First Network Controller Supporting Connection of Thin Client Terminals at Remote Locations

Please Note:  The 594e is no longer manufactured and is only available
on a limited basis as a REFURBISHED product only.  The replacement products are the  I-O Corporation Xip+ Twinax Controller (new) and the BOSaNOVA eTwinax Controller (refurbished).  Click on either product name to be taken the the respective pages for these two Twinax-Over-IP options.

Overview

Fully compatible with the IBM 5494, the Perle 594e is the first and only controller built to support customers' Twinax connectivity needs today and offer integrated IP routing and network computer server capabilities for the future. (Click on Picture for additional features)

Additional Features:

• Full 5494 workstation controller functionality

• Enhanced workstation controller features:

  • Scalable beyond the capacity of equivalent IBM models

  • Native TCP/IP support-eliminates the high cost of setting up and maintaining a multi-protocol wide area network

  • True multi-session/multi-host support-over 1000 sessions across 40 hosts

  • Software Download feature allows for efficient distribution and management of 594e software enhancements and upgrades across the entire controller network

• IP Routing component routes IP traffic from thin clients from remote site onto corporate LAN

• NC Server component provides Boot Server capabilities for NCs at remote sites.

The Perle 594e Network Controller consolidates the full functionality of Perle's award winning 494E controller in a new platform built to meet the future needs of customers for Open Network computing. The Perle 594e is the first and only Network Controller designed to support customers' Twinax connectivity needs today and offer integrated IP routing and network computer (NC) server capabilities for the future. This unique blend of features positions the Perle 594e to provide a seamless migration path to thin client computing utilizing open systems connections.

A typical AS/400 customer will therefore be able to implement a Perle 594e for Twinax connectivity today and then, as needed, integrate NCs and other thin clients into their traditional SNA (Twinax and LAN workstations) environment. This integration is on a single Network Controller platform and with no need to buy additional routers, FRADs or network computer servers. And because new routing capabilities will be integrated into the 594e itself, users of IP based devices connected to the 594e will be able to gain access to IP based resources, wherever they may reside on the corporate intranet.

The Perle 594e will meet connectivity needs today and tomorrow. Using field installable feature cards, the 594e can support up to:

• 168 Twinax devices

• 160 Ethernet users (in gateway mode)

• 160 Token Ring users (in gateway mode)

• 48 ASCII dial-in users.

Support for SDLC, X.25, X.21, Frame relay, SNA or TCP/IP over Ethernet and Token Ring connections, Token Ring bridging

The addition of native TCP/IP support enhances the networking capabilities of the Perle 594e. Using IBM's AnyNet architecture (delivered as standard from OS/400 V3R1), network managers can standardize on TCP/IP across their corporate wide area network. TCP/IP support eliminates the need to bridge or route existing SNA traffic and dramatically reduces network complexity and operating costs.

Support for multi-session/multi-host configuration

Allows over 1000 additional user sessions to be assigned directly from multiple hosts to individual Twinax terminal users. This powerful feature can completely eliminate poor performance overhead associated with APPN-based solutions or the need to acquire shared addressing terminals. Once configured, concurrent active sessions can be accessed via a simple hot key sequence - even on single session Twinax terminals.

Software download capabilities

Perle's PC Utility program allows users to distribute 594e software from any PC on the network to any 594e on the network.

IP Routing Component

The routing component on the Perle 594e will allow users to route IP traffic from the remote branch office onto the corporate LAN using Frame Relay protocol, eliminating the need for IP routers or FRADs. This will provide the flexibility for IP based devices (PCs, Network Computers, Net PCs etc.) attached to the Perle 594e to connect to other IP resource on the corporate network e.g. their AS/400, their NT Server, or even the Internet. Typically these IP devices would be thin client based, using a simple web browser, Telnet,TN5250,TN3270 etc. to access host resources.

NC Server Component

With its NC server component, The Perle 594e will provide all the boot server capabilities required by any NCs that are connected to it.

Typically NC's at the host site would get their start-up applications from their AS/400 which would function as their boot server. It is not practical, however, to download start-up applications over the corporate WAN to NCs installed at remote sites. For effective deployment of remote NCs, a boot server with storage and file transfer capabilities must be available at each remote site (not cost effective), or each remote NC must have its own storage capability to provide start-up applications (costly and cumbersome). The Perle 594e, with integrated NC server capability, overcomes these obstacles and in doing so provides an integrated solution that is both more cost effective and more practical than either of these alternatives.

Service

On-site maintenance plans and advanced exchange plans are optionally available.