3Com releases content scheduling, content filtering features for 3Com SuperStack 3 Webcache

3Com Corporation today announced content scheduling and content filtering upgrades to the 3Com SuperStack 3 Webcache product line. The new features are ideally suited to the education market and other organisations that typically have a large number of users actively using Web browsers and require greater control of WAN bandwidth usage or desire to regulate the types of Web content accessed by users.

"The 3Com SuperStack 3 Webcache product line allows WAN bandwidth usage to be controlled while assuring the efficient delivery of popular, yet appropriate content," said Campbell Morrison, product line manager for 3Com. "The new product features further enhance the ease-of-use, flexibility and control levels that our customers have come to expect from 3Com."

The 3Com SuperStack 3 Webcache 3000 and 3Com SuperStack 3 Webcache 1000 significantly boost Internet browsing performance and enable users to browse the Internet at Ethernet speeds by storing frequently requested Web content. This eliminates multiple requests for the same information and significantly reduces WAN bandwidth usage, which can provide an average of up to 50% WAN bandwidth savings.

The 3Com Web Scheduler is an easy-to-use, patent pending, Internet Explorer plug-in that allows authorised, non-technical users, such as a teacher in a classroom, to define the content and Web pages to be preloaded for future use. Preloading content makes accessing information virtually instantaneous to significantly reduce waiting for content to download.

3Com`s SuperStack 3 Webcache content filtering capabilities have been enhanced with the availability of an annual subscription to the SurfControl Content Database, the industry`s leading content filtering database. The service also comes with 20 easy-to-manage categories that simplify set-up and ongoing management. Content is kept current with a combination of expert human review, state-of-the-art automated tools and customer submissions. Schools and enterprises can further customise the filtering with keyword and manual Web site access control.

The 3Com SuperStack 3 Webcache 3000 is ideally suited for large school districts, enterprises or organisations that require extensive resilience, scalability and high performance. The two integrated hard drives, with space for an optional third, support 1 000+ actively browsing users.

The entry level 3Com SuperStack 3 Webcache 1000 supports entities with 50 to 1 000+ users and is suited for smaller schools, enterprises or branch offices that need cost-effective bandwidth, better browser performance and improved productivity for Web-based business applications or student activities.

Available immediately worldwide, 3Com`s SuperStack 3 Webcache 1000 is listed at $4 999 and the SuperStack 3 Webcache 3000 at $7 999. An annual subscription to the SuperStack 3 Webcache Web Site Filter is listed at $999 and includes version 3 of the Webcache software. Existing SuperStack 3 Webcache customers can obtain version 3 by purchasing the Web Site Filter through an existing Express Guardian or Software Update contract, or by purchasing a support contract.