Madge LAN Support Software

• Introduction
• Fastmac Plus host-based performance drivers
• Smart software adapter resident drivers
• Easy implementation
• Operating system support
• Fault tolerant server features
• Software upgradeability

Introduction

Fastmac Plus drivers provide the ultimate throughput for servers and clients using multi-tasking operating systems, as well as DOS/Windows clients where only a single protocol is required.

Smart Software is downloaded to adapter memory and uses the Eagle processor in the TI chipset to allow onboard protocol processing. This unique and elegant approach provides memory savings, high performance and multi-protocol flexibility for DOS/Windows client PCs.

Fastmac Plus host-based drivers

Fastmac Plus is implemented in Madge's ODI and NDIS drivers to deliver the highest performance levels in the industry with all major operating systems. In server applications the efficiency of Fastmac Plus is reflected in low CPU utilisation providing excellent scalability for multi-port servers. As an accredited member of the Novell Certification Alliance, Madge is currently testing new Fastmac Plus drivers that offer support for enhanced desktop features, such as Symmetric Multi-processing for servers and simplified client networking via Novell's Client-32 architecture.

Madge has sucessfully licenced this technology for use in the Token Ring products of some of the largest networking companies in the world, including Cisco, Bay Networks, Newbridge and Hewlett Packard. Most recently, Madge extended its long-standing relationship with Microsoft that began in 1988 with the licencing of Madge driver technology for LAN Manager. Microsoft has announced that it is the Madge driver source tree that will now be embedded in its next generation operating systems, starting with the new 4.0 version of Windows NT.

Smart software adapter-resident drivers

In a multi-protocol environment, the flexible Smart Software architecture allows many protocols to be loaded and executed in parallel. Protocol processing is off-loaded to the Eagle processor in the TI chipset and performance is not degraded by the protocol mappers normally required when host resident driver are used. With common combinations of multiple protocols the Smart Software solution saves memory and can enhance performance, compared to conventional host-based implementations.

Madge is also the only Token Ring vendor to provide its own IBM compatible LLC and NetBIOS drivers, hence Smart 16/4 Ringnode users never need to buy the IBM LAN Support Program. By providing a full protocol stack, Madge ensures that customers have full control of their network PC configurations and prevent the need to reserve the upper memory space that is required to support shared memory adapters, such as those provided by IBM. For customers who have a large installed base of these traditional Token Ring cards, Madge has introduced its own Blue+ 16/4 ISA shared memory adapters that can run both IBM LSP as well as Madge performance enhancing FastBlue software.

Easy implementation

Operating system support

Fault tolerant server features

Software upgradeability