---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Florida SunFlash LEADING ETHERNET SUPPLIERS ENDORSE "10/100 MBPS ETHERNET MIGRATION OBJECTIVES" SunFLASH Vol 47 #11 November 1992 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Reminder: Satellite Broadcast Of Sun's New Products: Nov 10, 1992 Please call 1-800-688-9707 to register. Call you local Sun office or the 800 Number to find the closest location to you that is hosting this event and the local times for this event. Some locations will host this event twice. By registering with the 800 number, you should be able to select the least busy session. (In Ft. Lauderdale people prefer the morning session 3:1!) McNealy: "I personally consider this announcement to be Sun's most important since the SPARCstation 1 in April '89, and I invite you to join us on November 10th for a major industry event." -johnj ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3Com, SynOptics, Sun Microsystems Computer Corporation and LAN Media Corporation Support Standards Development Effort SANTA CLARA, Calif., Nov. 4, 1992 - Leading networking suppliers today endorsed a list of goals for implementing Ethernet networks at 100 megabits per second (Mbps) using unshielded twisted pair (UTP) 10BASE-T wiring and pledged support to expedite a workable standard for the industry. The objectives supported by 3Com Corporation, SynOptics Communications, Inc., Sun Microsystems Computer Corporation, LAN Media Corporation, and others are a set of technical objectives the vendors believe are necessary for a final 100 Mbps Ethernet standard and will be presented for discussion at the IEEE 802.3 committee meeting during the week of November 9 in San Diego, Calif. The advent of 100 Mbps Ethernet technology means customers can meet the increasing demands for greater bandwidth for new applications and larger numbers of users on network segments with a cost-effective approach that will extend the useful life of the installed base of Ethernet equipment. According to the group of suppliers, this is clearly achievable with well-known, existing technology. The goal of the "10/100 Mbps Ethernet Migration Objectives" (Editor's Note: see attached for more details on the objectives) is to ensure a final standard that is cost-effective and technically feasible to implement. The four objectives include providing a low-cost migration from 10 Mbps to 100 Mbps, ensuring rapid standards development by leveraging existing interfaces, preserving current Ethernet Media Access Control (MAC) layer protocols while scaling speed up to 100 Mbps, and supporting existing cabling. The group believes the objectives meet customer requirements and can be implemented in a timely manner. These objectives are independent of a particular technology proposal and are expected to be generally compatible with approaches from other vendors. Consensus by a large group of leading suppliers on a set of objectives is an important development since this type of general agreement is the first step in the smooth evolution of standards. Founded in 1979, 3Com Corporation (NASDAQ: COMS) pioneered the networking industry and today offers growing businesses and organizations the industry's broadest range of data networking products, including bridges, routers, structured wiring hubs and adapters. The company is committed to leading the growth of global data networking infrastructures that allow people to use data as proactively and efficiently as today's most sophisticated telephone networks streamline and facilitate voice communications. Headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif., 3Com is the only data networking company that maintains worldwide research and development, manufacturing, support, marketing, sales and service capabilities. Sun Microsystems Computer Corporation, a subsidiary of Sun Microsystems, Inc., is the world's leading supplier of open client-server computing solutions. Sun Microsystems, Inc. has its headquarters in Mountain View, Calif. SynOptics Communications, Inc. is a leading supplier of networking products and management systems to organizations worldwide. SynOptics delivers the network fabric that enables organizations to build enterprise-wide network systems today and multi-enterprise networks in the future. The network fabric is built with intelligent hubs that link all types of computers, integrate bridges, routers and switches as needed, and provide common, integrated network management. The result is an underlying, flexible structure that provides high-speed network communications. The company, founded in 1985, is headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif. and has approximately 40 offices worldwide. SynOptics is publicly traded over the counter under the NASDAQ symbol SNPX. LAN Media Corporation (LMC), founded in March 1992, is dedicated to developing high-speed signaling technology for the LAN marketplace. Its initial focus is signaling for 100 Mbps Ethernet. LMC is a privately held company and is located in Santa Clara, Calif. # # # 3Com is a registered trademark of 3Com Corporation. SynOptics is a registered trademark of SynOptics Communications Inc. Sun, Sun Microsystems and Sun Microsystems Computer Corporation are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems Inc. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10/100 Mbps Ethernet Migration Objectives October 1992 A group of leading networking suppliers has endorsed a list of objectives for implementing Ethernet networks at 100 Mbps using unshielded twisted pair (UTP) 10BASE-T wiring and pledged support to expedite a workable standard for the industry. The objectives supported by 3Com Corporation, SynOptics Communications, Inc., Sun Microsystems, LAN Media Corporation and others will be presented for open discussion at the IEEE 802.3 committee meeting the week of November 9 in San Diego, Calif. These objectives are as follows: o Provide low-cost migration from 10 Mbps Ethernet to 100 Mbps Ethernet for all installations A low-cost migration strategy for customers requires the ability to upgrade installations to 100 Mbps Ethernet capability as needs dictate. Customers should not be required to implement massive retrofitting. Instead, 100 Mbps capability should be added link-by-link, with an ability to connect smoothly between 10 Mbps segments and 100 Mbps segments. o Ensure rapid standards development by leveraging existing interfaces Changes in required interfaces between computers and network equipment, or between software drivers and hardware, automatically result in longer standards development process time. The group's goal is to minimize the time required to finalize an upgraded standard, and the chances for new technical problems to arise, by using existing and proven technology whenever possible. The upgrade from 10 Mbps to 100 Mbps will be more widely implemented if the original specification remains as close to its current form as possible. o Preserve Ethernet Media Access Control protocols while scaling speed of the network up to 100 Mbps The evolution in Ethernet speed from 10 Mbps to 100 Mbps should be handled in much the same manner that Token Ring technology migrated smoothly from 4 Mbps to 16 Mbps - preserving investments in the software drivers and applications that have been developed over more than a decade. This can be accomplished by minimizing the changes to the protocols governing the Media Access Control (MAC) layer. o Support existing cabling types The tremendous success of the 10BASE-T standard was due, in part, to its ability to accommodate the majority of UTP cabling already installed in customer sites. It is important to preserve the same infrastructure as Ethernet speed increases. However, the technology must be technically feasible to implement in an affordable way. More work must be completed to define specifically which types of unshielded twisted pair wiring can be reliably supported. It is expected that levels 3,4 and 5 cabling will be supported, since these represent the largest share of the installed base of wiring. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For Futher Information Contact Brian Biles, SMCC Network Management and Connectivity Manager 415-336-2056 brian.biles@corp ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ For information send mail to info-sunflash@sunvice.East.Sun.COM. Subscription requests should be sent to sunflash-request@sunvice.East.Sun.COM. Archives are on solar.nova.edu, paris.cs.miami.edu, uunet.uu.net, src.doc.ic.ac.uk and ftp.adelaide.edu.au All prices, availability, and other statements relating to Sun or third party products are valid in the U.S. only. Please contact your local Sales Representative for details of pricing and product availability in your region. Descriptions of, or references to products or publications within SunFlash does not imply an endorsement of that product or publication by Sun Microsystems. John McLaughlin, SunFlash editor, flash@sunvice.East.Sun.COM. (305) 776-7770. TRACE: To: sunflash@suntri Errors-to: owner-sunflash@suntri.east.sun.com