Digital Equipment Corp is looking to accelerate acceptance of standards-based Asynchronous Transfer Mode products in the local area network market by placing its Asynchronous Transfer Mode local network Emulation source code in the public domain. According to DEC, the LANE Client code is fully compliant with the recently approved ATM Forum LANE specification, LUNI VI.0, which describes how systems working with traditional local network technologies, such as Ethernet, connect to Asynchronous Mode networks. The LANE Client code will be used in DEC’s Asynchronous Mode adaptors and edge devices, and Xylan Inc has already implemented the code for its OmniSwitch. The company has also announced the ATMworks 350 adaptor, which it says enables systems based on the PCI bus to connect with Asynchronous Mode networks, and is claimed to achieve full line rate for maximum Asynchronous Mode performance. It currently supports Digital Unix and is out now for $2,000. Support for Windows NT and NetWare, as well as the LANE Client code, is planned within 90 days. In a separate announcement DEC outlined an agreement with Toshiba Corp for joint development of 155Mbps Asynchronous Mode Segmentation and Reassembly products for the hub, switch and adaptor markets. According to Toshiba, the two expect to have a jointly developed upgraded version of DEC’s single chip TC35853 155Mbps Segmentation and Reassembly available next year, with full support for rate-based traffic management control. In addition, the version will have a flow control option for Available Bit Rate services. Other projects under way include another Segmentation and Reassembly chip optimised for cost, host interface and throughput, which is aimed at the desktop and server market.
