TRW Information Networks Division in Torrance, California has added the TRW Advanced Connector Unit and TRW Operating System connection to its TRW Concept 2000, line of broadband, baseband and personal computer local area network products. Both new products feature support for the US Department of Defense TCP/IP Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol and multiple media support. The Connector Unit, available in two, four and eight port configurations, is described as a high-performance communications server that supports computers, terminals and printers in a multi-vendor network and includes an Ethernet interface. The customer can additionally specify alternative field-switchable interfaces: those available comprise Cheapernet, 2Mbps Broadband, 5Mbps Broadband, 10Mbps Broadband, Fibre, and StarLAN. The 512Kb 68000-based unit also features network management. Based on Network Research Corp’s Fusion, the Operating System Connection is a vendor-independent networking package designed to solve the problem of interconnecting different processors, operating systems, network hardware and network protocols. The package features multiple media support including broadband, baseband, StarLAN and fiber. The multi-protocol supports TCP/IP and Xerox Network Services protocols either alone or concurrently. It also operates with intelligent and non-intelligent controllers and true peer-to-peer networking. The Connector Unit costs between $1,695 and $2,395 according to configuration and is set for the third quarter of 1987. The Operating System Connection is $395 for IBM Personals and up to $9,000 for large DEC VAXen, and will be available in the second quarter of 1987.
