New products in brief

Name

Description

Manufacturer/distributor

Alcatel 8930

High performance connectivity processor with data transfer rates of 100 to 150 kbyte/s. Provides bi-directional pathway between IBM 43XX, 30XX, 9370 and compatible mainframes, and DEC VAXs and MicroVAXs . High speed parallel hardware interface attached to non-dedicated System/370 block multiplexer channel . Connectivity software on both IBM and VAX then links the two systems in a peer-to-peer relationship . Allows IBM and DEC task initiation on each other's systems . Also acts as a bridge between SNA and DECnet networks . Up to 64 simultaneous sessions through each physical link

Alcatel Business Systems Ltd., Holbrook House, Cockfoster's Road, Barnet, Herts EN4 ODU, UK. Tel : 01-440 4141

Nighthawk NDX & Nighthawk Monitor NMO

8 port, general purpose data switch . Acts also as terminal multiplexer, connecting several VDUs to computer terminal ports . Advanced Programming Option turns NDX into user programmable in BASIC data exchange . NMO supplied as a user installable EPROM allows the development of machine code routines to run on the NDX

Nighthawk Electronics, PO Box 44, Saffron Walden, Essex CB11 3ND, UK. Tel : (0799) 40881

MacTelex

Intelligent computer-telex interface for Apple Macintosh users . Based on DCE's Telebox 3 range, it features onboard memory with 150K for heavy message volume, up to 50 password-protected mailboxes, short-code dialling and full status reporting . Messages can be allocated priority status, sent at deferred times, or sent to multiple addresses

Data & Control Equipment Ltd., Kingfisher House, Walton Street, Aylesbury, Bucks HP21 7QG, UK . Tel: (0296) 432971

Netbox

Allows users of a Novell network to prepare, send and receive telexes from their own PC . Runs in conjunction with the PTT approved Telexbox 3 interface device, making those Telebox 3 facilities available to each workstation . Shortcode facility eliminates need for telex originator to be aware of telex numbers, answerbacks and other control information

Syntek Ltd ., 48 Leicester Square, London WC2H 7BY, UK. Tel: 01-839 8011

3+Mail for Macintosh, 3+Mail Version 1 .3

Integrated e-mail service between Macintosh and PC environments over Ethernet, LocalTalk and token ring networks for local and remote sites . Transmits transparently among dissimilar workstations and across dissimilar network topologies . 3+Mail 1 .3 provides e-mail capabilities for IBM PCs and compatibles. Features mail storage folders, mailboxes to organize and store messages, mail minder window automatically displays new mail arrival, and registered mail assures users that messages have been received

3Com (UK) Ltd ., Goswell House, 134 Peaacod Street, Windsor SL4 1 DS, UK . Tel : (0753) 868190

MCA Biscom

High speed modem . Also operates at CCITT levels V .21 (300/300), V.22 (1200/1200) and V .22 BIS (2400/2400) . Features autodial and autoanswer, and automatically senses baud rate of incoming calls to switch to comply with the modem protocol being used by the remote modem . RS232 connector for V.25 synchronous dial-in enables a standard card to support HDLC or SDLC protocols, enabling MCA P5/2 models to emulate IBM plug-compatible mainframe terminals

Dataflex Design Ltd ., Merton Park House, 2 Jubilee Way, South Wimbledon, London SW19 3XD, UK. Tel : 01 543 6417

DLM-AT

Miniature dial-up modem . Autodial, autoanswer modem operating full duplex at 300 or 1200 b/s . Compatible with Hayes 'AT' command set, enabling it to be used with most PC comms software . Supports touch tone or pulse dialling. Line interface complies with both Bell 103/212A and CCITT V .21/V.22 standards . Standard selectable by PC command, with baud rate adjusted automatically to computer speed or received data, depending on mode

RAD Ltd ., 8 Hanechoshet Street, Tel Aviv 69710, Israel. Tel : (972) 3 494511

Gateways

Interfaces

Modems

3 36

computer communications



Name

Description

Manufacturer/distributor

GEC 9632 Series

High speed modem to V .32 for use on terrestrial and satellite circuits . CMOS application and advanced digital signal processing result in low power consumption . Features trellis coded modulation with 32 state to V.25 and V .25bis QAM, adaptive equalization, auto-call and answer, and local and remote test facilities to V.54 . Supports both synchronous and asynchronous devices, and is hardware and software configurable

GEC Telecommunications Ltd ., PO Box 53, Coventry CV3 1 HJ, UK . Tel : (0203) 452152 Extn 3704, Telex : 31361 GECTEL G

Darwin System 5000

Permits integration of multi-vendor computer systems, networks and terminals . Based on VME bus architecture, it offers support for IBM, X .25, asynchronous and Wang OIS systems, among others . Interfaces include V .24 and Ethernet LAN connecting with support for X .21 and V .35 to be offered shortly . Hardware modules increase capacity to 624 ports . Software modules to cover the spectrum of data communications applications can be added as needed

HTEC Ltd., 303-305 Portswood Road, Southampton S02 1 LD, UK. Tel : (0703) 581555, Telex : 477465 HTEL G

Internal 4-port passive hub

For use in ARCNet LANs, the internal hub has a network activity status indicator . The half card slots into a short backplane slot of an IBM PC or compatible. Low power requirement of 120 mW . Can be used on Novell, Nestar, Datapoint, Tiara and Standard Microsystems Corp networks . 93 Ohm characteristic impedence operating at 2 .5 Mb/s

Integrated Networks Ltd ., Thrupp Lane, Radley, Oxon OX14 3NQ, UK. Tel : (0235) 555595

Model 2110-DM Multiport Transceiver

Dual mode transceiver connecting up to 64 devices to an Ethernet network through a single tap . Possible to install up to 8 plug-in transceiver modules in each unit . Distance from subscriber/peripheral device to an Ethernet cable can be up to 100 metres . Features on/off 'heartbeat' switch, 'watchdog' timer and transmission/fault indicators . Allows up to 64 subscribers to be clustered without the need for attaching coaxial cable

TCL Inc ., 47621 Westinghouse Drive, Fremont, CA 94539, USA. Tel : (415) 657 3800

Sunlink MHS

Message handling systems based on CCITT X.400 recommendations for OSI networks . Relays messages from LANs to WANs, transparently linking different vendors' systems . Directory service allows customized message addressing . End users use same addressing formats regardless of whether recipient uses X .400 or DoD mail . Both gateway and message router

Sun Microsystems (UK) Ltd., Sun House 31-41 Pembroke Broadway, Camberley, Surrey GU15 3XD, UK . Tel : (0276) 62111

C/3R tactical packet-switching node

Concentrates host data traffic from a deployed location and dynamically allocate bandwidth on a per-packet basis over tactical communication channels . Error control strategies enhance reliability and survivability. 12-port configuration with two high speed ports handling up to 64 Kbit/s and ten low-to-medium speed ports at up to 19 .2 Kbit/s. Connect to any combination of PSNs and X .25 hosts

BBN Communications (UK) Ltd., 21 Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7LY, UK. Tel : 01-245 6223, Telex : 94013289 BBNC G

Networks

X.25 Switches

From left DCE's Mactelex computer-telex interface; MCA Biscom PS/2 modem from Data flex Design Ltd; and Internal 4-port passive hub from Integrated Networks Ltd

vol 11 no 6 december 1988

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