@DEVICE(X2700)
@FLUSHLEFT(Edinburgh Regional Computing Centre
Communications Group)
@MAJORHEADING(PAD SURVEY)
@HEADING(1ST STAGE REPORT)
@FLUSHRIGHT(Brian Gilmore
March 1987)
@BEGIN(TEXT)
@UX(INTRODUCTION)

The aim of the 1st stage of the PAD survey was to identify those
manufacturers who produce a High Speed PAD.  A High Speed PAD is defined as one
that is capable of driving at least one X.25 link at a speed in excess of
19.2kb/s.  A selection has been made among the identified PADs to produce a
short list for the second stage of the survey.

@UX(THE SURVEY)

The following manufacturers were approached but do not market a discrete X.25
PAD product.
@BEGIN(FORMAT)
@TABSET(0.5inches)
@\Bridge - ethernet PAD only
@\DCA
@\DEC
@\Logica
@\Master Systems
@\Norsk Data
@\SPIDER - ethernet PAD only
@\GEC
@\Racal-Milgo  - sell Dynatech
@\Philips Business Systems - will not sell stand-alone PADs
@END(FORMAT)
The following manufacturers produced PADs, but the synchronous link speed is
not in excess of 19.2kb/s.
@BEGIN(FORMAT)
@TABSET(0.5inches)
@\CASE
@\Lion Systems
@\Data Network Design - sells Ultranet
@\Dynatech
@\Motorola
@\Racal - sells Ultranet products
@\Telindus
@\Timeplex
@END(FORMAT)
The final group of manufacturers produce a product with a link speed of greater
than 19.2kb/s.
@BEGIN(FORMAT)
@TABSET(0.5inches)
@\BT
@\Camtec
@\Dowty
@\Gandalf
@\ICL(PC I)
@\Interscan Communications
@\IPAC
@\Micom Borer
@\Netcomm
@\Ultranet
@\Walmore Data
@END(FORMAT)

The above PADs were then briefly evaluated to establish a short list.  The
criteria used was performance, facilities and general suitability for the
community.  The evaluation was not exhaustive due to lack of time.

The following manufacturers are excluded for the following reasons:-

@UX(BT)

The performance doesn't justify the claim of supporting a high speed link.

@UX(INTERSCAN COMMUNICATIONS)

Interscan Communications sell a switch product that can also act as a PAD.  As
such it can support up to 24 ports of which up to 10 can be X.25.  The price,
at œ22,000 for 24 ports, rules it out in the PAD market.

@UX(IPAC)

After repeated phone calls, no information was forthcoming so IPAC was excluded
from the second stage.

@UX(MICOM BORER)

The Micom Borer PAD supports only a single X.25 line at 48kb/s, costs at the
top end of the range @t(#)5,000 for 16 lines) and does not apparently offer any
outstanding features to justify this price.

@UX(ULTRANET)

Ultranet produce a flexible PAD/small switch.  Th price, œ6,000 for 16 lines,
reflects this capability but there are a number of major features that are
missing and would cause problems in the Academic Community, they include:

@BEGIN (FORMAT)
@TABSET(0.5inches)
@\non X.121 addressing scheme
@\no fast select
@\no packet or window size negotiation
@END(FORMAT)

@UX(WALMORE DATA)

Walmore Data sell a PAD which supports a single X.25 link at a speed of up to
64 kb/s.  The PAD supports up to 32 asynch ports.  The PAD was not included in
stage two partly becaue of the limitation of only one X.25 link but primarily
because the title to address translation is very restrictive, a title may only
contain 4 characters and only 18 titles can be stored.

@UX(RESULTS)

The following manufacturers have been carried forward to the second stage

@BEGIN(FORMAT)
@TABSET(0.5inches)
@\CAMTEC (for performance tests only)
@\Doughty
@\Gandalf
@\ICL
@\Netcomm
@END(FORMAT)
@END(TEXT)