sunflash-Distributed to mailing list sunflash@suntri sunflash-Send requests and problem reports to owner-sunflash@suntri.east.sun.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Florida SunFlash SMCC Delivers Industry's Lowest-Cost ISDN Solution Ameritech and SMCC to Jointly Market ISDN SunFLASH Vol 52 #22 April 1993 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- This article contains two Sun press releases about ISDN. -johnj ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Contact: Junne Moy (415) 336-0544 Contact: Lauren Swingle (415) 336-7273 MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. -- April 19, 1993 -- Sun Microsystems Computer Corporation (SMCC) today introduced two new products that will give customers greater flexibility by extending their work enironment to remote locations, using ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) technology. These new products, the SunLink(R) ISDN-BRI (Basic Rate Interface) Enabling Kit 1.0 and the SunISDN(TM)-BRI/SBI (Speaker Box Interface) Expansion Kit 1.0, enable users to share multimedia resources across the ISDN public telephone networks. ISDN provides significantly more functionality and is a cost-effective alternative to modems and leased lines for businesses with remote locations that need wide area networking (WAN) connectivity to the home office local area networking (LAN) environment. The new ISDN products are well suited for many applications, including telecommuting; real-time access to corporate databases and services from remote sites; image and graphics transmission, such as in the CAD/CAM and medical areas; leased-line backup; and multimedia conferencing to facilitate collaborative computing between remote workgroups. The Enabling Kit includes CCITT-compliant (International Telephone and Telegraph Consultative Committee) ISDN protocol stacks and the software support required to run new and existing TCP/IP or UDP/IP applications transparently across digital telephone networks. It is intended to be used for computers with built-in ISDN-BRI capabilities, like the Sun(TM) SPARCstation(TM) 10 and SPARCStation(TM) LX systems. Customers who want the same ISDN functionalities on other SPARCstation and SPARCserver computers that do not have built-in ISDN-BRI capabilities can use the ISDN Expansion Kit. It provides customers with a SunISDN-BRI/SBI SBus plug-in card and the same software as the Enabling Kit. The SBus card provides an interface for ISDN-BRI, as well as an interface to a Sun speaker box. In addition, the Expansion Kit can be used by power users requiring multiple BRI connections on a system. Product features include a graphical user interface configuration tool for easy installation and administration; security features like callback, calling line identification and PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol) authentication password; and an inactivity timer that provides transparent open/close connections. Initially, these products will be available in the United States, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Japan this summer. Other countries will be added pending certification by respective country PTTs (Post Telephone and Telegraph Administration). The Enabling Kit will be available for $95 (U.S. list). The Expansion Kit will be available for $595 (U.S. list). Special Introductory offer: For a limited time, SMCC is offering a 100-pack license for the Enabling Kit for $495. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ameritech and SMCC to Jointly Market ISDN -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Contact: Lauren Swingle (415) 336-7273 Phone: 1-800-821-4643 for SMCC Contact: Judith Meyer Org: Ameritech Phone: (708) 248-2156 Phone: 1-800-TEAM DATA for Ameritech. MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. -- April 19, 1993 -- In an effort to increase the availability of communications solutions to customers in the telecommunications arena, Sun Microsystems Computer Corporation (SMCC) and Ameritech today announced plans to jointly market and sell their respective ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) products and services to customers throughout Ameritech's five-state region. Both SMCC and Ameritech have made strategic investments to deliver on the promise of universal connectivity over high-speed public data networks. SMCC has made ISDN available on its SPARC(TM) Solaris(TM) platform, while Ameritech is significantly expanding its ISDN service area. Today, ISDN is available to almost all Ameritech customers in the Chicago metropolitan area and by the end of the year, this expanded availability will encompass other major metropolitan areas, including Milwaukee, Detroit, Cleveland, Columbus and Indianapolis. To maintain a competitive edge, businesses must plan for future innovation. SMCC and Ameritech are making sure their customers will be able to take advantage of new technologies as they evolve, while preserving their current investment in hardware and software. In addition to jointly marketing their own products and services, SMCC and Ameritech will also work with third-party software developers, integrators and customers to deliver ISDN solutions. The initial uses for ISDN on the Sun(TM) platform will be telecommuting, LAN-to-WAN connectivity, image transfer and document collaboration. Enhancements to current applications will incorporate different forms of data, video, image, voice and text. Ameritech utilizes Sun technology internally in one of its Electronic Switching Assistance Centers (ESAC). The ESAC currently uses Sun SPARCstation(TM) workstations and SPARCserver(TM) systems to network a variety of internal systems over a TCP/IP-based ISDN network. Having the ability to network over ISDN lines using standard protocols like TCP/IP lets Ameritech deliver a higher level of service to its customers. A goal of this alliance is to expand these capabilities to Ameritech's customers' applications. Ameritech is one of the world's leading information companies. The Chicago-based company is the parent of the five Bell companies, serving 12 million customers through 17 million access lines in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Ameritech provides advanced telecommunications and information services, including wireless communications (cellular and paging), directory publishing, business systems, systems integration and support, lease financing and credit card services. Ameritech's competence reaches world-wide with ventures in New Zealand and Europe. Its 1992 revenues were $11.2 billion and assets are $22 billion. ### Sun Microsystems, Sun Microsystems Computer Corporation, Sun, the Sun logo, and the Sun Microsystems Computer Corporation logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. All SPARC trademarks, including the SCD Compliant logo, are trademarks or registered trademarks of SPARC International, Inc. SPARCstation and SPARCserver are licensed exclusively to Sun Microsystems, Inc. Products bearing SPARC trademarks are based on an architecture developed by Sun Microsystems, Inc. All other products are referred to herein by the trademarks as designated by the companies who market those products.