Hypercom legacy gateway extends the life of legacy devices as users upgrade hosts; Protects investments in legacy systems while speeding migration to client server

Business Wire, Feb 5, 1996

PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 5, 1996--Hypercom Network Systems, a manufacturer of hybrid routers that integrate legacy systems and high-speed LANs in frame relay-based multiprotocol networks, has expanded users' ability to protect investments in legacy systems when migrating to client/server environments by adding a legacy-to-TCP/IP gateway to its IEN family of branch internetworking products.

The new feature allows companies to swap out legacy hosts at central sites without having to replace or modify legacy devices at branches. This speeds the migration of applications to client/server systems.

Addressing A Common Need

In most branch offices today, the predominance of computer-based traffic comes from PC LANs. But in many companies -- large banks or retail organizations for example -- branch sites also contain at least one device that runs legacy data such as SNA, or one of the various asynchronous or bisynchronous protocols. Because these legacy devices represent large financial investments and perform well, users do not wish to replace them by migrating the applications to LANs.

At central sites, however, it is often desirable to upgrade outdated host computers in favor of LAN-based TCP/IP application servers to obtain greater processing power and to facilitate management and interoperability.

According to Paul Wallner, Hypercom's senior vice president, the Integrated Enterprise Network, or IEN family of FRADs and hybrid routers, now lets users have their cake and eat it too.

"Our strategy for IEN has always been to promote cost-optimized integration of legacy and LAN traffic," said Wallner. "By performing legacy protocol conversion at the branch, IEN lets users take advantage of cutting-edge technology at central sites right away, without the delays and expenses of replacing equipment in hundreds of branches.

"This can represent millions of dollars in savings on hardware alone, while producing performance benefits that help keep service and management costs down as well."

How It Works

With the legacy protocol gateway feature, an IEN FRAD or hybrid router will terminate legacy traffic from devices such as automatic teller machines (ATMs) in the branches. The gateway converts the data to TCP/IP before sending across the WAN. This way, when it reaches the central site, a legacy host is no longer required for exchanges of information to take place.

The TCP/IP server responds, and when the data returns to the IEN, the legacy gateway converts it back to SNA or whatever legacy protocol is being used.

Transmitting TCP/IP traffic to the host reduces congestion at central routers, since the conversion has already been done by the IEN in the branch. It also promotes better bandwidth utilization across the WAN because traffic is more homogenous.

About Hypercom

Hypercom Network Systems, a division of Hypercom Inc., provides advanced technology and data communications systems and components to Fortune 1000 industries. Hypercom Network Systems' primary mission is to allow customers to integrate legacy SNA networks and PC/LAN networks into a manageable single resource.

Founded in 1978, Hypercom Inc. is a multinational company headquartered in Phoenix. Its products are sold in more than 30 countries and produce revenues of more than $260 million annually.

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