Frame Relay specialist Network Equipment Technologies Inc of Redwood City, California, has announced software and hardware enhancements for its FrameXpress technology – which integrates Frame Relay traffic with voice, video, ISDN and local network internetworking traffic on an IDNX multiservice backbone – as well as a new version of its FrameXpress Node Manager. The company has announced a module based on the new packet processor – the PX3 – that supports up to 47 Frame Relay ports using new T1 or EI interface options. Performance over the PX2 is enhanced through the introduction of new operating software, FrameXpress 2.03, which supports multiple tasks and operations. The processing capabilities are increased through the use of a high performance processor, distributed processing capabilities addressing each port, and increased memory for additional real- time processing functionality. The module supports access speeds ranging from 9.6Kbps to T1/E1. According to the company, a PC Card option enables customers to store configuration databases conveniently and reduces unnecessary traffic by storing the information locally. Network Equipment Technologies is also announcing a new version of the FrameXpress Node Manager, the company’s graphical Frame Relay network management package. New features such as alarm percolation and circuit trace, simp-lify Frame Relay network troubleshooting, Network Equipment Technologies claims. The price for the FrameXpress 2.03 software is $950. The PX3 packet processor board with 16 internal ports is priced at $14,750, and the optional T1 or E1 interface boards are listed at $5,950 each. Prices for the new version of Node Manager start at $10,000. Customers that want to upgrade to the new PX3 board from the PX2 and PX Plus boards will be given a credit of $1,500 and $2,700 respectively, towards the upgrade. The program will be in effect through September 30 1996. All of the products are available now.
