FastComm Licenses IBM ESCON Protocol to Enhance its ChanlComm Product Line

Strategic Insights -

FastComm Communications Corporation, a leading provider of advanced WAN/LAN/Global network routing and switching equipment, has signed a multi-year agreement with International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) to license the Enterprise System Connection (ESCON) protocol. This move is expected to expand the market potential of FastComm's ChanlComm product line, which will now be able to support high-speed fiber optic communications with a data transfer rate of up to 17 megabytes per second.

Key Takeaways:

  • FastComm has licensed the IBM ESCON protocol to enhance its ChanlComm product line, which will now support high-speed fiber optic communications with a data transfer rate of up to 17 megabytes per second, significantly faster than the older "Bus and Tag" channels that provide a data transfer capacity of up to 4.5 megabytes per second.
  • The ESCON technology is replacing the older and slower "Bus and Tag" channels, which require large, bulky cables, and will be used in FastComm's ChanlComm 7790 Communications Controller products, which currently only support the Bus and Tag channels.
  • FastComm designs, develops, and manufactures advanced WAN/LAN/Global network routing and switching equipment, controllers and processors for IBM environments, Internet access products, and related networking devices, and is a leader in the effort to provide optimal migration paths for legacy networks that are upgrading to newer routing technologies.
  • The company's corporate goal is to provide customers with leading-edge networking technology and a cost-effective means of incorporating these technologies into new or existing networks, and it prides itself in its ability to customize networks to meet the specific needs of its customers.
  • The ChanlComm product suite represents FastComm's recent entry into its third market segment, data centers, in addition to its other two market segments in the enterprise networking product arena, made up of its data-only products and convergence products.
  • The agreement will allow FastComm to market its ChanlComm product to large end users, with the majority of its future ChanlComm installations expected to require ESCON due to the advantages of its high-speed fiber optic protocol.

Statistics:

  • Data transfer capacity of up to 4.5 megabytes per second with "Bus and Tag" channels.
  • Data transfer rate of up to 17 megabytes per second with ESCON channels using standard fiber optic cable.
  • FastComm's WanilaNet product suite supports bandwidths ranging from 9.6 kbps to full T1/E1 over Leased Line, Frame Relay, X.25, and digital and analog networks.

Sources:

  • Business Wire, November 1, 1999
  • FastComm Communications Corporation press release, November 1, 1999
  • International Business Machines Corporation press release, November 1, 1999