Cabletron Adopts IEEE Gigabit Ethernet Over Copper Standard; Cabletron's Award-Winning SmartSwitch Router and SmartSwitch Families Support Gigabit Ethernet Over Copper

Business Wire, Sept 3, 1999

ROCHESTER, N.H.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 3, 1999--

Cabletron Systems (NYSE:CS) today announced that its industry-leading Layer 4 SmartSwitch Router (SSR) family and Layer 2 SmartSwitch family support the recently ratified 1000BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet over copper standard. Ratified as a standard by the IEEE and supported by the Gigabit Ethernet Alliance in June 1999, the 1000BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet over copper standard (also known as IEEE Std 802.3ab) defines Gigabit Ethernet operation over distances of up to 100 meters using four pairs of Category 5 balanced copper cabling.

"Cabletron's adherence to the IEEE Gigabit Ethernet over copper standard reinforces the company's commitment to designing and developing fully interoperable, standards-based networking solutions," said P.G. Menon, Cabletron's senior director of product management. "We're pleased to announce the SSR's and SmartSwitch's compliance with this newest standard, which will enable our customers to cost-effectively migrate their existing cabling solutions to support faster Gigabit Ethernet technologies."

GartnerGroup/Dataquest ranked Cabletron's SSR number one in both revenue and port shipments for the newly defined "Low-Blocking Layer 3 Switching" category (see related press release, dated 8/24/99), while the Dell `Oro Group named Cabletron's SSR the market share leader for total ports shipped in the rapidly growing Modular Layer-3 Switched category (see related press release, dated 8/19/99.)

About IEEE

The IEEE is the world's largest technical professional society. The members and volunteers of the IEEE are the technical and scientific professionals making the revolutionary engineering advances that are reshaping our world today. This includes the development of leading-edge electro- and information technology standards used throughout the industry.

About the Gigabit Ethernet Alliance

The Gigabit Ethernet Alliance was organized around common objectives that support the activities of IEEE 802.3 (the standards body responsible for Gigabit Ethernet). This multi-vendor effort is committed to providing customers with open, cost-effective, and interoperable Gigabit Ethernet solutions for both fiber and copper cabling environments. Representatives from approximately 120 networking, computer, component, and test equipment companies participate in the Alliance. For more information about the Gigabit Ethernet Alliance, visit the web site at: www.gigabit-ethernet.org.

About Cabletron Systems

Cabletron Systems, a premier provider of world-class networking solutions, delivers reliable network access and communications to millions of people worldwide. With scaleable products designed for Global 1000 enterprise networks, service providers and small businesses, Cabletron is the e-business communications specialist in the Internet economy. Listed on the New York Stock Exchange for more than a decade under the symbol CS, Cabletron is an S&P 500 index company.

Cabletron's web site can be reached on the Internet at http://www.cabletron.com.