Irvine, California-Based Sync Research Inc has announced what it claims is the first Systems Network Architecture-conversion product to provide Frame Relay wide area network access to integrated SNA, bisynchronous and local area network branch office internetworks. The Sync FrameNode 400 reportedly consolidates the data on IBM host networks to-ether with Token Ring or Ethernet local net traffic, onto any Frame Relay wide area network without deploying routers. Sync says by managing Synchronous Data Link Control and bisynchronous lines, as well as downstream devices and local area networks, as if they were directly attached to the front-end processor, the FrameNode enables users to maintain all existing applications, operating practices and procedures. The offering is said to support IBM’s RFC1490 multi-protocol transport for Frame Relay and interoperate with IBM’s Frame Relay products, including the 3745, 3172, 6611, 3174, OS/2 and RouterExpander/2. Prices will start at $2,000 rising to $12,000.
