In 1990, IDC predicted that within the decade the need for Mainframes to provide corporate-wide access, connectivity, control and management of corporate data assets over worldwide networks would grow. And they were right on track.

Today, Mainframes have been repositioned in the marketplace as the premier Enterprise Server, providing a large supportable and reliable repository for today's data-intensive client/server applications. In addition, the advancement of Internet technologies, more specifically TCP/IP, web browsers and new technology, such as Java allow IS managers to consistently deploy solutions which extend beyond today's existing corporate networks. Thus, the ability to deploy Intranets in a simple, efficient and cost-effective manner, while leveraging the data and applications that reside on the Mainframe, presents a significant business opportunity for which Bus-Tech is uniquely positioned. Bus-Tech's businesses consist of Intranet-to-Mainframe connectivity solutions, high-speed data movement products and channel connectivity solutions for OEMs, all of which provide a broad range of offerings to complement the significant role Mainframes play in corporate networks.

Bus-Tech's leading-edge channel and data movement technology solutions offer simple, efficient and cost-effective ways for customers to accelerate Intranet deployment today while maintaining the flexibility to adapt to the needs of tomorrow. These solutions enable users to seamlessly access applications and data, which reside on the Mainframe via standard browser-based clients, without sacrificing performance, reliability, security or manageability.

The growth within the Mainframe and Intranet markets has been nothing less than phenomenal. As IBM and compatible Mainframes have become smaller, CMOS-based machines, they have become far more cost-effective than traditional large UNIX-based machines. Add to this the need for reliable, secure and powerful Mainframes to handle today’s enormous data-intensive corporate software packages and you get a boom in demand for corporate Mainframes to be used as the premier enterprise server of Intranets.

Market statistics support this growth in the Mainframe segment. Not only does 80 percent of the world's data currently reside on existing Mainframes, but, according to Meta Group, a market research firm, System/390 CMOS shipments grew 56 percent from 1995 to 1996, and will continue to grow at a rate of 30 percent (compounded annual growth) through the year 2000. Despite technological advances within the Mainframe, the best method of connecting them to the corporate Intranet remains via Bus & Tag or ESCON (Enterprise Systems Connection) channels. Thus, the market for channel-attached Intranet-access products is anticipated to grow in parallel.

International Data Corporation (IDC), a market research firm, predicts dramatic growth within the TCP/IP Intranet segment. In 1996, 25 percent of all Mainframes had host-resident TCP/IP protocols. Personal computers with TCP/IP are estimated to double from 40 percent in 1996 to almost 80 percent by the year 2001. In addition, predictions from IDC that the World Wide Web (WWW)-to-host market will grow from $5 million in 1996 to $1 billion by the year 2001, color the future for the connectivity market very brightly.

A privately held corporation, Bus-Tech has grown from a single-product company in 1987 to one that manufactures and markets a full suite of powerful Mainframe connectivity and data movement products, sold both directly to end-users and through resellers and original-equipment manufacturers (OEMs). While the company and its product line have grown, the company’s original goal has not wavered; to provide its customers with simple, flexible and cost-effective data center connectivity solutions.

Bus-Tech has applied sound management models to its growing businesses. Product line expansion has occurred in three main areas; Intranet-to-Host connectivity, high speed data movement systems and high-performance, programmable channel adapters. Bus-Tech's business units reflect the industry's need for rapid communications between Mainframes and servers and between the Internet or Intranets and Mainframes, regardless of network protocol or topology. With an eye to the future, Bus-Tech's technology provides a migration path to upgrade to new network technologies such as ATM and Gigabit Ethernet, while leveraging the advancements being made in Intranet software.

As Bus-Tech has grown, it has developed strong mutual partnerships with the industry-leading Intranet software providers, IBM, Novell and Microsoft. Through these relationships Bus-Tech is able to provide customers with fully integrated hardware and software solutions that truly model the concept of "plug and play." In 1997, Bus-Tech added extensive marketing relationships with three key vendors in the industry. Network infrastructure leader 3Com, Mainframe processor vendor Hitachi Data Systems, and Host software vendor Interlink Computer Systems all market and sell Bus-Tech’s market leading product line. Bus-Tech's scalable Intranet-to Mainframe connectivity solutions and high-speed data-movement products take advantage of the resurgence of the Mainframe as the central data system and the need to protect investments in these systems over time.

Bus-Tech remains the industry pioneer with a proven track record of "firsts."

• Bus-Tech was the first to provide a channel-attach device that directly connected local area networks to IBM Mainframes. The advent of this device, the Ethernet LAN Controller - Model 1 (ELC1), propelled Bus-Tech into the forefront of the LAN-to-Mainframe connectivity marketplace.

• Bus-Tech, in close collaboration with IBM, developed the industry's first high-speed ESCON and parallel channel adapters specifically for use with IBM's eNetwork Communications Server for Windows NT software. Bus-Tech's channel adapter drivers are the only ones certified for use and included with IBM's eNetwork Communications Server for Windows NT.

• The NetShuttle line of products are the first to leverage Internet-derived network and software technology to uniquely provide users with a "plug and play", scalable solution for access to Mainframe applications, regardless of network protocols or topology.

The NetShuttle product family is the industry's first truly scalable, plug and play solution for directly attaching corporate Intranets to Mainframes. The NetShuttle family provides users with a wide range of connectivity, from simple TCP/IP to advanced SNA services. Based on mutual partnerships with IBM, Microsoft, and Novell, the NetShuttle line leverages advancements in Intranet software and network technologies. This "ruggedized", rack-mounted system provides customers with a powerful, yet simple, Intranet-to-Mainframe connectivity solution for the data center.

The NetShuttle solution supports a wide range of Intranet connectivity options -- from Ethernet and Token-Ring to Fast Ethernet and ATM -- and will be easily upgradeable to newer technologies such as Gigabit Ethernet. NetShuttle's high-speed Mainframe connectivity options include both ESCON and parallel channel, and support all major protocols, including TCP/IP, SNA, and IPX. TCP/IP protocols can be resident on the Mainframe or can reside inside the NetShuttle system to reduce protocol processing on the host. NetShuttle provides a complete set of networking services, from TCP/IP passthrough and TN3270E server functionality to advanced SNA services such as DSPU, DLUR and HPR. Web server functionality is also provided, including support for Java- and ActiveX-based applications, and browser-based TN3270 applications such as IBM's Host-on-Demand, Netscape's Communicator and CNT’s Enterprise/Connect.

From its origins, Bus-Tech has been the leader in providing channel adapter solutions for OEMs and end users. High-performance adapter hardware coupled with a rich set of emulation software, compatible with a broad range of platforms, give OEMs a complete solution for integration into their product line.

Bus-Tech's EnterpriseExpress Adapters offering consists of both parallel and ESCON channel adapters that support PCI platforms. Bus-Tech is the first company to license and implement IBM's Multi-Path Channel (MPC+) protocol on their ESCON adapters. This protocol yields a 40% performance improvement and over a 60% reduction on S/390 servers over previous implementations. Unique to Bus-Tech's ESCON solutions is the embedded IBM ESCON "enabled" chipset and microcode, which ensures complete compatibility with S/390 ESCON channels.

A rich set of emulation software supporting 3172, 3174, 3480/90, 3088 (CTC) devices as well as vendor-specific custom emulation allows the attaching platform to operate seamlessly as an extension to the Mainframe or S/390 channel. Software drivers are provided for Windows NT, NetWare and UNIX operating environments.

These products allow platforms to attach directly to the IBM or compatible Mainframe host system. The result is a tight coupling of the Mainframe and Intranet environments that eliminates unnecessary LAN hops, bypasses front-end processors, and provides for the fastest possible link from server to Mainframe.

Recognizing the needs of its customers for quality service and support, Bus-Tech offers its customers a choice of two support plans -- Premium and Standard.

BOB NICEWICZ, President and CEO

Robert Nicewicz is one of the original founders of Bus-Tech and has been with the company since 1987. Prior to founding Bus-Tech he spent seven years as President of Nixdorf Computer Engineering Corporation and Senior Vice President of Nixdorf Computer Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Nixdorf Computer AG. Previously he was with IBM for nineteen years in a variety of executive and management positions in sales, technical operations, technical support, field engineering and manufacturing.

THOMAS MCCAFFERTY, Vice President Network Systems

Thomas McCafferty is one of the original founders of Bus-Tech and has been with the company since 1987. Previously he spent six years with Nixdorf Computer Engineering Corporation as vice president of the Field Engineering Group. Prior to that he spent thirteen years with IBM in a variety of positions as a network systems manager, systems support manager, software systems specialist and software development engineer.

ALAN BRANDT, Vice President of Operations

Al Brandt serves as vice president and general manager for Bus-Tech. In this position, Brandt is responsible for overseeing the new NetShuttle product family. Brandt joined Bus-Tech from IBM, where he was director of product line management for IBM's Networking Hardware Division. With more than 15 years of experience in network communications and enterprise computing, Brandt has held executive level positions for both hardware and software networking products within IBM and was responsible for the successful introduction of the 3172 Interconnect Controller.

Bus-Tech is a registered trademark and NetShuttle is a trademark of Bus-Tech, Inc.

Other trademarks appearing in this document are the property of their respective owners.