PCI-X Plug-In Card speeds download times.

Comtech AHA Corporation Feb 05, 2004

Press Release Summary:

Model AHA361-PCIX adds GZIP compression to Internet data streams and supports GZIP/Deflate compression for web host applications with data transfer rates at max throughput of 1.2 Gbps. GZIP compression hardware offloads compression software from web server and frees up server CPU resources. Board can accept any data type including HTML, JavaScript, XML, executables, Office documents, Cascade Style Sheets, PDF documents, and PowerPoint presentations.

Original Press Release:

Comtech AHA Announces 1.2 Gbps Internet Protocol Accelerator Prototype

AHA361-PCIX adds GZIP compression to Internet data streams

Pullman, WA. - February 3, 2004 - Comtech AHA Corporation (CAC), a wholly owned subsidiary of Comtech Telecommunications Corp (NASDAQ:CMTL), announces prototype availability of the AHA361-PCIX. This PCI-X plug-in card adds GZIP compression to Internet data streams and supports GZIP/Deflate compression for web host applications with data transfer rates at a maximum throughput of 1.2 Gbps.

By performing compression, valuable bandwidth is efficiently used when sending files over the Internet. GZIP compression is a standardized part of the HTTP protocol and all modern web browsers have built-in GZIP decompression software. Comtech AHA's GZIP compression hardware performs lossless compression at rates several orders of magnitude faster than any GZIP compression software or hardware currently available on the market. As web servers are loaded at or near capacity, GZIP compression software can overload web servers and result in significant latency. Comtech AHA's GZIP compression hardware offloads bandwidth-consuming compression software from the web server and frees up valuable server CPU resources.

The end results are faster download times of complicated dynamic web files and decreased bandwidth consumption. End users will benefit from having faster download times and customers will save money by maximizing the use of their existing web server infrastructure and avoiding expensive link upgrades.

The AHA361-PCIX GZIP board can accept any data type including HTML, JavaScript, XML, Office documents, Executables (.exe), Cascade Style Sheets (CSS), PDF documents, and PowerPoint presentations.

The AHA361-PCIX board features an open standard compression algorithm (GZIP/Deflate) and uses patented hardware compression integrated circuits. Uncompressed data is sent to the board via the PCI-X edge card interface, compressed, and the output is transferred back to the host over the same PCI-X interface.

Target markets for the AHA361-PCIX include manufacturers of storage area network servers, web servers, web accelerators and web traffic appliances including load balancers, firewall VPN servers and integrated routers/switches.

Pricing starts at $750 per unit with quantity discounts available for larger volumes. Contact CAC by telephone at 509-334-1000 or via e-mail at sales@aha.com for lead-times on production quantities.

About CAC
Comtech AHA Corporation develops and markets superior integrated circuits and intellectual property core technology for communications systems architects worldwide. CAC provides flexible, cost-effective solutions for today's growing bandwidth and reliability challenges. Located in Pullman, Wash., CAC has been setting the standard in Forward Error Correction and Lossless Data Compression technology for more than a decade and offers a variety of standard and custom IC solutions for the data communications industry. Comtech AHA Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of Comtech Telecommunications Corp (NASDAQ:CMTL). For more information, visit www.aha.com.