• Allows you to provide secure access at a low cost to business customers

• Attract new customers
• Offer existing customers new services

• Cost effective, convenient and complete solution
  
• Integrated leased line, ISDN, and frame relay support in a modem-sized device costing less than most competitors incomplete solutions.
• Flexible, scalable Internet Access
  Connects remote offices and corporate LANs to the Internet, and fully supports growth from a 64K dial-up or leased line to a frame relay connection at close to E1 speeds (1984Kbps).
• Cost-effective network redundancy
  Provides a dedicated WAN connection, in addition to an ISDN BRI for mission-critical back-up and overflow applications.
• Lowest-cost operation
  
  • Ascends patented Dynamic Bandwidth Allocation saves money by increasing/ decreasing bandwidth as needed during connection.
  • Choose between dial-up and dedicated connections depending on usage and volume.
  • Dial-up port available to accommodate overflow traffic from dedicated port (non-frame relay connections only) minimizes hardware costs.

• Integrated Secure Access Firewall
  The Pipeline 130 is the only access router with an optional integrated dynamic firewall (more secure than traditional firewall technology).
• Easiest to manage solution
  Choose from SNMP, Telnet, Syslog and out-of-band remote management.
• Most comprehensive line
  The Pipeline product represents the largest range of flexible solutions for small office/home office, telecommuting, Internet access and remote access.
• Remote access leadership
  Ascend has market dominance (54%) in the access concentrator market.

• Fully integrated dynamic firewall(stateful inspection)
• Comprehensive monitoring and logging
• Easy configuration and management with Secure Access Manager software
• Authentication profiles with PAP, or CHAP

• Token card-based security
• Callback assures connections are made only with known users
• Password-protected terminal server access

• RFC 1490 Frame Relay encapsulation, Annex D Link Management
• Supports up to 8 PVCs
• PPP, Multilink PPP (MP), or Multilink Protocol Plus (MP+)
• Dial-on-demand
• Dynamic Bandwidth Allocation combines both B channels (for 128 Kbps throughput), or independently on an as-needed basis.
• STAC data compression for up to 512 Kbps over ISDN BRI
• Unicast and multicast packet filtering

• BCP standard bridging supports any bridgeable protocol
• Integrated routing (IP for Internet access, IPX for corporate NetWare networks)
• Pre-configured bridging filters for IP, IPX and AppleTalk protocols, and IPX spoofing
• Support for up to 1024 LAN devices
• Built-in Ethernet (10Mbps) interface (AUI and 10Base-T ports)

Management

• SNMP, Telnet, Syslog, and Ascend Remote Management protocol for local or remote management over a network or Internet.
• Terminal (VT100)-based access available via 9 pin serial port (RS232)
• Support for TFTP for remote software upgrades
• Flash memory for easy software upgrades
• WAN loopback

• Expensive to purchase and maintain; software upgrades require RAM upgrades at additional cost
• Complexity of Ciscos IOS makes installation and configuration difficult
• Lack of integrated, dynamic firewall security software resulting in a more complex, expensive system

3Com NetBuilder 201

• Expensive compared to the Pipeline 130 integrated solution
• Boundary routing solution must be used with a 3Com central site router
• Lacks integrated ISDN support
• Lack of integrated, dynamic firewall security software results in a more complex, more expensive system.

• 3Com AccessBuilder Remote Office
• Lacks Token-based security which increases potential for unauthorized network access
• Lacks integrated, dynamic firewall security
• Proprietary compression algorithm results in compatibility issues with Internet Service Providers

• Motorola Vanguard 300
• Optionally integrated DSU/CSU only supports 56K forces purchase of expensive third party solution for higher speeds
• Lacks integrated, dynamic firewall security
• Lack of PAP, CHAP or Token-based security support increases potential for unauthorized network access

• Bay Networks (Xylogics) MARLIN
• Lacks integrated, dynamic firewall security
• Lacks frame relay support resulting in fewer high speed connectivity options
• Lacks Token-based security support