Stories by Network World staff

Briefs

With an increasing number of wireless IP devices coming on the market, ObjectSwitch Corp. in San Rafael, Calif., this week announced a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) Adapter for its ObjectSpace 3 application server platform.

Fusion Spotlight

We've updated our E-commerce Research area to include primers, case studies and articles about business to-business e-commerce. Find out how to generate an e-commerce business plan in five easy lessons from WebMonkey. Find out how to use Unix and NT in your e-commerce environment with a white paper from Marken Communications. And find out the legal implications of doing business on the Internet from Brown & Bain attorneys.

Apps Briefs

BMC Software Inc. last week unveiled two software tools for recovering from database errors.

FlowPoint Ships Free Firewall

FlowPoint Corp. is shipping a free firewall with its digital subscriber line (DSL) routers. The routers, which are installed at customer sites, are the link between customer networks and DSL lines that connect to the Internet. FlowPoint routers are used by Covad Communications, a service provider specializing in DSL. The fire-wall used to cost $299. Upgrades for current FlowPoint customers are available at www.flowpoint.com.

Briefs

The growth of wireless and digital subscriber line technologies and the potential for broadband cable is creating "a virtual Cuisinart of convergence" that is helping to make the Telecommunications Act of 1996 a success, Federal Communications Commission Chairman William Kennard said last week in his annual start-of-the-year press conference. The resulting "network of networks" is helping the country move through a period of mergers that might otherwise reduce competition, Kennard said. He declined to divulge his personal position on the America Online/Time Warner deal, saying only that the deal "will raise some interesting new issues because it's a different kind of merger." But he promised to speed up the FCC's merger review process, saying he expects the pure telecom megadeals - including that of MCI WorldCom/Sprint - to be decided in the first half of the year.

Briefs

Cybernet Systems Corp. this week will upgrade its NetMax Linux-based thin servers to the Linux 2.2 kernel. The NetMax appliance servers will get a performance boost through support for up to 1G byte of additional RAM and an increase in the number of files that can be open at one time. The company also is adding support for Intel, Advanced Micro Devices, Cyrix processors and chipsets. The NetMax appliances include an option for symmetric multiprocessing support. Available now, the servers are priced at $100.

Briefs

Cybernet Systems Corp. this week will upgrade its NetMax Linux-based thin servers to the Linux 2.2 kernel. The NetMax appliance servers will get a performance boost through support for up to 1G byte of additional RAM and an increase in the number of files that can be open at one time. The company also is adding support for Intel, Advanced Micro Devices, Cyrix processors and chipsets. The NetMax appliances include an option for symmetric multiprocessing support. Available now, the servers are priced at $100.

Carrier Briefs: SBC Seeks FCC Approval

Hoping to follow on the success of Bell Atlantic in New York, SBC Communications is seeking permission to sell long-distance services in the state of Texas. Approval would come from the Federal Communications Commission after it determines that SBC has encouraged local phone competition in the state and has met other technical requirements. Last year, the Texas Public Utilities Commission fined SBC for throwing up roadblocks to competitors that want to sell digital subscriber line services there. In announcing its plans to seek long-distance approval, SBC pointed to a separate PUC document that says SBC has opened its market to competition.

Briefs

For a limited time, users can have IBM Global Services perform an in-depth SNA or TCP/IP network traffic analysis to identify performance problems that may be affecting network throughput. For a one-time charge of $5,000, IBM will analyze up to three sets of trace data and offer a formal report detailing results and recommendations on how to improve net performance. The deal runs between Jan. 18 and July 18.

Briefs

The growth of wireless and digital subscriber line technologies and the potential for broadband cable is creating "a virtual Cuisinart of convergence" that is helping to make the Telecommunications Act of 1996 a success, Federal Communications Commission Chairman William Kennard said last week in his annual start-of-the-year press conference. The resulting "network of networks" is helping the country move through a period of mergers that might otherwise reduce competition, Kennard said. He declined to divulge his personal position on the America Online/Time Warner deal, saying only that the deal "will raise some interesting new issues because it's a different kind of merger." But he promised to speed up the FCC's merger review process, saying he expects the pure telecom megadeals - including that of MCI WorldCom/Sprint - to be decided in the first half of the year.

Briefs

For a limited time, users can have IBM Global Services perform an in-depth SNA or TCP/IP network traffic analysis to identify performance problems that may be affecting network throughput. For a one-time charge of $5,000, IBM will analyze up to three sets of trace data and offer a formal report detailing results and recommendations on how to improve net performance. The deal runs between Jan. 18 and July 18.

AOL/Time Warner Offers Glimpse of Net's Future

Imagine having a movie-quality training video beamed to your desktop so you can finish your network certification during your lunch hour. Or clicking on your corporate Web site and having a two-way conversation with a virtual benefits administrator. Or downloading your company's CEO's latest speech so you can paste a sound bite into a customer presentation.

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