---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Florida SunFlash SMCC First to Ship Switchable Adapter SunFLASH Vol 67 #x July 1994 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Electronic Journal For Sun Users Since 1988 John J. Mclaughlin, Publisher & Editor - flash@sun.com ____________________________________________________________________________ 67.xx SMCC First to Ship Switchable Adapter Sun Microsystems Computer Company (SMCC) announced that it is shipping in volume the industry's first switchable 10/100Mbps 100Base-T "Fast Ethernet" adapter. The award-winning adapter provides 10 times the speed of existing 10Base-T Ethernet and is therefore ideal for customers who want a simple, affordable upgrade for high-speed networking. (xxx lines) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Contact: Tony Lee at (415)336-0687 By being switchable, the SunFastEthernet(TM) adapter enables different parts of the network to run at different speeds by automatically sensing when to adjust to 10 or 100Mbps. With this feature, customers can choose when to migrate each piece of the network over to the higher speed. The customer shipments of SunFastEthernet, which began in late June, mark two additional industry "firsts" for SMCC, including the first shipment of a 100Mbps Fast Ethernet adapter for UNIX(R), workstations and the first implementation of leading Fast Ethernet IEEE 802.3 standards such as 100Base-TX and the Media Independent Interface (MII) into an adapter. The onboard 100 Base-TX transceiver allows the adapter to run over two-pair Category 5 Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) wiring while the Media Independent Interface, when connected to an external third-party transceiver, allows the adapter to run over additional wiring types, including fiber, Shielded Twisted Pair (STP) and 4-pair Category 3 and 4 UTP wiring. The SunFastEthernet adapter is a cost-effective alternative for high-speed networking. The single-wide card uses the core CSMA/CD (Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection) protocol of IEEE 802.3, enabling customers to preserve their investments in existing network infrastructure, applications and expertise. In recognition of its outstanding offering, SMCC's adapter garnered a ComNet(R), 1994 New Product Achievement Award for "Best New LAN & Internetworking Product." This competition evaluated products on the basis of innovation, industry contribution and integration with current product lines, migration capabilities and return on investment. The SunFastEthernet product also conforms to the specifications defined by the Fast Ethernet Alliance, an open industry group of which SMCC is a key member. As a result, SunFastEthernet assures interoperability with all switch/hub products from other members of the alliance, including Grand Junction Networks and SynOptics Communications. Pricing and Availability The product is priced at $795 U.S. list and is available now through SMCC and authorized Sun(R), resellers worldwide. Sun Microsystems Computer Company (SMCC), the world's top supplier of open network computing solutions, is an operating company of Sun Microsystems, Inc. Built on Sun's legacy of "The Network is the Computer(TM)," SMCC's SPARC(R)/Solaris(R) workstation and server family leads the UNIX market. The company has its headquarters in Mountain View, Calif. # # # Sun, the Sun logo, Sun Microsystems, The Network is the Computer, SunATM and SunFastEtherent are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. UNIX is a registered trademark in the United States and other countries exclusively licensed through X/Open Company Ltd. ComNet is a registered trademark of IDG World Expo. All other product or service names herein are trademarks of their respective owners. Press announcements and other information about Sun Microsystems are available on the Internet via the World Wide Web. URL: http://www.sun.com For reader inquiries, telephone 1-800-821-4643.