Santa Clara, California-based 3Com Corp has launched the SuperStack 11 Desktop Switch, a new Fast Ethernet offering that incorporates the company’s PACE Priority Access Control Enabled technology for the prioritization of time-sensitive data (CI No 2,824): 3Com is hoping to have PACE adopted as a standard by the IEEE. The product is being launched as part of the company’s boundary switching range of systems, and 3Com is pushing price – $120 per port – as a major benefit of the new launch. The SuperStack 11 Desktop Switch has 24 switched 10Base-T ports, with optional 100Base-FX and 100Base-TX modules. Additionally, the company is planning to launch an Asynchronous Transfer Mode downlink module by the end of the year. The SuperStack 11 Desktop also incorporates Simple Network Management Protocol-manageability, Remote Monitoring on every port, and the company’s SmartAgents for setting alarm thresholds. It is due to ship from next month, costing $3,000; there is no word on the price of the optional modules. Meanwhile, as reported briefly (CI No 3,016), 3Com has picked up a big name distribution partner in the form of Digital Equipment Corp’s Services Division: the DEC unit has signed a global agreement under which it will market 3Com’s entire range of products as part of its product and service offerings. DEC’s Services arm already has a similar relationship with Cisco Systems Inc, and the new 3Com agreement is designed to supersede existing agreements with 3Com, which have been conducted on a country-by-country basis.
