Mentat, Metrodata Do Satellite

LONDON and LOS ANGELES -- Metrodata Ltd. and Mentat® Inc. today announced that they are partnering to offer efficient, cost-saving solutions for satellite networking. By utilizing Metrodata's Ethernet-to-Serial interface converters, users can connect Mentat's SkyX® satellite link accelerators into a satellite network without requiring a separate router.

Mentat's award-winning SkyX products are the leading solutions for overcoming the limitations of Internet Protocols when used over satellite links. The SkyX Gateway and SkyX Client/Server combine multiple acceleration techniques including TCP-to-XTP protocol translation, Web Prefetch, and data compression to enhance the performance of data transfers over long-latency networks. SkyX products accelerate e-mail, Web downloads, file transfers, and other TCP/IP applications while remaining entirely transparent to end users.

Metrodata, a developer of unique solutions for efficient satellite networking, offers the LH1000 Ethernet-to-serial interface converter to connect SkyX Gateways and SkyX Servers directly to standard satellite modem interfaces. The LH1000, which functions as a bridge, removes the cost and complexity of installing a router between each SkyX device and the satellite modem and maximizes use of expensive satellite bandwidth.

The LH1000, part of Metrodata's new WAN-in-a-CAN(tm) product range, supports a single Ethernet port at asymmetric speeds up to 65 Mbps through a HSSI interface or 20 Mbps through a multi-standard serial port. Other WAN-in-a-CAN(tm) products include a 4-port Ethernet switch with G.703 wide area network interfaces up to DS3 45Mbps.

Testing at Mentat and by customers has verified that the Metrodata interface converters install easily with the SkyX Gateway and are able to support data transfers at speeds of up to 65 Mbps.

Paul Ingram, Managing Director of Metrodata emphasizes, "Working with Mentat as a partner, we are able to jointly offer a solution for high performance Internet-over-satellite to satellite providers and users around the world. We are very pleased to be associated with such a highly respected company and are proud to have been chosen as a recommended solution."

Kay Guyer, Mentat President says, "Our testing proved conclusively that Metrodata's interface converters interoperate well with SkyX products, allowing full performance enhancement without the need for a router. We are therefore recommending the use of Metrodata products to our customers looking for an easy, cost-effective way to install SkyX products into their network."

Metrodata Ltd.

Mentat Inc.