PC-to-AS/400 Connectivity with New NSA Router for Windows Replaces IBM's
Troublesome DOS PCS/400 Router.

LAGUNA HILLS, CA, February 16,1993--Network Software Associates, Inc. (NSA)
today introduced their new NSA Router for Windows, the industry's first
native Windows router software for PC-to-AS/400 connectivity. The new NSA
software replaces IBM's DOS-based PC Support/400 (PCS/400) Router, which
is difficult to install and use. The NSA Router also offers significant
network security advantages.

The NSA Router for Windows is a high-performance, PC-based router for use
with NSA's Elite/400 line of PC-to-AS/400 connectivity solutions.
Elite/400 provides IBM 5250 emulation encapsulated within an LU6.2
Advanced Program-to-Program Communications (APPC) data stream. The NSA
Router has been implemented as a Low Entry Networking (LEN) node within
IBM's Advanced Peer-to-Peer Networking (APPN) architecture.

"Other 5250 Windows emulators such as Wall Data's 5250 emulator must run on
top of the DOS-based PCS/400 Router which is difficult to install,
cumbersome to use and maintain, and imposes serious security risks," said
NSA Product Manager Martin Smith. With the growing popularity of Windows,
users have been searching for an easier-to-use alternative. Until now, no
Windows router solution has been available."

Previous versions of Elite/400 already allowed users the option of
eliminating IBM PCS/400 programs running on the AS/400. Now, the PCS/400
software on the PC side of the connection, which has often proven to be
the most troublesome, can be eliminated as well.

"Elite/400 with the new NSA Router is a complete and intuitive Windows
solution," said Mr. Smith.

"Windows-based installation, configuration and operation make the product
far easier to use than any other solutions. Windows clients can now
dynamically link to multiple AS/400 computers in a distributed
client-server environment as intuitively as they access other LAN
resources. 

A TRUE WINDOWS SOLUTION

The NSA Router for Windows is the first AS/400 router to be fully
implemented as a true Windows Dynamic Link Library (DLL) application.

"It leverages the Windows graphical environment to the fullest extent,"
said Mr. Smith. "For example, the PC user can start an AS/400 session by
simply drawing an AS/400 server icon from the routers inactive area and
dropping it into the active area with the mouse. The NSA Router is the
industry's first dynamic APPC management tool. PC clients can easily
change AS/400 connections on the fly. 

PCS/400--AN INADEQUATE SOLUTION IN 1993

IBM's PCS/400 Router has proven difficult to use in today's Windows
PC-to-AS/400 connectivity environments because:

* It was originally designed as a DOS application and later modified for
Windows. Difficult to install and configure, it requires indepth
experience and the use of up to nine IBM technical manuals.

* It cannot be dynamically loaded, unloaded or reconfigured from Windows.
The user must close down applications and exit Windows to manipulate the
PCS/400 Router directly from DOS, a laborious and time-consuming process.

* Implemented as Terminate and Stay Resident (TSR) DOS extensions, it takes
up valuable DOS memory below 640k, which often precludes the user from
running other applications.

* In LAN configurations, the popular NetBlOS and NetWare IPX/SPX
environments are not supported forcing the user to use NDIS/ODI drivers.

* It assumes the Shared Folders feature is used which introduces security
risks.

* Diagnostics are DOS-based, difficult to use, and buried within Shared
Folders on the AS/400.

Since the NSA Router is implemented as a suite of Windows DLLs rather than
DOS TSRs, it eliminates many PCS/400 drawbacks. The NSA Router is fully
configurable and loadable within Windows. It provides trace features and
diagnostics at the APPC level. And n comes with a simple Quick
Installation Guide.

"We let the PC user dynamically link to any AS/400 session and we provide
compete Windows feedback," Mr. Smith added. "Consider the activities of a
typical Windows user during a work day. He needs access to information
from AS/400s. Using IBM's solution, with each new connection he must shut
down his applications, exit Windows, then edit a batch file and bad IBM's
router from DOS. And H anything should then go wrong, he must again leave
Windows in order to deal with it. There is no Windows feedback."

Many SNA enterprise customers want to use AS/400s as database servers while
using existing NetWare LANs tor tile access, e-mail and other LAN
services, an arrangement not easily supported by PCS/400. Elite/400 and
the NSA Router is the ideal solution. By supporting Novell's NetWare for
SAA server or NSA's optional Elite/400 LAN Gateway server, Elite/400
clients have Windows-based AS/400 access, retain the benefits of NetWare
LAN services, and have system overhead, security risks and administrative
burden of PCS/400 removed.

SECURITY CONSIDERATIONS

As readily admitted by IBM, PCS/400 features such as Shared Folders create
security risks by causing the PC-to-AS/400 APPC session to remain active
and open at all times. This makes the AS/400 extremely vulnerable to
unauthorized access via tile transfers should the authorized user leave
the PC unattended.

With the NSA Router, the Shared Folders feature is not necessary. AS/400
sessions are not established until the user clicks on and drags the
appropriate icon using the mouse, and then links via a valid password. If
the AS/400 drops a connection due to inactivity, the NSA Router provides
an easy yet highly secure reconnection from within Windows.

TWO CLIENT PRODUCTS

Two Elite/400 client software products are available, both include the new
NSA Router: Elite/400 DSP and Elite/400. Elite/400 DSP provides 5250
display emulation using Display Station Passthrough (DSP) technology.
Elite/400 DSP has always eliminated the need to run IBM PCS/400 programs
on the AS/400. Now the NSA Router can be used to eliminate PC-resident
PCS/400 software as well.

Elite/400 provides both 5250 display and printer emulation. This product
works in conjunction with PCS/400 partner programs on the AS/400. The NSA
Router is used on the PC instead of the PCS/400 tor enhanced performance,
security and productivity.

AVAILABILITY AND PRICING

The NSA Router is now available as a standard module within Elite/400 and
Elite/400 DSP version 2.0. Users can now select any of the following
routers when configuring Elite/400 or Elite/400 DSP:

* The NSA Router for Windows.
* The IBM PCS/400 Router.
* Third-party router repacements such as Novell's NetWare 
  for SM Router.

The addition of the NSA Router for Windows does not effect current
Elite/400 pricing. Elite/400 DSP is still priced $295, while Elite/400
remains at $395. Network and corporate licenses are available. All
registered Elite/400 users can receive free upgrades to version 2.0 by
contacting NSA.

Network Software Associates, founded in 1980, develops, markets and
supports a wide range of PC connectivity products for IBM networking
environments. NSA is a strategic business partner of both IBM and
NCR/AT&T, and is an authorized Novell Professional Developer. The company
is headquartered at 39 Argonaut, Laguna Hills, CA 92656. Phone: (714)
7684013.

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