ODS Announces Its Migration Plans For High Speed Switching and Virtual
Networking

Richardson, TX -- January 24, 1995 -- Today, Optical Data Systems, Inc.
(ODS), (NASDAQ-NMS:ODSI) announced its migration plans for implementing
high speed switching and virtual networks. This new series of switching
products will be shipping soon.

ODS INFINITE SWITCHING modules plug into existing ODS Infinity Hubs that
have been shipping since late 1992. These INFINITE SWITCHING modules
provide dedicated wire-speed switching on a per-port basis for Ethernet,
Fast Ethernet, and ATM during the first product release phase. Subsequent
releases will support additional capabilities such as Switched Token Ring
and FDDI. Note that in all cases, these switching modules are a new
generation that will co-exist with switching and routing solutions that
have been shipping in the Infinity Hub for over a year. These prior
modules switch Ethernet to FDDI or route between Ethernet, Token Ring,
FDDI and ATM. The most basic switching application requires per port
switching to give dedicated, wire speed bandwidth to users attached to a
stackable hub or dedicated server. For many networks, a simple flat
network architecture of switched Ethernets is required. As networks grow
and faster host interfaces are desired, INFINITE SWITCHING modules may be
interconnected with ATM or FDDI backbones. As switching solutions are
deployed, complexity grows as the number of segments increases. This added
complexity begs for better management and increased configuration
flexibility.

Solutions to this added complexity are available within the INFINITE
SWITCHING product line. First is the ability to form virtual LANs which
span large numbers of switching hubs, in which devices may be freely
associated into logical LANs even though they are not physically located
on the same hub. In fact, every device on any hub may be associated with
any number of devices on remote hubs. This area of virtual switching holds
the most promise as well as the most challenges for the implementer.

The ODS INFINITE SWITCHING management system will greatly simplify the
setup and administration of virtual LANs by automatically recognizing the
proper domain of new users based on addressing as well as conversation
patterns between stations.

The newest products greatly expand the capabilities of forming large
virtual LANs which span multiple locations and hubs, while preserving the
Infinity's superior segment analysis, packet capture and protocol decode
capabilities.

ODS INFINITE SWITCHING modules have a list price of approximately $600 per
port. The first models will be available early in the second quarter,
1995.

Optical Data Systems, Inc. (ODS)

Optical Data Systems provides intelligent hubs and related computer
networking and internetworking products. ODS' products support the three
industry standards currently in use today: Ethernet, Token Ring, Fiber
Distributed Data Interface (FDDI) as well as the newer Asynchronous
Transfer Mode (ATM). ODS' products -- intelligent hubs -- integrate user
modules, network management modules, multi-protocol bridges and routers
and other accessory products into complex LANS, MANs and WANs enabling
customers to create an integrated, highly reliable network infrastructure
to support their heterogeneous computing environment.

Optical Data Systems
1101 East Arapaho Rd
Richardson, TX 75081
214-301-3911,  fax 214-301-3893

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