FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Chris Clugston, The Product Marketing Group
  Tel: 804-293-9911; Fax: 804-296-9441; ccluston@mindspring.com
Eric Kaplan, Frontline Test Equipment
  Tel: 434-984-4500; Fax: 434-984-4505; ekaplan@fte.com

Frontline Test Equipment Announces The Ethernet Complement To Its Serial Datacom Protocol Analyzer Line
Ethertest Simplifies The Serial-To-Ethernet Evolution!

Charlottesville, VA - June 1, 2001 - Frontline Test Equipment, Inc., the leader in affordable, PC-based, data communication test equipment, today announced the availability of their Ethertest analyzer for Ethernet data communication protocols. The Ethertest user interface, which is identical to that of the company's line of Serialtest serial data analyzers, significantly reduces the learning curve for users working in mixed topology (serial and Ethernet) communication environments.

In industries ranging from banking to factory automation, high-speed Ethernet networks are displacing slower-speed serial data communication networks as the solution of choice to interconnect instrumentation and equipment such as meters, gauges, sensors, transaction terminals, factory equipment, and other "networked" devices. As a result, many organizations must support both serial and Ethernet networks to address mission critical applications including automated process control, data acquisition, status reporting, and transaction processing-which makes Frontline's Ethertest and Serialtest products an unbeatable combination during this time of transition.

In addition to offering a common look and feel with Frontline's Serialtest products, Ethertest generates a comprehensive array of segment-level network performance and activity statistics, and supports features including real-time data capture, timestamping, filtering, and error analysis. Ethertest is an indispensable tool for Ethernet product developers, equipment installers, and network troubleshooters-it enables shorter and less costly product development cycles, faster and more efficient network installations, and improved mean-time-to-repair following network outages.

Ethernet protocols are decoded at the bit level, thus enabling Ethertest users to rapidly detect and isolate even the most minute and intermittent communication protocol related problems associated with Ethernet-based products, applications, and networks. For users who work with proprietary protocols, custom decodes can be created by Frontline's in-house engineering staff, or they can be customer-developed using the product's FrameDecoder option.

According to Eric Kaplan, Frontline President, "Many of our customers are migrating from data networks based on serial communication schemes such as RS-232, DNP3, and Data Highway Plus, to 10 Mbps and 100 Mbps Ethernet networks. The challenge facing product developers, network installers, and network troubleshooters is to support both legacy serial networks and emerging Ethernet networks-which generally involves monitoring and analyzing data on networks of both types. Because their user interfaces are identical, Ethertest, in combination with our Serialtest serial data analyzers, provides the perfect solution."

Ethertest runs on any Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000 compatible PC and supports both 10 Mbps and 100 Mbps Ethernet data rates. The product supports all Windows compatible network interface card types (PCMCIA, PCI, and ISA) and works with all physical Ethernet interfaces (UTP, BNC, and AUI).

Ethertest is priced at US$1,295 and is available immediately. Custom protocol decodes can be created using the FrameDecoder option, which sells for $500.

About Frontline Test Equipment, Inc.

Founded in 1991, Frontline Test Equipment, Inc. designs, develops, markets, and supports cost-effective, PC-based data communication test tools for the computer and communications industries. The company is currently fielding a family of general-purpose and application-specific protocol analyzers based upon a common software core-the Frontline Test System (FTS) software. The resulting consistent look and feel across all Frontline products drastically reduces learning curves for engineers working in multiple protocol environments.

In addition to Ethertest, currently available products based on the FTS software include: Serialtest Async, Serialtest Spy, and AsyncExpress (asynchronous serial data and protocol analyzers); Serialtest ComProbe (synchronous/asynchronous serial data and protocol analyzers); SerialBERT (Bit Error Rate Tester); SerialBlue (Bluetooth analyzer), and FTS for IA & SCADA (Industrial Automation and SCADA communication protocol analyzer). FTS products are PC-based and are compatible with Windows 95, 98, Me, NT, and 2000.

Frontline is headquartered in Charlottesville, Virginia, with a sales and support office located in Vienna, Austria. The company distributes products worldwide to a diverse customer base including AT&T, Sprint, SBC, Verizon, Amoco, General Electric, Rockwell Automation, Department of Defense, Burlington Northern Railroad, VISA, 3COM, and America Online (AOL). The worldwide installed base of Frontline products exceeds 25,000.

Contact Information

For additional information regarding Ethertest or Frontline Test Equipment, Inc. please contact:

Name: Eric Kaplan
Phone: 804-984-4500
Email: ekaplan@fte.com
Fax: 804-984-4505
Web: www.fte.com 

Or, contact FTE by mail:

Frontline Test Equipment, Inc.
P.O. Box 7507
Charlottesville, VA  22906-7507

Serialtest, SerialBERT, Ethertest, ComProbe, and Frontline Test System are registered trademarks, and Frontline and SerialBlue are trademarks of Frontline Test Equipment, Inc. All other trademarks belong to their respective owners.

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