MENLO PARK, Calif., March 8, 1993 -- Cisco Systems, Inc., has created the industry's lowest-cost FDDI router/bridge with theintroduction of an FDDI interface card for its midrange, modularCisco 4000 router platform.

The three-slot unit holds one of the new FDDI Network ProcessorModules. The remaining two slots accept a combination of Ethernet,token ring and serial interfaces.

Cisco's third FDDI-equipped platform, the Cisco 4000 joins theAGS+ (the industry's leading FDDI router with 7,000 FDDI- equippedunits installed) and the recently introduced high-end Cisco 7000, theindustry's performance leader in Harvard University tests.

Low-End Access to FDDI Networks

Designed for low-end access to FDDI networks, the unit letsusers with FDDI 100-Mbps corporate backbone networks extend FDDItechnology to smaller LAN workgroups cost-effectively for thefirst time, according to Cisco product manager Tony Moraros.

"Until recently, the high cost of FDDI internetworking hasgenerally limited its use to the backbone network linking anorganization's major sites," Moraros said. "Users are ready toextend this mature technology to branch offices and departmentalapplications. This trend is spurred by the fact that many newfacilities are fiber-equipped.

"Products based on distributed processing schemes cost morethan necessary for low-end access to FDDI networks," he added."Cisco is the first vendor with an affordable FDDI access routerthat can help drive down the total cost of network ownership."

With more than 7,000 of its FDDI-equipped high-end routersinstalled, Cisco is the leading worldwide supplier of FDDIrouters, according to market research firm IDC.

FDDI Network Availability Features

The FDDI Network Processor Module supports a full set of FDDIfault-tolerant and redundancy features, including dual-attachedstation for continuous operation if a station or cable plantfails; optical bypass switch support, which prevents ringsegmentation caused by multiple station failures; single-attachedstation for connecting to concentrators; and dual homing forredundancy and increased availability in concentratorenvironments. The unit operates on multimode fiber for distancesof up to two kilometers (1.2 miles) between stations.

The FDDI Network Processor Module supports multiprotocolrouting and multiple bridging techniques, including remote source-route bridging (for token ring-to-token ring connectivity acrossan FDDI backbone), encapsulation bridging (for Ethernet-to-Ethernet connectivity across an FDDI backbone) and translationalbridging (conversion of Ethernet packets to FDDI format and viceversa).

Other Cisco 4000 interfaces, available since the platform'sOctober 1992 introduction, permit the following configurations:one Ethernet (or one token ring) and one FDDI; two Ethernets (ortwo token rings) and one FDDI; one token ring, one Ethernet andone FDDI; two serial, one Ethernet (or one token ring) and oneFDDI; and, four serial and one FDDI.

Easy Upgrade for Existing Cisco 4000s

Users of existing Cisco 4000s can upgrade the modular uniteasily for FDDI capability simply by sliding out the chassis baseand inserting the new FDDI module.

The Cisco 4000 platform provides cost-effective mixed-mediainternetworking for departments and branch offices while offeringthe modularity and flexibility of high-end routers. Retaining theextensive software features common to all Cisco routers, itsupports more than 15 communication protocols (including TCP/IP,OSI,DECnet,XNS, IPX,VINES, AppleTalk, SNA NetBIOS andSDLC); optional bridging for X.25 and Frame Relay; six routing protocols,including RIP, OSPF, IS-IS and IGRP; and SNMP-basednetwork management.

Pricing/Availability

Available in April, Cisco's 4000 FDDI router ranges from $12,900 (with oneFDDI and one Ethernet module) to $16,900 (with one FDDI and two Token Ringmodules). FDDI upgrade kits for existing Cisco 4000 units are availablefor $7,900 (single-attach) or $9,100 (dual-attach).

Cisco Systems, Inc., is the leading worldwide supplier of high-performance, multimedia and multiprotocol internetworkingproducts, including routers, bridges, communication servers androuter management software. Cisco technology is used to buildenterprise-wide networks linking an unlimited number ofenterprise-wide networks linking an unlimited number of geographicallydispersed LANs, WANs and IBM SNA networks. In the United States,Cisco is traded over the counter under the NASDAQ symbol CSCO.