Cabletron Systems Inc, Rochester, New Hampshire has announced its rather late entry into the Asynchronous Transfer Mode market, with the release of a range of ATM switches for workgroup and local network backbone communications. Trying to talk down the disadvantage it will inevitably face from earlier risers such as Cisco Systems Inc, Fore Systems Inc and 3Com Corp, the company defended its lack of speed in bringing products to market with what is fast becoming a hackneyed phrase within the industry: we are focusing on solutions and not the technology. Nevertheless, customers still want an idea of what they are getting for their money. The new products include the MMAC-Plus SmartCell Switch, for large enterprise and carrier markets, scalable from 5.4Gbps to 75.6Gbps and shipping in the first quarter of 1997, priced at under $4,000 per port; Smartcell ZX-250 2.5 Gbps ATM Switches, shipping in 90 days but with no prices given and SecureFast SmartLANE Services, a package of integrated offerings for Cabletron’s SecureFast Virtual Networking Services; no prices or availability.
