As predicted (CI No 2,532), 3Com Corp has made its Fast Ethernet-based PACE Priority Access Control Enabled technology available across a range of its products: the technology is designed to provide data prioritisation for time-sensitive applications such as videoconferencing, and it is available on 3Com’s SuperStack LinkSwitch 1000 and 3000 workgroup switches, EtherLink adaptors, NETBuilder IITM routers, LANplex data switches, CELLplex Asynchronous Transfer Mode switches and switching modules for the LinkBuilder MSH chassis-based hub and ONcore multi-function chassis-based systems. The products will be made available over the next year and are intended to enable Ethernet networks to run high-quality interactive, multimedia and real-time applications by the summer. The company has also won support from four new partners. Chip manufacturer Advanced Micro Devices Inc is integrating PACE technology into its latest MACE Media Access Control for Ethernet chips. Media Access Control for Ethernet products are integrated, single-chip Ethernet local network controllers incorporating 16-bit host interfaces, IEEE 802.3 Media Access Controllerss, encoder-decoders, 10BaseX-T transceivers and AUI ports. Vendors will be able to buy the chip from Advanced Micro and license the PACE technology from 3Com. In addition, AT&T Corp’s Global Business Communications Division has said it will support PACE on its recently-introduced MultiMedia Communications eXchange server, and PictureTel Corp and Matra Communication SA have also promised support for the technology.
