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Shane Abrahams

TOKEN ring specialists Madge Networks yesterday launched what it claims is the most complete workgroup ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) solution.

  The company has announced a range of products using 25 Mbps ATM (ATM25) technology, which it claims is ideal for desktop multimedia applications.

  Nigel Terry, vice-president for marketing and new markets in Asia, said companies were showing an increasing interest in running voice, video and data over their local area network (LAN), and that ATM was the only technology that allowed businesses to do this cost effectively. The announcement comprised two PCI adaptors and two workgroup switches.

  The Collage 25 PCI Adaptor and 155 PCI Adaptor respectively offer 25 Mbps and 155 Mbps ATM.

  Mr Terry explained that 25 Mbps was more than sufficient for most desktop users, and that the 155 adaptor was designed for use in servers or for applications with high capacity demands, such as CAD/CAM or medical imaging.

  Meanwhile, the Collage 250 and 280 workgroup switches offer 12 to 144 desktop ATM25 ports.

  The Collage 250 is a straight ATM25 switch, while the 280 switch features adaptable switching, and will automatically adapt for either switched ethernet or ATM25.

  Mr Terry said the 280 was designed as a migration product, allowing businesses to protect existing investments in ethernet switching.

  Both switches have a self learning capability allowing them to automatically configure themselves.

  The switches also have two expansion slots for optional ATM 155 uplinks or a stacking bus module.

  Also announced today, and included free with the ATM25 products, is Madge's LAN Emulation software, which allows users to run existing network applications over ATM.

  The software is fully compliant with the ATM Forum's LAN Emulation standards, which were ratified in May, and which Madge played a large part in developing.

  Madge's software has also undergone interoperability tests with Interphase and the University of New Hampshire in order to check its interoperability with equipment from other vendors.

   According to Mr Terry, Madge's workgroup ATM solution showed ATM was here now.

  The product announcement was the first since Madge completed acquisition of Israeli networking company Lannet, and is reflected by the inclusion of ethernet switching technology in the new 280 switch. Mr Terry said the acquisition of Lannet helped Madge cater for those users who also wanted a migration path to ATM from ethernet, as opposed to the token ring topology in which Madge was a leader.

  Madge believes the initial buyers of its ATM solution will be installing it in new offices in preparation for future demand for multimedia applications,   However, Allan Tan, industry analyst at Dataquest was skeptical. He questioned whether companies should be deploying ATM now.

  'I do not see ATM on the desktop until the infrastructure is in place to use it on a larger regional basis,' he said.



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