbps ATM for high-speed backbone transport.
"The CrossFire Token-Ring switch gives our customers the investment protection
and performance boost they have demanded," Johannsen noted. "The performance
increase provided by the CrossFire Token-Ring switch is particularly dramatic
when you consider that it yields scalable bandwidth without requiring changes to
existing network hardware and software. While ATM has gained mass acceptance as
the technology to deliver high-speed, dedicated bandwidth end-to-end in
enterprise networks, the current costs and lack of available application
software prohibit wide-scale upgrades to ATM today. CrossFire steps into that
niche."
Olicom's LAN switch strategy provides three key customer advantages:
- A cost-efficient increase in the performance of existing LANs;
- A simple, affordable solution which enables users to harness the
benefits of ATM in coexistence with existing LANs, and
- A clear migration path for complete ATM switch solutions.
In the first phase of this strategy, Olicom this year will roll out a
comprehensive range of stackable LAN switch products for Token-Ring and
Ethernet, including products for creating high-speed backplane stacks for switch
interconnections, and management software supporting SNMP. The CrossFire
Ethernet switch will be released later this year.
This range of switch products, starting with CrossFire for Token Ring, delivers
competitive per-port prices, low cost-of-ownership, and full support for
industry standards. "In Token-Ring, we have leveraged our extensive technical
expertise to deliver high quality solutions that offer industry-leading
price/performance," Johannsen said.
To achieve its goal of becoming a leading supplier of complete
ATM-to-the-desktop solutions, Olicom will release a full range of modular switch
products for 155 Mbps and 25 Mbps ATM later this year. The products, which will
provide switch solutions for both backbones and workgroups, will form the
foundation for high-performance ATM solutions that combine Olicom's RapidFire™
ATM adapters and its CellDriver™ LAN emulation software.
"We have already established extensive expertise in ATM, as evidenced by
Microsoft which choose Olicom to supply LAN emulation software for its Windows
operating systems. Moreover, our strategic alliance with Fujitsu for the
development of ATM silicon and driver software enables Olicom to offer high
quality top-to-bottom ATM solutions. Olicom is one of few vendors supporting LAN
emulation for both Token-Ring and Ethernet, a strategic decision which provides
a unique advantage to customers requiring LAN emulation support in both areas.
These ATM solutions will enable networks to reap the benefits of ATM's
scalability, dedicated bandwidth, and resource manageability. By offering a full
range Olicom strengthen position as a strategic supplier, especially among
Fortune 1000 companies where we are well known for Token-Ring. Solutions
offering high quality and excellent price/performance.
Company Background
Olicom base develops and markets Token-Ring, Ethernet, and ATM local area
network products. In the Token-Ring market, Olicom is established as one of the
world's leading suppliers. Olicom products, known for high performance and
competitive prices, are distributed worldwide by a network of strategic partners
and resellers. Founded in 1985, the company is listed on the NASDAQ National
Market System under the symbol OLCMF.
# # # #
Olicom is a registered trademark. CrossFire and RapidFire are trademarks of
Olicom A/S. All other brand and product names are trademarks or registered
trademarks of their respective holders.
OLICOM
Company Overview
Olicom designs and markets LAN products for Token-Ring, Ethernet, Fast Ethernet,
and ATM. These products enable Olicom customers to easily integrate
comprehensive networking solutions that span from networked desktops and laptops
to workgroups to campus network backbones.
Corporate Mission
Olicom provides its customers with key competitive advantages through
innovative, high-quality networking solutions, and technical support, which
improve the efficiency, reliability, and overall productivity of customers'
networks.
Fast Facts
Founded: 1985
Location: Corporate headquarters in Lyngby, Denmark (a suburb of
Copenhagen);
US headquarters in Plano, Texas; 35 sales offices located in all major
metropolitan areas in the US as well as Australia, Austria, Denmark, France,
Germany, Hong Kong, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Singapore, South Africa, and
the United Kingdom with additional representation in over 40 countries
Employees: 339 worldwide
Designs and Builds: data networking systems that include adapters (also
called Network Interface Cards, or NICs), hubs, switches, PC Cards, and network
management software
NASDAQ symbol: OLCMF
Financial
For fiscal 1995 (ended December 31):
Revenues: $127.5 million
Net Income: $12.8 million
Earnings per share: 87 cents
Product Overview Through the 1990s
Through its commitment to innovative, high-quality product engineering, superior
performance, and competitive pricing, Olicom has become one of the world's
leading Token-Ring vendors.
Olicom is best known for its Token-Ring products, which are 100% compatible with
IBM Token-Ring offerings. Olicom Token-Ring products include specialized,
transparent connectivity and high-performance features not available from IBM or
others. . .
In 1992, Olicom entered the Ethernet market and today offers comprehensive,
high-performance solutions that include desktop and PC Card adapters, hubs, and
network management software.
Olicom went public in 1992. Since then, its shares have been traded on the
NASDAQ National Market System in the US (Symbol: OLCMF).
Olicom joined the ATM Forum in 1994, when it unveiled plans for a full line of
ATM products. By applying its traditional high-quality engineering practices to
its ATM product development efforts, Olicom quickly established itself as a key
ATM player. In 1994, Olicom became the first networking vendor to publicly
demonstrate a fully functioning ATM adapter in an industry-standard PC. In
March, 1995, Olicom was the first vendor to publicly demonstrate ATM
Forum-compliant LAN emulation. That year, Olicom was the first major vendor to
release a PCI adapter for ATM.
Growing Strength Of The Olicom Brand Name
Since early 1994, Olicom's customer base has broadened significantly to include
both OEM customers and others using Olicom branded products. Sales of the
latter rose to 89 percent of total sales in 1995, with strongest sales among
Fortune 1000 corporations in the financial, insurance, transportation, foods,
and manufacturing industries.
In 1994, when Olicom sharpened its focus on selling Olicom branded products,
sales increased over 100%. This reflects intense efforts by the company's global
network of distributors, Master Resellers, and resellers, all of which are
supported by Olicom's local sales offices worldwide and by marketing efforts
from Olicom headquarters in Europe and in the U.S.
Olicom intends to continue to grow this channel through expanded sales office
support worldwide, and by offering new, highly competitive products through its
channel partners.
Reputation for High-performance and High-reliability Products
From its beginning, Olicom has focused squarely on developing and marketing high
quality products. As a result, Olicom products have earned numerous editor's
choice and trade show awards, and have won or placed highly in many public
benchmarks for performance. Awards have come from such magazines as Data
Communications and Network Computing, plus a number of
country-specific Ziff-Davis publications as well as the NetWorld+Interop trade
show.
One of the most significant public benchmark achievements for Olicom has been
the ongoing Token-Ring adapter benchmark in PC Week magazine. Olicom's
Token-Ring ISA adapter has placed number one for performance and
price/performance each time this benchmark has been published in the past 22
months.
One Source For Comprehensive Networking Solutions
As noted earlier, Olicom offers a comprehensive range of networking solutions
including LAN switches, hubs, desktop and PC Card adapters, and network
management software. Olicom products cover all three dominant LAN technologies -
Token-Ring, Ethernet and ATM. This wide coverage enables Olicom customers to use
us as a single source for complete networking solutions at a low total cost
of LAN ownership.
Emphasis On Industry Standards
Because Olicom products adhere to industry standards, customers can easily
integrate existing and new equipment and can be assured of smooth migration to
future technologies and products.
To ensure great user flexibility, all Olicom products also are based on de
facto standards such as IEEE 802.2 and IEEE 802.5, DLC from IBM, NDIS from
Microsoft, ODI from Novell, DLPI from AT&T, and ATM Forum specifications.
The System Test Center at Olicom was the first in the world to be certified by
Novell for its Novell Certification Alliance. The System Test Center enables
Olicom to conduct many aspects of Novell certification itself, independently,
which enables it to move products to market quickly.
Olicom also participates heavily in key consortiums and organizations that are
establishing new standards for the industry, including the ATM Forum, the
Desktop ATM25 Alliance, the Alliance for Strategic Token-Ring Advancement and
Leadership (ASTRAL), and the Fast Ethernet Alliance.
Support for Emerging Standards
Olicom is committed to developing products compliant with emerging industry
standards that help improve the way networks function. In recent years,
Olicom-supported standards such as PCI and Plug and Play have
enabled it to offer better products with improved performance, reduced costs and
easier installation and operation.
Olicom introduced one of the industry's first Token-Ring PCI adapters to provide
PC users with optimal performance for new, demanding applications. Olicom was
also one of the first to introduce an adapter with support for Plug and Play,
through which Olicom adapters are automatically configured in seconds.
Olicom developed PC Card adapters for both Token-Ring and Ethernet as part of
its ongoing commitment to provide networking products for desktop PC users and
for the newest classes of mobile users -- telecommuters, roving executives, and
salespeople requiring fast, high-quality network connectivity for Sales Force
Automation and related remote-access activities.
To provide users with a functional migration path to ATM, Olicom introduced its
first product for the Fast Ethernet market. The Olicom Fast Ethernet PCI
10/100 Network Interface Card was announced in the first quarter of 1995; it
provides a scaleable, high-performance Ethernet connection for users who want to
implement Fast Ethernet for bandwidth-intensive applications. By adopting Fast
Ethernet standards and translating them into immediately available products,
Olicom again gives users investment protection through an effective network
migration path.
Strategic Relationships
Olicom has announced partnerships with some of the biggest names in networking
including Fujitsu, Microsoft, IBM, AT&T, and Gateway 2000.
In ATM, Olicom has established a strategic relationship with Fujitsu
Microelectronics, LTD. Olicom and Fujitsu are jointly developing ATM
technology, including silicon and software drivers, for ATM adapter products. To
date, Olicom has introduced 155 Mbps ATM adapters for both EISA and PCI busses
based on this strategic partnership. Olicom's relationship with Fujitsu will
culminate in a full line of adapters for 25 and 155 Mbps ATM.
In August of 1995, Microsoft licensed Olicom's ATM LAN emulation software
to include in its Windows operating systems, further validating Olicom's core
competency in ATM and the quality of its ATM software. Olicom ATM customers
using Windows operating systems enjoy outstanding compatibility with Olicom ATM
adapter drivers.
Olicom also formed a series of relationships to further strengthen its
leadership in Token-Ring. In mid-1995, Olicom agreed to supply PCI-based
Token-Ring adapters for the IBM Personal Computer Power Series based on
the PowerPC microprocessor. At about the same time, Olicom announced that
AT&T Global Information Solutions (GIS) would resell Olicom Token-Ring
products and integrate them into AT&T GIS's Globalyst PC. In September of 1995,
Olicom announced that an agreement with Gateway 2000 under which Gateway
will bundle Olicom Token-Ring adapters with their computer systems to introduce
a network-ready PC.
Early in 1994, Olicom purchased an interest in Lasat Communications, a
European developer and manufacturer of high speed modems, advanced modem
systems, and ISDN terminal equipment. The companies will deliver new
desktop-to-LAN products for the fast-growing mobile computing market. The first
of these, a series of LAN/modem cards that are part of Olicom's GoCard product
line, was introduced late in 1995.
Olicom-Cisco Strategic Alliance
In March, 1996, Olicom and Cisco Systems announced a long-term agreement
to jointly develop the future generation of Token-Ring router and switch
products. The objective is to provide cost-effective, dedicated Token-Ring
connectivity to the desktop. Cisco will provide the switching technology and
system software, while Olicom will provide Token-Ring Media Access Control (MAC)
technology, custom ASIC designs, and Olicom core Token-Ring technology,
including the company's high-performance PowerMACH software.
Olicom products resulting from the Cisco alliance will complement Olicom's
industry-leading Token-Ring connectivity product family. Cisco will offer
Token-Ring switching products created by the alliance, which will complement its
CiscoBlue product roadmap. The agreement will strengthen Olicom's position and
broaden its product offerings in the fast-growing LAN switching marketplace.
Both the Cisco-Olicom Token-Ring switch and the CrossFire Token-Ring switch,
described elsewhere in this Backgrounder, incorporate the same types of
technologies and are fully compatible in LAN use. Both the CrossFire switch and
the Cisco-Olicom switch will be positioned for the backbone and the workgroup as
well as for delivery of cost-effective, dedicated bandwidth to enterprise
desktops. Both switches will provide ATM 155 uplinks for easy, cost-effective
migration to ATM.
Sales and Distribution
Olicom sells its products primarily through resellers, value added resellers,
and distributors. Its Master Reseller program (in Europe, Africa, and the
Pacific Rim) utilizes the high-level expertise of key resellers in various
markets to provide extended support for Olicom products. Olicom also employs an
OEM sales force.
In addition to its own sales offices, Olicom has distributors and representation
in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Israel,
Italy, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia,
Slovak Republic, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, the
Netherlands, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and the United States.
Customer Support and Service
Olicom emphasizes timely, effective customer technical support for all its
products, usually without charge or time limitation. Support answers questions
concerning product installation, configuration, and compatibility, and is
available by phone, fax, conventional and electronic mail, and CompuServe. A
computer-based tracking system enables customers who contact the support
department to be assisted by the same support person with each call.
Olicom technical support can verify that Olicom products function properly with
selected software applications, network operating system software,
communications applications, etc. When necessary, this type of testing is
carried out with Olicom R&D. If compatibility cannot be verified or a problem is
discovered, technical support attempts to develop a workaround.
Olicom support personnel can visit a customer's site to assist with installation Olicom products or to resolve problems where Olicom products are used. The need
for on-site support is determined by Olicom and the customer.
Most Olicom software products, including drivers, network management
applications, fixes, etc., are available on Olicom's BBS and FTP server and
World Wide Web (WWW) server. In addition, a number of Olicom software products
are available on CompuServe.
In addition to support for end users, Olicom also provides presale support to
distributors, resellers, and Olicom Master Resellers.
Products
Token-Ring Adapters
Olicom was first known for its Token-Ring adapters. Today, Olicom adapters offer
the best price/performance of any Token-Ring cards in the industry: in
third-party tests and reviews, they are consistently rated fastest. Flagship
products from this line include the Token-Ring ISA and Token-Ring PCI adapters.
The lSA adapter delivers the best price/performance in the industry, certified
by the ongoing PC Week magazine benchmark. The PCI adapter earned its top
market share worldwide in 1995 based on its exceptional performance and
reliability.
Ethernet Adapters
Our latest Ethernet adapters, the ISA/IV family, provides industry-leading
performance and competitive pricing. The most recent addition, the Ethernet PCI
adapter, supports the advanced ThunderLAN chipset and Adaptive Performance
Optimization, making it one of the best-performing adapters in the industry. All
Olicom Ethernet adapters conform to the IEEE 802.3 Ethernet standard, so they
can be easily integrated into networks with Ethernet products from other
suppliers.
Fast Ethernet Adapters
In January of 1996, Olicom expanded its family of Fast Ethernet solutions with
three new adapters: the Fast Ethernet PCI/II 10/100, Fast Ethernet ISA 10/100,
and Fast Ethernet MCA 10/100 Adapters.
The new Fast Ethernet MCA 10/100 Adapter is the world's first MCA bus adapter
for Fast Ethernet. It was introduced to meet the high-speed migration needs of
legacy LAN installations, particularly in global, Fortune 1000 corporations with
a large installed base of MCA bus computers.
The Fast Ethernet PCI/II 10/100 Adapter is one of very few that supports
Adaptive Performance Optimization, a recently developed technology that provides
automatic, on-the-fly performance adjustment based on the load on the PC's PCI
bus. The result is extremely low CPU utilization and a major increase in overall
performance.
All Olicom Fast Ethernet adapters support Auto Negotiation (the ability to
automatically detect LAN speed), and all support full duplex transmission.
ATM Adapters and Software
In 1994, Olicom announced plans to deliver ATM products. ATM has emerged as the
high-speed standard deploying the new generation of client/server and multimedia
applications now taking hold on enterprise networks. ATM provides the increased
speed and bandwidth required at the desktop for these demanding new
applications.
Olicom will provide cost-effective, fully interoperable ATM solutions that
provide readily-available migration from existing Token-Ring and Ethernet
solutions. Olicom already is providing customers with the RapidFire™ family of
ATM Network Interface Cards and CellDriver™ LAN emulation software to address
both desktop and high-end workstation applications requiring both low-cost and
more powerful, higher-speed solutions.
As noted earlier, Olicom partnered with Fujitsu Microelectronics to develop
software driver and silicon technology for a series of 25 Mbps ATM adapter cards
and 155 Mbps adapters for both EISA and PCI.
PC Cards: For Notebook-To-Network Connectivity
Olicom GoCard PC Cards enable mobile and remote users to easily link their
laptops to corporate networks, where they can access a full range of services -
such as e-mail, product inventory and ordering capabilities, the Internet,
on-line services, and fax facilities. Olicom has introduced a Token-Ring PC
Card, a GoCard for Ethernet, a "combo" Token-Ring/Modem (the first in the
industry), and a "combo" Ethernet/Modem. GoCard products that include a modem
adhere to applicable telecommunications regulations from the US and several
other countries.
LAN Switch Products
In April, 1996, Olicom unveiled plans for a full range of LAN switch solutions
and it announced the first product of that future solution set, the CrossFire™
Token-Ring stackable switch. This product enables Token-Ring network managers to
extend existing investments in Token-Ring, to increase performance and overcome
network bottlenecks. The CrossFire Token-Ring switch also permits network
managers to flexibly implement 155 Mbps ATM for high-speed backbone transport.
The CrossFire Ethernet switch is planned for late 1996 introduction.
Olicom also has announced a full range of modular switch products for 155 Mbps
and 25 Mbps ATM which will provide switch solutions for both backbones and
workgroups. These products will form the foundation for high-performance ATM
solutions that combine Olicom's range of RapidFire ATM adapters and CellDriver
LAN emulation software.
Hubs and Wiring Components
Olicom's families of Token-Ring and Ethernet hubs and wiring components provide
cost-effective LAN connectivity for workgroups, remote sites, and branch
offices. Like Olicom's adapters, the intelligent hubs and wiring components
adhere to industry standards, are fully IBM-compatible (when applicable) and
offer easy installation, operation, and management.
For Token-Ring networks, Olicom offers a standard 8-port Multistation
Access Unit (MAU) for STP and UTP, a Controlled Access Unit (CAU) and the
associated Lobe Attachment Modules (LAMs). Olicom also offers a unique product
for Token-Ring networks, the CAM (Controlled Attachment Module), which
integrates the features of both a CAU and LAM to provide cost-effective,
intelligent hub-like connectivity. Upgradeable from 10-port to 20-ports, the CAM
lets users add connectivity as their network needs dictate. CAM's aggressive
pricing -- as low as half the cost-per-port of purchasing both a CAU and LAM --
makes it an ideal and affordable solution for linking branch offices with a
central site.
For Ethernet users, Olicom provides a family of stackable Ethernet hubs
designed to meet the needs of both small workgroups and large enterprise
networks. The Ethernet hubs offer excellent price/performance and are fully
interoperable with other vendors' Ethernet products and users' existing
equipment and systems. Olicom Ethernet hubs are extremely scaleable, enabling
users to start with a single, unmanaged hub, then add connectivity and
management capabilities as their network grows.
Internetworking Products
Olicom internetworking products help users link LANs in an enterprise network.
Olicom's PC-based and standalone local bridges and remote bridges, and the
company's unique PC-based Router Adapters, give users cost-effective solutions
for linking their LANs via high-speed connections.
Olicom local and remote bridges are extremely fast and are easy to configure,
use, and manage. All Olicom internetworking products support IBM's LAN Network
Manager/NetView, SNMP, and out-of-band management.
Focus And Direction
For hundreds of thousands of businesses around the world, Local Area Networks
(LANs) play a vital role. Whether it's mission-critical applications such as
database systems processing hundreds of transactions per minute or workgroup
computing in office environments, the majority of these businesses simply could
not function without LANs.
As these businesses have grown, so has their dependency on LANs, creating a
demand for LAN products that are more efficient, easier to use, offer better
performance, and are less costly to maintain. At the same time, LAN technology
has been evolving and improving. Ten years ago, LANs were, in most cases, small
clusters of PCs connected for sharing files, printers, and mainframe resources.
Today, many corporations have enterprise networks with thousands of PCs
connected on hundreds of LANs. The extreme demands corporations now place on
LANs and the evolution of LAN technology has set the stage for a new generation
of high speed LANs. Soon, corporations will be transitioning to high-speed
networking where resources can be controlled tactically and with greater cost
efficiency.
The Migration to Switched Networks
User demands for ever-faster, no-slowdown performance from highly sophisticated,
compute-heavy applications place incredible pressure on LAN performance.
Focusing on these exploding demands, Olicom has developed comprehensive
migration strategies which enable corporations using Token-Ring and Ethernet to
increase shared LAN capacity productively yet cost-effectively. Olicom also
enables corporations to gracefully integrate ATM.
Token-Ring and Ethernet users realize significant benefits from these major
Olicom strategies:
- Increased, scaleable bandwidth between end stations and servers
- Full duplex operation with Olicom's top-performing LAN adapters
- ATM LAN emulation, which gives LAN end stations ATM connectivity
- 155 and 25 Mbps ATM to the desktop
- ATM backbone switching
Olicom will introduce a comprehensive range of stackable LAN switch products for
Token-Ring and Ethernet in April, 1996, in an early phase of the implementation
of these key futuristic corporate networking strategies. The introduction
includes products for building high-speed backplane stacks for switch
interconnections, as well as management software supporting SNMP.
Starting with this "CrossFire" Token-Ring switch, noted earlier, Olicom's new
switching products deliver competitive per-port prices, low cost-of-ownership
and full support for industry standards. The CrossFire Token-Ring illustrates
how Olicom leverages its extensive technical expertise to deliver high quality
solutions with industry-leading price/performance. As noted, the CrossFire
Ethernet switch will be released in late 1996.
To take advantage of high productivity software applications that require
"bandwidth on demand," Olicom has announced it will release a full range of
modular switch solutions for both backbones and workgroups. These will form the
foundation for high-performance ATM solutions that combine our range of
RapidFire ATM adapters and CellDriver LAN emulation software. They will bring
enterprise-wide ATM to the desktop when the LANs are connected via a router to
ATM uplinks.
Management
LARS STIG NIELSEN, President and Chief Executive Officer
Olicom's President and CEO since he founded the company in 1985, Mr. Nielsen is
the company's managerial and visionary leader whose contributions to growth have
ranged from hardware design for the company's first networking products to
taking the company public in 1992. Mr. Nielsen holds a Masters degree in
Electrical Engineering from the Technical University of Denmark (DTH).
KURT NYBROE-NIELSEN, Chief Operating Officer
Kurt Nybroe-Nielsen has been employed with Olicom A/S since its founding in 1985
as Vice President of Research and Development, Operations, and Sales and
Marketing. He is currently Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Olicom A/S in
Denmark and acting President of Olicom USA in Plano, Texas. Mr. Nybroe-Nielsen
also is a Member of the Board of Olicom USA, Inc., Olicom Trading A/S, Connect
International A/S, Dataland A/S, Interconnect A/S, and Standard Finance
International S.A., Luxembourg.
Before joining Olicom, he held positions in turnkey communication systems with
American Airlines and government and defense agencies in Europe, the United
States and NATO.
Mr. Nybroe-Nielsen holds a Masters of Science in Electrical Engineering from the
Technical University of Denmark (DTH); Bachelor of Communications from
Copenhagen School of Economics and Business Administration, and has completed
the Executive Program from Stanford University.
Boje Rinhart, Chief Financial Officer
Mr. Rinhart has served as Chief Financial Officer since joining the company in
April, 1995, prior to which he was a consultant to the company. From 1986 until
joining Olicom, Mr. Rinhart was co-partner of Hjorth & Rinhart, a management
constancy firm specializing in managerial, commercial, and contractual aspects
of the sale/procurement of large-scale computer systems. From 1979 to 1986, Mr.
Rinhart held a number of management positions at Christian Rovsing, a data
networking firm, including Controller of Electronics Division and Vice President
of Finance. From 1970 to 1979, he was an Economist with Hoff & Overgaard, an
international consulting firm. Mr. Rinhart holds a Masters degree in Economics
from the University of Copenhagen.
NIELS JØRGENSEN, Vice President of Research, Development and Engineering
Since joining Olicom in 1987, Mr. Jørgensen has served as Project Manager for a
number of external development contracts and as Director of Engineering. He was
appointed Vice President of Research, Development and Engineering in 1994. From
1980 until joining Olicom, Mr. Jørgensen held various positions with Christian
Rovsing, including Program Manager, Principal System Engineer, and software
engineer. Mr. Jørgensen holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from Arhus
Technical University in Denmark.
Steen B. Lohse, Vice President of Marketing
Before joining Olicom in 1989, Mr. Lohse, with more than ten years in the LAN
industry, worked as a top-level consultant for companies such as British
Airways, Olivetti Computers, and Lloyds Bank. Mr. Lohse also has been
instrumental in the formation of industry groups like ASTRAL and in other
strategic relationships that Olicom participates in today. Mr. Lohse holds
science degrees in engineering and business administration from The University
of Copenhagen.
Michael Jonsson, Vice President of International Sales
Mr. Jonsson joined Olicom in 1986, and served as Sales Director of Southern
Europe until he was promoted to Vice President of International Sales in
January, 1996. Before joining Olicom, he held positions in turnkey communication
systems with Christian Rovsing. Mr. Jonsson holds a BS in Electronic Engineering
from the Danish Engineering Academy.
Tyge Trier Director of Legal Affairs and Investor Relations
An Olicom employee since 1993, Tyge Trier has served as its Director of Legal
Affairs and as Director of Investor Relations since 1994, and he also works in
the business development area. Prior to joining Olicom he served as Vice
President in the Investment Bank Department of Den Danske Bank A/S. Earlier, he
was admitted to the Bar in Denmark and employed by the law firm of Gorrissen &
Federspiel.
Søren Seerup Director of Operations
Mr. Seerup has served as Director of Operations since joining the company in
1995. From 1986 until joining Olicom, he was head of international logistics and
earlier, head of production at Ferrosan A/S, a company in the Novo Nordisk
Group. From 1984 to 1986, Mr. Seerup was head of planning at Helioprint A/S, a
manufacturer of reproduction equipment. Mr. Seerup holds a BS degree in
Production from Ingeniørhøjskolen København.
(Note: Microcom is now part of Compaq Computer Corp., a long-time JMB
client.)
MICROCOM ACCESS INTEGRATOR GLOSSARY
ADAPTive Switching
ADAPTive Switching (Advanced Dynamic Access Partitioning Technology)
provides superior switching capabilities. Virtual connections are set up on a
call- by-call basis and virtual connections are created between modules and
external network equipment supporting PPTP, L2F, and L2TP tunneling protocols.
Virtual input and output ports are created, eliminating static assignment
constraints. Each input port is automatically or dynamically assigned to an
output port, which reduces the amount of hardware required as new applications
and services come on-line. Overall, because fewer lines are needed, ownership
cost is decreased, less hardware is needed, and deployment is simplified.
ARP - Address Resolution Protocol, a standard method of resolving the
destination of a message.
ATM - Asynchronous Transfer Mode, a transmission mode characterized by
unequal time intervals between transmitted characters
BOOTP - Bootstrap Protocol
CAP - Carrier Access Platform (Microcom Access Integrator 700C & 1700C)
CSU - Channel Service Unit
DCE - Data Circuit Terminating-Equipment, user equipment which sets up,
maintains, and terminates data connections.
DMM - Distributed Management Module (Microcom Access Integrator)
DS0 - Digital Signal Zero, signifies a T1 facility operating with a frame
structure of 24 channels, 64 Kbps each.
DSU - Data Service Unit
DTE - Data Terminal Equipment, equipment which begins or ends
communications paths.
DTU - Data Terminal Unit
EAP - Enterprise Access Platform (Microcom Access Integrator 700R &
1700R)
E1 - A Telco circuit that bundles 30 (64Kbps) DS0 timeslots to carry
data, and 2 64Kbps timeslots to carry signaling information. The total bandwidth
is of an E1line is 2.056Mbps. They are capable of carrying digital and analog
data calls and are standard in much of the world (other than T1). Conforms to
ITU Q.921 and Q.931.
Ethernet - A widely used local-area packet-switched network technology,
Ethernet was invented at Xerox PARC in the early 1970s.
FDDI - Fiber Distribution Data Interface, an emerging standard for a type
of network technology which is based on fiberoptics. Established by ANSI, the
American National Standards Institute.
FIRMWARE - Key programs customarily stored in read-only memory (operating
systems, diagnostics, and configuration programs are typically regarded as
firmware).
FRAD - Frame Relay Access Device.
GUI - Graphical User Interface.
HDMS - High Density Management System
IETF - Internet Engineering Task Force, a group concerned with short and
medium-term problems with TCP/IP and the connected Internet. The IETF is divided
into six areas which are further divided into working groups.
IMP - Intelligent Modem Platform (Microcom Access Integrator 700M &
1700M)
INC - Intelligent Network Controller
IOS - Internetwork Operating System
IP - Internet Protocol, the TCP/IP standard protocol that defines the IP
datagram as the unit of information passed across an internet. The protocol also
provides the basis for connectionless, best-effort packet delivery service.
IPX - Internetwork Packet Exchange
ISDN - The "Integrated Services Digital Network" is provided by carriers
and combines voice and digital network services in a single medium.
ISP - Internet Service Provider
ISPorte - Central-site remote access for corporate environments, ISPs,
and bulletin board operators. (Microcom)
LAN - Local Area Network
LIU - Line Interface Unit
MAI - Microcom Access Integrator
MAU - Multistation Access Unit
MCSS - Microcom Control Site Script
MIB - Management Info Base
MMM - Managed Modem Module (Microcom Access Integrator)
MNC - Modem Network Controller
MNP - Microcom Networking Protocol
MVAR - Microcom Value Added Reseller
NAS - Network Access Server
NCS - Network Control System
NMC - Network Monitor Card
OEM - Original Equipment Manufacturer
PAC - PPTP Access Concentrator (see PPTP)
PAD - Packet Assembler/Disassembler - a terminal multiplexor device that
forms a connection between terminals and hosts across an X.25 network.
PLC - Private Line Card
PNS - PPTP Network Servers
POP - Point of Presence
POTS - Plain Old Telephone Service
PPP - Point-to-Point Protocol
PPTP - Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol, an open protocol expected to
become the industry standard for remote access. It combines Point-to-Point
Protocol (PPP) with Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)
into one remote access protocol. It enables users to make one local phone call
and connect to the corporate LAN via the Internet. A cost savings is incurred by
the user dialing a local number instead of a toll free number provided by the
corporation. PPTP makes the Internet and private IP backbones more secure for
accessing an organization's internal network. Network managers can extend a
virtual private network from a server throughout the Internet and still retain
control of their user passwords and accounts via PPTP. PPTP saves costs and
utilizes existing Internet and IP networks. (See PAC).
PRI - Primary Rate [ISDN line] Interface
PSDN - Public Switched Data Network [X.25]
PSTN - Public Switched Telephone Network
PTT - Postal Telephone and Telegraph. Outside the US, government agencies
responsible for providing and/or regulating communications. In the past few
years, a number of PTTs have become private operations.
RAS - Remote Access Server
RS-232 - A standard by the Electronics Institute of America (EIA) that
specifies the electrical characteristics of slow speed interconnections between
terminals and computers or between two computers.
SCM - Serial Concentrator Module
SNMP - Simple Network Management Protocol
SOHO - Small Office - Home Office
TACACS - Terminal Access Controller Access System
T1 - A Telco circuit that bundles 23 (64Kbps) DS0 timeslots to carry data
and 1 4Kbps timeslot to carry signaling information. There are 2 of these
circuits per engine, with a total bandwidth of 1.544Mbps. They are capable of
carrying digital and analog data calls, and are standard in the U.S., Canada,
the Philippines, Hong Kong, Japan, and China.
TCP/IP - Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol
TDM - Time Division Multiplexing
Telco - Telephone Company
UAC - Universal Access Controller
USR - US Robotics
VAN - Value Added Network
WAN - Wide Area Network
(11/96 prepared for Microcom Corp.)
IMPORTANT NOTE CONCERNING
ADDITIONAL COMPANIES & SAMPLES:
For Microcom, JMB Communications also prepared a VPN (Virtual Private
Networking) Technology Guide (Spring, 1997) for use in Microcom VPN Seminars
and a MAI (Microcom Access Integrator) Technology Guide for Microcom
sales rep internal training and major customer opportunities (Fall, 1996). For
more information, contact JMB Communications.
JMB Communications also has prepared product marketing materials for 3Com/Chipcom
Corporation and for Proteon Corporation. Electronic samples are
available on request. Please see our home page for our email address.
LEGAL: These drafts are copyright ©, 2001 - 1997 by JMB
Communications. World rights reserved. These writing samples were prepared by
JMB Communications for the companies noted, which own the copyrights to the
final versions. All trademarks in these writing samples are the property of
their respective owners.
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