SunSoft strengthens SolarNet integration capabilities with extended LAN solutions; SunSoft ships new releases of SolarNet PC-to-TCP/IP networking products and introduces new PC-LAN access for Solaris desktops; Special pricing promotion for SolarNet PC-X 1.1 until Sept. 30, 1995

Business Wire, June 26, 1995

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 26, 1995--SunSoft Inc. today announced that it is shipping two new releases of existing SolarNet products and is introducing a new product for its SolarNet PC networking solution.

The new releases of SolarNet PC-Admin and SolarNet PC-X enhance SolarNet's LAN integration capabilities with TCP/IP administration for Microsoft Windows clients and integrated high-performance TCP/IP networking for PCs using X-Windows applications. The new SolarNet LAN Client gives Solaris users access to PC-LAN resources. SolarNet is a family of PC-to-enterprise networking software products that work together to give IS managers the ability to integrate multiple PC LANS throughout the enterprise.

o SolarNet PC-Admin 1.5, TCP/IP client/server software that provides centralized administration and configuration of PC networks, now offers support for high-performance 32-bit VxD Microsoft Windows clients.

o SolarNet PC-X 1.1, an X-server for Microsoft Windows users, now has integrated high-performance LAN and remote TCP/IP networking along with its simple point-and-click access to Solaris and other UNIX applications. Release 1.1 is available for a special promotional price of $199 until Sept. 30, 1995.

o The new SolarNet LAN Client 1.1 gives Solaris desktop users access to applications, file and print services in NetWare and LAN Manager environments.

"With SolarNet, we make the complexities of the network environment simple for both end users and the system administrators," said Cheryl Salatino, director of marketing for SunSoft's PC Networking Products. "We are removing the network barriers to access business-critical information and resources. In return we give organizations hassle-free PC integration, administration and connectivity for their enterprises."

SolarNet PC-Admin 1.5

SolarNet PC-Admin 1.5 is the newest version of SunSoft's TCP/IP client/server software that gives network managers new levels of control over their PC networks. SolarNet PC-Admin bridges the gap between decentralized PC LANs and the need for centralized administration and configuration of distributed PC environments.

SolarNet PC-Admin 1.5 introduces support for high-performance 32-bit VxD-based Windows clients. This new release leverages multiple naming services, including the popular NIS, which is available on a wide range of operating systems; and it implements the latest DHCP standards for TCP/IP network configuration. In addition, SolarNet PC-Admin client now includes integrated Internet access capabilities with Netscape Navigator for Microsoft Windows, a powerful graphical World Wide Web browser.

"SunSoft's SolarNet PC-Admin provides us with the right balance of features: easy-to-use central management tools, scalability and the flexibility to fully customize all aspects of our network," said Richard Weatherley, IT manager for Friends of the Earth, the largest international network of environmental groups in the world (http://www.foe.co.uk).

SolarNet PC-X 1.1

SunSoft's SolarNet PC-X is a high-performance, easy-to-use X-Server for Microsoft Windows users. The 1.1 release delivers a tightly integrated, high-performance VxD-based TCP/IP protocol stack with support for the industry-standard WinSock 1.1 interface for application compatibility, as well as support for point-to-point protocol (PPP) for remote TCP/IP connectivity. In addition, release 1.1 has DHCP support, which allows network administrators to install and configure SolarNet PC-X clients automatically from a central location, and a Telnet application that provides VT320 terminal emulation for text-based communication with remote host computers. SolarNet PC-X 1.1 has been enhanced to make it much easier to install and set up for access to commonly used Solaris desktop applications.

SolarNet PC-X 1.1 makes access to business-critical applications that run on Solaris and other UNIX systems a simple point-and-click operation, allowing Microsoft Windows users to transparently run powerful graphical host-based applications from their PCs. Now, with the high-performance stack in release 1.1, users can have full network access from their PCs on the LAN in addition to dial-up modem access from remote locations.

IS professionals can now be more responsive to their users' needs for business-specific applications by reducing the development time and complexity required to create Solaris and Microsoft Windows client/server solutions. With SolarNet PC-X, IS managers are able to meet the growing demand for telecommuting and remote connectivity needs.

New SolarNet LAN Client for Solaris

SolarNet LAN Client 1.1 for Solaris is a scalable software solution that integrates Solaris, the leading UNIX environment, with LAN Manager and NetWare environments, allowing Solaris users to transparently access and share NOS-based applications, file and print capabilities.

Using SolarNet LAN Client, LAN Manager- and Netware-based resources appear locally to Solaris users, allowing them to drag and drop files between NFS and PC LAN file systems directly from their familiar file manager. In addition, SolarNet LAN Client allows users to list services and volumes on the network, log in and out of remote servers and mount/unmount remote volumes or shared directories.