sunflash-Distributed to mailing list sun/NC/north-carolina sunflash-Send requests, problems to owner-sunflash@suntri.east.sun.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Florida SunFlash SunFastEthernet Adapter SunFLASH Vol 62 #3 February 1994 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 62.03 SunFastEthernet Adapter - Sun is the first systems vendor to introduce 100 Mbps Fast Ethernet adapter - Sun's 100 Mbps Ethernet adapter is fully compatible with existing 10Base-T Ethernet standard - Auto-senses 10 Mbps or 100 Mbps and runs at that speed - A lower cost alternative to ATM and FDDI - A cost-effective upgrade for existing 10Base-T users ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- On January 18, 1994, Sun Microsystems Computer Corporation (SMCC) becomes the first systems vendor to introduce a 100 Mbps Fast Ethernet adapter. The SunFastEthernet adapter offers a cost-effective, high-speed networking solution for the millions of Ethernet users looking for a simple, natural and affordable extension of the current Ethernet standard. With the number of users coupled with data-intensive applications growing, today's 10 Mbps Ethernet LAN has reached its limit. The network bandwidth has become the bottleneck. SunFastEthernet provides 10 times the speed of existing 10Base-T Ethernet at less than twice the cost. SunFastEthernet uses the core CSMA/CD (Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection) protocol of the existing Ethernet standard (IEEE802.3), enabling customers to preserve their investment in network infrastructure, application base and expertise,ensuring a virtually riskfree upgrade path. The SunFastEthernet adpter features auto-sensing 10 Mbps or 100 Mbps speeds, allowing users to run their applications at the speed of the network connection, totally transparently. The 10/100 Mbps feature also provides built-in upgradability, specially at the server level, without the disruption of service and the down-time associated with it. The adapter conforms to the interoprability specifications defined by the Fast Ethernet Alliance, an open industry group of which Sun is a key member. As a result,the SunFastEthernet adapter will work with all switch/hub products conforming to these specifications from the other members of the alliance, including Grand Junction Networks, 3Com Corp., SynOptics Communications and several others. Features -------- o Single-width SBus card form factor o 10/100 Mbps data transfer rate o Media Independant Interface (MII) that connects to external third party transceivers designed for various wiring schemes (category 3, category 5 UTP wiring, STP (shielded twisted-pair wiring, or fiber optic cables). The first third-party transceivers are expected to support 2-pair category 5 UTP wiring o Automatically senses speed of the network (10 Mbps or 100 Mbps) and operates accordingly o Buffered DMA o 64 KB of SRAM for packet buffering o Fast Ethernet interface via an ASIC implemented in CMOS o Interoperate with Fast Ethernet switch products from leading Fast Ethernet Alliance members Benefits -------- o Low cost upgrade for existing 10Base-T users at less than twice the cost of 10Base-T o Backward compatible with existing Ethernet standard (IEEE802.3) o Cost effective migration by allowing 10 Mbps and 100 Mbps connections to coexist on the LAN o Cost effective solution for higher bandwidth with use of existing wiring o Simple to deploy, it is based on a proven technology and leverages the large knowledge base of Ethernet expertise worldwide Applications Supported ---------------------- o All existing Ethernet (10Base-T) applications o Emerging collaborative applications (e.g., shared whiteboard and screen-share applications) and other data-intensive applications (e.g., transfer of large image files, stored video files) HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE CONSIDERATIONS ------------------------------------ The SunFastEthernet adapter is intended to be used with any SPARC(R)/Solaris(R) system with an available SBus slot running with Solaris 2.3 operating environment or later. QUESTION AND ANSWERS -------------------- Q: What is Fast Ethernet? A: Fast Ethernet is a natural extension of the existing 10 Mbps 10Base-T Ethernet technology, with an installed base of over 30 million nodes. It is compatible with existing networking protocols, media, and standards. It is cost-effective, easy to deploy, and offers 10 times the speed of 10Base-T Ethernet at less than twice the cost. Fast Ethernet's backward compatibility allows customers to protect their investment in Ethernet infrastructure, application base and expertise. It also eases the LAN bandwidth bottleneck for many feeling constrained with the 10 Mbps or 16 Mbps LANs. Q: What is the SunFastEthernet product? A: The SunFastEthernet product consists of an SBus card and all the necessary software. It is designed to provide existing Ethernet LAN users a means to migrate to higher speeds simply and cost effectively. The SunFastEthernet adapter supports transmission speeds of 10 Mbps or 100 Mbps over various wiring schemes, via external third party transceivers. Q: What is required for a customer to use SunFastEthernet? A: SunFastEthernet will allow customers to take advantage of their existing wiring and applications. The only requirements for starting to use SunFastEthernet are Solaris 2.3 or higher operting environment, and a third party Fast Ethernet hub/switch that conforms to Fast Ethernet Alliance specifications. Q: When would you use Fast Ethernet instead of ATM, FDDI? A: Fast Ethernet is a execellent low cost alternative to FDDI and ATM and also offers a cost effective upgrade option for existing 10Base-T users. Under 100 Mbps bandwidth range, Fast Ethernet is expected to be the lowest cost, highest volume LAN option. Since Fast Ethernet is a extention of the existing Ethernet standard, IEEE 802.3, there is a large installed base of users already familiar with the technology, and there exists a large knowledge base of expertise in the support and service area as well. As a result, Fast Ethernet is expected to reach high volumes rapidly. Q: What are the key features of SunFastEthernet Adapter? A: The key features include the support for a Media Independent Interface (MII), which connects to external third party transceivers to enable operations over various types of wiring (e.g., cateogry 3, 4, or 5 UTP). The SunFastEthernet adapter also supports auto-sensing and operates transparently either at 10Mbps or 100Mbps. Q: Which wiring architectures are supported by the SunFastEthernet adapter? A: SunFastEthernet adapter's MII enables the SBus card to support a variety of wiring schemes (category 3, category 5 UTP wiring, STP wiring, or fiber optic cables). SunFastEthernet adapter's MII connects to variety of external third-party transceivers designed to run over any specific wiring type. The first third party transceivers are expected to support 2-pair category 5 UTP wiring. Q: How compatible is the SunFastEthernet with that of third party switches? A: SunFastEthernet will be compatible with all third party Ethernet switches that conform to the Fast Etherent Alliance specifications. Q: How is the product packaged? A: The SunFastEthernet adapter will be available as an unbundled product. Each package contains a SunFastEthernet SBus card, the driver software on a CD, and user documentation. Q: How does the Fast Ethernet Alliance's approach to Fast Ethernet compare with other competing proposals? Collectively, the Fast Ethernet Alliance members hold a dominant share of the current Ethernet market and are well positioned to do so for 100 Mbps. The only other competing proposal that has recieved some attention is the 100BaseVG-AnyLAN, developed by HP. It replaces the familiar CSMA/CD and MAC of the Ethernet standard with a new Demand Priority access mechanism. This proposal falls under the new IEEE 802.12 whereas the Fast Ethernet Alliance proposal remains under the 802.3. One note about the 100VG-AnyLAN is that it is a new, unproven technology. Q: Which standards are SunFastEthernet compliant with? A: SunFastEthernet is compliant with the specifications as proposed by the Fast Ethernet Alliance, pending approval by IEEE802.3 committee. AVAILABILITY ------------ The SunFastEthernet adapter can be ordered immediately and will begin shipping in May 1994. U.S. PRICING AND ORDERING INFORMATION ------------------------------------- THIS PRODUCT APPEAR IN BOTH THE END USER AND RESELLER PRICE LIST Order List Discount Sun Spectrum Description Number Price Category Silver Price ======================================================================== SunFastEthernet Adapter X1056A $795 A N/C* * No charge (c) 1993 Sun Microsystems, Inc. Sun, Sun Microsystems, the Sun logo, Sun Microsystems Computer Corporation, and Solaris, 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 upon an architecture developed by Sun Microsystems, Inc. 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