LANCAST Introduces Low-Cost Redundancy Solution For Fast Ethernet

New Device Halves the Cost of Redundant Links

May 21, 1996, Nashua, NH -- LANCAST, a leading provider of innovative and
cost-effective Ethernet solutions, today announced a fault tolerant
100Base-TX extender that provides the redundant or backup link between
Fast Ethernet network devices at about half the cost of traditional switch
solutions.

LANCAST's fault tolerant extender provides primary and back-up links
between two network switches, routers or bridges to help ensure network
reliability, minimize network downtime and maintain the security of
Ethernet backbones. The extender monitors links between network devices
and automatically switches to the backup link when the primary link fails.
The extender then restores the primary link when that link status returns
to normal.

The extender provides a cost-effective option to the more traditional
solution of using two sets of media cables connected by switches to
establish a redundant link. When using switches, network managers must use
two switching ports per side, bringing the cost of establishing a
redundant link to more than $4,500 for twisted pair connections and to
nearly $10,000 for fiber optic connections.

LANCAST's fault tolerant extender establishes a redundant twisted pair link
for about $2,000. The extender can be used with LANCAST's 100 Mbps "the
twister" media translator to convert from twisted pair to fiber optic
cable and provide a redundant fiber link for about $5,000.

When used with LANCAST's newly introduced SuperTwister (which helps
eliminate the traditional 200 meter collision domain), the extender can
also establish redundant fiber links between full-duplex switches and
half-duplex repeaters at a cost of about $6,000. When combined with the
SuperTwister, LANCAST's fault tolerant extender offers users a
cost-effective means to build large, complex networks with full redundancy
between network devices.

Pricing and Availability

LANCAST's fault tolerant extender will begin shipping in June with a
suggested list price of $995.

LANCAST is a leading provider of innovative, cost-effective and
standards-based solutions for Ethernet networks. The company's
connectivity products include network interface cards, transceivers,
repeaters, intelligent workgroup hubs and switches for both 10 and 100
Mbps LANs. LANCAST sells its products worldwide through a network of
partners including Ingram Micro, OEM customers, regional distributors,
large systems integrators and catalog distributors. LANCAST was founded in
1981 and is headquartered in Nashua, New Hampshire.
 
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