ATM Shootout

University of Hawai'i University Relations Media & Publications Honolulu, HI 96822

(808) 956-8856 Telephone (808) 956-3441 Facsimile ur@hawaii.edu E-Mail

For Immediate Release:

Contact: Brian Chee 808 956-7420
Wayne Rash or Oliver Rist, Communications Week, 808 956-7420
Stephen Itoga, UH Information and Computer Sciences, 808 956-3500
Cheryl Ernst, UH University Relations, 808 956-5941

May 27, 1997

High Tech Firms Hold ATM Shoot-out at UH Manoa's POST-K Corral

Five high-end communications technology firms are participating in an ATM "shoot-out" hosted by Communications Week, a publication of CMP Media, Inc., and the University of Hawai'i at Manoa Department of Information and Computer Sciences and Department of Electrical Engineering this month.

The competition will be held over three weeks in the University's new Pacific Ocean Sciences and Technology building on the Manoa campus. Organizers say it demonstrates the potential for a permanent testing lab. Such a lab would encourage economic development in Hawai'i by attracting high technology firms here and, at the same time, provide UH students and faculty with exposure to the latest in communications technology equipment, according to Brian Chee, president of the Hawai'i Network Users Group, who helped organize the test.

The shoot-out is a sort of consumer-comparison of the firms' ability to apply their latest-generation asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) switching equipment to a communications network challenge. The participants&emdash;Fore Systems, 3-Com, Newbridge, Cabletron and Bay Networks&emdash;are given a description of existing infrastructure and the goals for communications system for a data, voice and video network linking a major research university with affiliated campuses and programs on different islands (much like the 10-campus University of Hawai'i system) via digital microwave. The companies' designs are then tested in a simulation of projected traffic loads on such a system. Each company is given three days.

"This is the most comprehensive test we've ever done," Wayne Rash, a senior editor for Communications Week commented one week into the exercise. "The companies are finding it a lot harder than they expected. They are having to deal with real challenges, such as coming up with spare or replacement equipment when you can't get overnight delivery."

Results of the shoot-out will be described in an article in Communications Week, a weekly trade publication for enterprise networking. Sponsors say the evaluation will consider ease of use from a typical computer network manager's point of view in addition to technical capacity and performance.

-UH-




University of Hawai'i University Relations Media & Publications Honolulu, HI 96822	(808) 956-8856 Telephone (808) 956-3441 Facsimile ur@hawaii.edu E-Mail

For Immediate Release: Contact: Brian Chee 808 956-7420 Wayne Rash or Oliver Rist, Communications Week, 808 956-7420 Stephen Itoga, UH Information and Computer Sciences, 808 956-3500 Cheryl Ernst, UH University Relations, 808 956-5941		May 27, 1997

High Tech Firms Hold ATM Shoot-out at UH Manoa's POST-K Corral Five high-end communications technology firms are participating in an ATM "shoot-out" hosted by Communications Week, a publication of CMP Media, Inc., and the University of Hawai'i at Manoa Department of Information and Computer Sciences and Department of Electrical Engineering this month. The competition will be held over three weeks in the University's new Pacific Ocean Sciences and Technology building on the Manoa campus. Organizers say it demonstrates the potential for a permanent testing lab. Such a lab would encourage economic development in Hawai'i by attracting high technology firms here and, at the same time, provide UH students and faculty with exposure to the latest in communications technology equipment, according to Brian Chee, president of the Hawai'i Network Users Group, who helped organize the test. The shoot-out is a sort of consumer-comparison of the firms' ability to apply their latest-generation asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) switching equipment to a communications network challenge. The participants&emdash;Fore Systems, 3-Com, Newbridge, Cabletron and Bay Networks&emdash;are given a description of existing infrastructure and the goals for communications system for a data, voice and video network linking a major research university with affiliated campuses and programs on different islands (much like the 10-campus University of Hawai'i system) via digital microwave. The companies' designs are then tested in a simulation of projected traffic loads on such a system. Each company is given three days. "This is the most comprehensive test we've ever done," Wayne Rash, a senior editor for Communications Week commented one week into the exercise. "The companies are finding it a lot harder than they expected. They are having to deal with real challenges, such as coming up with spare or replacement equipment when you can't get overnight delivery." Results of the shoot-out will be described in an article in Communications Week, a weekly trade publication for enterprise networking. Sponsors say the evaluation will consider ease of use from a typical computer network manager's point of view in addition to technical capacity and performance.