Optical Data Systems Increases Infinity Switching Hub's Intelligence

AXON's new LANServant Enterprise Communications Analysis Module (ECAM) Adds
Higher Layer Protocol Analysis for ODS' entire Infinity Intelligent
Switching Hub Family

Richardson, Texas and Newton, Mass. - September 25, 1995 - Optical Data
Systems, Inc. (ODS), (NASDAQ-NMS:ODSI) and AXON Networks Inc. announced
today that they have expanded their relationship by, adding AXON's new
LANServant Enterprise Communications Analysis Module (ECAM) to the ODS
Infinity hub family's management software. ODS and AXON have been working
together in a joint technology relationship to develop the capability for
the Infinity hubs to comply with the RMON 2 standard as soon as it is
approved by the IETF committee.

As a pre-cursor to RMON 2, ECAM features have been incorporated into ODS'
existing Infinity LanVision management tool. With the additional new ECAM
software features, it is now possible to gather protocol statistics at the
Network layer through the Application layer. This means that network
managers analyzing the network will no longer be bound to MAC addresses or
dependent on specific media types such as Ethernet or Token Ring.

Using the higher layer protocol statistics, LanVision will enable network
managers to manage performance across multiple local area network (LAN)
segments and collect enterprise level end-to-end traffic, host and host
matrix statistics for protocols such as IP, IPX, DECnet, Banyan, etc. This
information enables managers to tune their internetwork and corporate
backbone by linking workgroups and primary computing resources in a manner
that reduces or eliminates costly pass-through traffic.

For example, the ECAM module can help a network manager plan the deployment
of routers or other aspects of the internetwork strategy as well as
determine the extent of what group of users are vying for bandwidth on LAN
and WAN links.

The new features provide full coverage of the IP and IPX stacks through the
application layer, including NFS, SMTP mail and World Wide Web protocols;
the DECnet stack through the network and transport layers, including LAT
and PATHWORKS; and, NetBIOS applications including Lotus Notes, Microsoft
Mail, and cc:Mail.

"We are enthusiastic regarding the relationship we have built with ODS,"
said Dr. Peter Pahner, president of AXON Networks. "ODS' incorporation of
the ECAM software features into the Infinity LanVision management tool is
a perfect fit for the Infinity's chassis multiple media backplane design.
It will allow them to provide powerful 'up-the-stack' protocol monitoring
along with significant new application layer support."

"A key feature that differentiates ODS Infinity hubs from the competition
is the superior network management provided by the Infinity LanVision
management software. By incorporating the new features of the ECAM into
the LanVision management tool, we provide our customers with a very
powerful analysis tool," said Keith Willette, ODS Vice President of
Software Engineering. "We can now determine what applications are being
used and what specific users are consuming valuable bandwidth. This tool
makes it possible to plan traffic patterns, manage workstation application
configurations and cost-justify new hardware and software procurement."

Pricing and Availability

The new LANServant Enterprise Communications Analysis Module will be
incorporated into the Infinity LanVision management software in fourth
quarter 1995. List price starts at $3,000.

AXON Networks Inc.

AXON Networks, founded in 1992 and headquartered in Newton, Mass.,
specializes in distributed LAN management. The company's mission is to
enable managers of distributed, multi-protocol, multi-topology,
multi-vendor networking environments to control their networks remotely.
The goal is to maximize network availability, improve the performance of
the network and the network management team. The company is an active
member of the IETF RMON Working Group and continues to make key technology
contributions as the IETF moves forward to the new RMON 2 standard. AXON's
products are distributed directly and through VARs and integrated by OEMs.
AXON Networks can be reached at (617) 630-9600.

Optical Data Systems, Inc. (ODS)

ODS sells a full range of intelligent switching hubs; high-speed
multi-protocol routers, bridges, switches and sophisticated network
management modules to large corporations that build very large and
advanced enterprise-wide information internetworks including LANs, MANs
and WANs. Its mainstay product. the ODS Infinity intelligent switching
hub, is the largest hub on the market that supports all four of the
industry standards--Ethernet, Token Ring, Fiber Distributed Data Interface
(FDDI) and Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM). The Infinity hub provides
superior local and remote SNMP-based management that supports all groups
of RMON for both Ethernet and Token Ring networks. ODS can be reached at
(214) 234-6400.
 
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