SMC joins Gigabit Ethernet Alliance

Business Wire, August 26, 1996

HAUPPAUGE, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 26, 1996--

Multi-vendor effort to provide industry standard for Gigabit Ethernet

Standard Microsystems Corp. (SMC), (NASDAQ:SMSC), an industry leader in the Ethernet and Fast Ethernet adapter, hub and switching markets, providing high-quality desktop connectivity and workgroup networking solutions, announced today that it has joined the Gigabit Ethernet Alliance, a multi-vendor effort committed to providing customers with cost-effective and interoperable Gigabit (1000 Mbps) Ethernet solutions.

The Alliance currently supports the CSMA/CD (Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection) protocol of the original Ethernet standard, and Alliance members will develop and submit technical proposals to the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) 802.3z Task Force, which addresses the issue of standardization of Gigabit Ethernet technology. Gigabit Ethernet is a natural superserver and backbone connection for 10/100BASE-T switches, extending the bandwidth of networks to handle increasing traffic demands.

"SMC's participation in the Gigabit Ethernet Alliance will enhance our ability to educate the market, influence the standards and advance Gigabit Ethernet, similar to the key contributions SMC made to the Fast Ethernet Alliance," stated Ken MacLeod, director of strategic product planning at SMC. "We are committed to making Gigabit Ethernet a substantially robust technology."

SMC was one of the first networking companies in the industry to form the Fast Ethernet Alliance, and the company played an instrumental role in the IEEE's successful publication of the Fast Ethernet standard in September 1995. SMC's role in the Gigabit Ethernet Alliance will include both technical and marketing support for the effort.

The Alliance consists of representatives from more than 50 companies in the networking industry, and was formed with the intent to contribute technical resources that will assist in development of the Gigabit standard. The objectives of the Alliance are to establish and demonstrate interoperability of various vendors' products and provide a two-way communication channel for potential suppliers and consumers of Gigabit Ethernet products. The organizational structure of the Alliance consists of a Steering Committee, responsible for overseeing all Alliance activities, a Technical sub-group and a Marketing/Communications sub-group. Membership in the Alliance and participation in its activities is open to all interested parties.

About SMC

Standard Microsystems Corp. (NASDAQ: SMSC) is based in Hauppauge, and has offices worldwide including locations in California, Texas, Australia, Asia, Canada, Europe, Japan and Latin America. SMC's System Products Division provides a broad range of networking solutions for scaling, managing and connecting local area networks including LAN switches, LAN hubs, LAN adapters and network management software. SMC's Component Products Division suppliers very-large-scale-integrated (VLSI) circuits for personal computers and embedded control systems. The company has annual sales of over $300 million and an installed base of over 12 million nodes. Contact SMC by calling 1-800-SMC-4-YOU in the U.S. and Canada, or 516/435-6000 elsewhere, or visit SMC's World Wide Web Page at http://www.smc.com/. -0- SMC and Standard Microsystems are registered trademarks of Standard Microsystems Corp. Other products and company names are trademarks of their respective holders.

CONTACT: Standard Microsystems Corp., Hauppauge

Denise S. Behringer, 516/435-6493

denise.behringer@smc.com