Bus-Tech Announces the 'Mainframe Appliance for Networking'; The Microsoft Windows NT Embedded based Platform Allows for Simplified High-Speed Mainframe TCP/IP Access.

BURLINGTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 23, 1999--

Bus-Tech, Inc. (TM), a leading provider of data center connectivity products, today announced the Mainframe Appliance for Networking, a Fast Ethernet TCP/IP controller for System/390 mainframes. Offered with either an Enterprise System Connection (ESCON) or Parallel (Bus & Tag) channel connection, the Mainframe Appliance for Networking is the next-generation of Bus-Tech's channel-attached TCP/IP controllers

"The Mainframe Appliance for Networking is a perfect fit for our customers who require simple, low cost, and reliable TCP/IP access to their mainframes," commented Marc Schare, President, Connectivity Systems, the leading supplier of TCP/IP VSE mainframe software. "The Mainframe Appliance for Networking operates as a true appliance, requiring little to no set up and support by the customer."

The Mainframe Appliance for Networking is the first commercially available product from Bus-Tech based on Microsoft Corp.'s new Windows NT Embedded operating system. A console-less controller, the Mainframe Appliance for Networking uses Windows NT Embedded remote administration capabilities to provide easy administration and configuration over the Fast Ethernet network. Any Windows 95, Windows 98 or Windows NT workstation will be able to configure and administer the Mainframe Appliance for Networking by simply attaching over the network with Microsoft NetMeeting 3.0 software.

"The Mainframe Appliance for Networking is intended to provide a quick and easy way to connect TCP/IP systems to the System/390 leveraging today's Fast Ethernet networks", said Ralph Armstrong, Vice President Product Management for Bus-Tech. "Using Microsoft's latest embedded technology, Windows NT Embedded, provided us with an easy and direct method for providing remote administration of the Mainframe Appliance for Networking across the network. Installing and configuring a mainframe TCP/IP controller has never been easier!"

"Bus-Tech has a long history of using Microsoft technology in their products. We are pleased they have chosen Windows NT Embedded as the foundation for their latest TCP/IP controller", said Vince Mendillo, lead product manager for Windows NT Embedded at Microsoft. "The Mainframe Appliance for Networking is a good example of how Windows NT Embedded can be used to implement console-less, single-function systems that are remotely administered across an intranet or the Internet".

The Mainframe Appliance for Networking is available immediately from Bus-Tech with prices starting at under $10,000.

Bus-Tech, Inc. is the industry's leading provider of state-of-the-art connectivity solutions for the data center. The company's powerful suite of Intranet-to-Mainframe and data movement solutions satisfy even the most rugged demands of data processing professionals for high-bandwidth, high-performance connectivity. With more than 14,000 installed sites worldwide, Bus-Tech is a recognized leader in the interconnect market. Headquartered in Burlington, MA, the company is privately held with locations around the world. For more information about Bus-Tech and its products, please visit the Bus-Tech World Wide Web site at http://www.bustech.com, send email to info@bustech.com, or call 800-284-3172 or 781-272-8200.

Bus-Tech is a registered trademark of Bus-Tech, Inc. Product names mentioned herein may be trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective companies.