WASHINGTON, D.C., March 8, 1993 -- The first working demonstration of Advanced Peer-to-Peer Internetworking (APPI), anopen systems solution to SNA peer-to-peer networking, is beingheld by Cisco Systems at the Interop Spring conference here thisweek.

Michael Zadikian, Cisco SNA product manager, said, "A workingprototype is essential to the healthy evolution ofinteroperability specifications to be developed under the auspicesof the APPI Forum." The APPI Forum is the industry group formedlast October to promote the development and standardization ofAPPI. This concept was put forward by Cisco in September 1992 tocombine the sophisticated internetworking features of TCP/IPnetworks -- dynamic adaptive routing, high performance and supportfor multiple media and protocols -- with SNA peer-to-peernetworking.

"This first APPI prototype proves that the concept of doingSNA peer-to-peer routing using IP routing protocols is not just agood idea -- it's real," said Zadikian. "Along with other suchprototypes, it will make a significant contribution to the APPIForum's development work, ensuring that interoperabilityspecifications are truly implementable."

In the demonstration, APPI's Open Network Node is running onan IBM RS/6000 workstation, with Cisco routers providing the TCP/IP transport network and the APPI distributed directory services(see diagram). Personal computers running OS/2 Extended Servicesact as SNA end systems, while the RS/6000s and the Cisco routersdeliver the APPI networking functions.

The prototype fully implements SNA LU 6.2 and Node Type 2.1,allowing the ONN to carry on full LU 6.2 communication with theSNA peer end systems represented by the PCs.

Two routing protocols -- the industry-standard OSPF (OpenShortest Path First) and Cisco's IGRP (Interior Gateway RoutingProtocol) -- are being used in the demonstration.

Cisco Systems, Inc., is the leading worldwide supplier ofhigh-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 ofgeographically dispersed LANs, WANs and IBM SNA networks.In the United States, Cisco is traded over the counter under the NASDAQsymbol CSCO.