Danish Token Ring boards supplier Olicom A/S is expanding into the Ethernet arena. The Danish company has announced its launch into the market with the release of six products in what is to be known as the EtherCom range. The first wave of releases includes four adaptor products and two Ethernet hubs. The flagship product is the EISA 32 adaptor, a 32-bit bus-master product for use in high-end workstations or servers. It features the new Intel 82596 Ethernet co-processor and incorporates 256Kb Flash memory for features such as automated EISA configuration and automatic wiring detection. The three other adaptors include the 16/32-bit Micro Channel adaptor, said to be fully compatible with all IBM PS/2 systems and compatibles; the AT Fibre adaptor, featuring parallel tasking technology with a fibre front-end compliant with IEEE 10Base-F standard; and the AT adaptor, a standard Novell Inc NE2000-compatible board with an option for Shared Memory mode, using Olicom’s dedicated drivers for all major network operating systems. This adaptor will be available in three models: BNC/AUI connectors, RJ-45/AUI connectors, or as a Combo with RJ-45/BNC/AUI connectors. All three versions are switchless and software configurable, says Olicom. The EtherCom Hub is an un-managed stackable hub (cascade connectable) providing up to 16 10Base-T connections, while the EtherCom SNMP Hub adds full SNMP management. According to the company, the EtherCom range will eventually include intelligent wiring components and internetworking products. The company has yet to announce any prices for its Ethernet product blitz. The company, which has its US base in Dallas, says that the diversification from Token Ring was decided on as a result of the improved performance ushered in by switched Ethernet. This was not only contributing to the continued growth of the Ethernet market, but causing some of Olicom’s large account customers to re-evaluate the standard, both factors prompting the company to move into the Ethernet domain.
