At Networld+Interop in Atlanta this week, 3M Telecom Systems Division (Austin, TX) announced a line of fiber-optic network interface cards (NICs) for the company's Volition Fiber Optic Network Solution. Designed for Ethernet protocols, the family of 10-Mb, 100-Mb, Gigabit, and quadport 100-Mb NICs operates at either half- or full-duplex, maximizing fiber-link distances. The new NIC uses the VF-45 interconnect small form-factor interface used in the Volition system.
Says Juan Pulido, Volition networking products marketing manager, "This complements the Volition line of affordable media converters, switches and mini-hubs for fiber-optic networking. Availability of VF-45 compatible products, along with industry-wide support for the connector, is enabling enterprises to easily implement end-to-end fiber solutions."
According to 3M, the 10-Mb and 100-Mb NICs will be commercially available in September. The U.S. suggested retail price for the Volition 10-Mb NIC is $127. The quadport NIC is expected to be available in November, and product availability for the Gigabit Ethernet NIC is scheduled for December 1999.
--Edited by Susan Fogarty
