Intel And Cisco Team On Network Technology

Virtual LAN Technology Helps Users Reduce Costs and Problems of Large Network Management; Intel Plans to Implement Cisco VLAN Technology on Fast Ethernet Adapter

HILLSBORO, Ore., March 4, 1996 - Intel Corporation and Cisco Systems today announced plans to work together to deliver enhanced capabilities for virtual local area networks (VLANs) to help companies reduce the costs and eliminate many of the problems of managing large client/server computer networks. VLAN technology allows network managers to group users and stations together into logical workgroups, independent of the way they are grouped physically. This capability is critical for reducing the costs of building switched networks.

Intel and Cisco have signed a memorandum of understanding in which they have agreed to negotiate a licensing agreement to implement VLAN communication between Intel adapters and Cisco switched internetworks. According to the memorandum, Intel will incorporate Cisco's InterSwitch Link* (ISL*) virtual LAN technology in the next generation of Intel's Fast Ethernet EtherExpress™ PRO/100 Smart Adapter, optimized for servers. The two companies will also team with other companies to propose IEEE VLAN standards, and work together on ongoing VLAN-related marketing programs.

Using ISL-enabled Cisco switches and Intel adapter cards, a customer will need only to install one Fast Ethernet adapter in a server to support multiple virtual LANs, or workgroups. This provides significant cost savings, VLAN performance enhancements, network scalability, and configuration flexibility for network planners and designers. Cisco's InterSwitch Link (ISL) protocol eliminates the need for a separate physical link to each virtual LAN configured, greatly reducing the number of dedicated links, switch ports, adapter cards, and router ports that are typically required when configuring servers to multiple LANs.

"By increasing flexibility and reducing cost, VLAN technology will further ease our customers' migration to high-bandwidth workgroups," said Mark Christensen, general manager of Intel's Network Products Division. "Cisco's leadership in LAN switching is a great complement to Intel's focus on the high-performance workgroup segment. Our alliance will benefit organizations taking advantage of Fast Ethernet in their networks."

"VLANs add a new level of manageability to high-performance switched internetworks," said Jayshree Ullal, director of marketing, Workgroup Business Unit, Cisco. "By working with Intel, a leader in Fast Ethernet technology and intelligent adapters, Cisco will be able to make these benefits widely available down to high-performance servers."

Better Management Control and Segmentation of the Network
VLANs address the costly administrative expenses with client moves, adds and changes by automating many of the configuration tasks, and placing the management control of these changes centrally. This greatly reduces administrative overhead, minimizes the costs and problems typically associated with cabling changes, and adds a layer of network intelligence out to the server. With VLANs, network managers can better secure access to the network and restrict the use of critical resources; improve client performance with the control of broadcast-intensive applications; group users together logically while sharing common servers located centrally; and enhance backbone performance by distributing traffic loads across redundant links. These VLAN benefits are realized with the coupling of Intel's EtherExpress PRO/100 Smart Adapter with Cisco's Fast Ethernet Catalyst* switches.

To further the development of more open specifications, Intel and Cisco will develop proposals on VLAN standards and present them to the IEEE 802.1 committee and to other companies. The VLAN support in Intel's next generation EtherExpress PRO/100 Smart Adapter, due late this year, will be based on Cisco's ISL specification. Cisco will support Intel in the development of silicon to implement the ISL specification on the adapter.

Intel and Cisco are also co-sponsoring a series of educational seminars on Fast Ethernet technology, which began in February and will continue through April. The seminars, presented in 15 US cities, cover the latest trends in high-speed networking; the future role of Fast Ethernet; how Fast Ethernet compares to, and complements, asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) and Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI); and how to protect and optimize current networking investments.

The Intel EtherExpress PRO/100 Smart Adapter provides high throughput and the lowest CPU utilization available for high-performance servers on 100Mbps Fast Ethernet, according to published reports by LANQuest. The PRO/100 Smart Adapter provides dramatic improvement in server bandwidth, eliminating performance bottlenecks created by bandwidth-intensive applications and giving users faster response time across the network. The entire family of EtherExpress PRO/100 Adapters runs at both 10Mbps and 100Mbps, allowing users to install the cards today and seamlessly migrate to 100Mbps when ready.

Cisco's ISL VLAN technology is now shipping with the Catalyst 5000 switch, Catalyst 3000 switch and Cisco 7000 and 7500 routers. The Catalyst 5000 switch, which was awarded the Data Communications magazine Top Performer Testers Choice Award in the February 1996 issue, is a modular switching platform that offers dedicated bandwidth to users through multiple-media switching options that encompass 10Mbps Ethernet, 100Mbps Ethernet, ATM and FDDI, with future capability for switched Token Ring. The Catalyst 3000, winner of Data Communications' Hot Products award in the January 1996 issue, is a stackable and fault tolerant switching solution delivering virtual LAN switching for growing workgroup applications. The Catalyst 3000 is the first adaptive cut-through Ethernet switch.

All Intel networking products are available worldwide through a network of distributors and value-added resellers. Additional product information is available at (800) 538-3373 for U.S. and Canadian customers; at 44-793-431-155 for European customers; or at (503) 264-7354 for other international customers.

Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the leading global supplier of internetworking solutions, including routers, LAN and ATM switches, dial-up access servers and network management software. These products, intergrated by the Cisco IOS* software, link geographically dispersed LANs, WANs, and IBM networks. Cisco is headquarted in San Jose, California.

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