Bay Networks has added Ethernet and Fast Ethernet support to its Multimedia networking family. This announcement reinforces a strategic alliance between Bay and First Virtual Corporation, and for the first time, brings genuine business-quality video to the extensive installed base of Ethernet/Fast Ethernet desktops. First Virtual Corporation is the leading provider of products that implement Business Quality Video over the Corporate Intranet. The company's products can be used to network both existing room-system videoconferencing systems as well as desktop video systems. First Virtual's goal is to enable the widespread development of strategic multimedia business applications such as video collaboration and learning. Founded in 1993 by technology pioneer Ralph Ungermann, First Virtual Corporation designs, manufactures and supports a full multimedia product family that includes LAN switches, adapters, gateways, video storage servers, all of which include the company's award-winning MOS software. The alliance between Bay and First Virtual, which began in January 1996, enables the extension of desktop multimedia services into an ATM LAN backbone. The combination of new Ethernet and Fast Ethernet modules, and TCP/IP Media Operating Software (MOS-IP) maps ATM's proven QoS capabilities to Ethernet frame-based networking. This development realises, for the first time, the promise of real Ethernet-based, enterprise-class video networking tools and applications. "This announcement is the logical next step in our ongoing relationship with First Virtual and combines Bay Networks' strong position in the ATM LAN backbone market with First Virtual's leading-edge multimedia workgroup switch technology," said Lloyd Carney, executive vice president of the Bay Networks Enterprise Business Group. "This new Ethernet/Fast Ethernet multimedia networking support augments existing ATM solutions, and represents a further step in Bay Networks' delivery of technology-independent support for next generation business tools and applications," said Carney. The V-Ether Switching modules are a new family of modules for the Bay Networks Multimedia Switch which are specifically architected to support video networking in non-deterministic Ethernet frame-based networks. V-Ether Switching provides for both 10BASE-T and 100BASE-T desktop connectivity, enhancing the extensive range of network interfaces already available in the Multimedia Switch (25 Mbps ATM, 155 Mbps ATM, and T1/E1 ATM). IP Multimedia Operating Software (IP-MOS) adds support for IP/Ethernet users to the Bay Networks Multimedia Switch and uses industry-standard RTP/RTCP protocols and signalling to enable high-quality video streaming in TCP/IP environments. This unique capability guarantees true business-quality video and is maintained on the "last 100 metres" over 10/100Mbps Ethernet connections to user's workstations.
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