Hitachi Ltd has come out with a new version of its backbone local area network, the BN-100, based on Fibre Distributed Data Interface specifications, with transparent bridge support for high-speed digital lines of up to 192Kbps to 1.5Mbps; it has a data transmission speed of 100Mbps and an optical transmission speed of 125Mbps, can support 500 nodes, with a maximum distance between nodes of 2,000 yards and a maximum loop length of 65 miles and can connect any host or workstation with FDDI interfaces, including Hitachi’s SuperLAN Sigma-600; it also supports an IPL router function for protocols other than TCP/IP; at the same time Hitachi improved the functions of its floor-standing CSMA/CD Network CD10 series to add support for IEEE 802.3 and added products such as a twisted pair multi-port repeater; Hitachi has already sold 70 BN100 systems and around 30,000 local net adaptor systems; both enhanced products are out this month.
