SERVERS & PERIPHERALS Ethernet Server NIC: ANA-6911/TX Adaptec Fast Ethernet Adapters S electing the right NIC for your network server can be the difference between disaster and harmony. Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) has leveled the playing field for performance and CPU utilization, and all the top vendors tout ultra-high-performance numbers. But Adaptec is the first vendor in the industry to attempt the removal of the single point of failure in many Fast Ethernet-connected servers. By starting with the Cogent series of Fast Ethernet adapters and adding both reliability and Adaptec's name recognition, Adaptec has succeeded in this venture--and grabbed the Well-Connected award to boot--with its ANA-6 911/TX Fast Ethernet adapters. Adaptec relies on its DuraLink drivers to provide a safe, fault-tolerant Fast Ethernet network. The ANA-6911/TX adapt- ers are the first to offer a completely redundant adapter should the first connection fail. Combined with the industry-standard Spanning Tree protocol, a network built on Adaptec ANA-6911/TX adapters is guaranteed to carry you through the worst service outages with minimal downtime. The ANA-6911/TX delivers top-notch performance with low CPU utilization under Windows NT and NetWare. 3Com Corp. and Intel Corp. continue to struggle for market share with high-bandwidth, low CPU utilization network adapter cards. However, both 3Com and Intel continually work to push the price/performance envelope with constant improvements to their technology. ANA-6911/TX Adaptec Fast Ethernet adapters , $129 to $143, Adaptec, (800) 442-7274, www.adaptec.com Honorable Mentions: Fast EtherLink XL 10/100 PCI Network Interface Card , starts at $94, 3Com Corp., (800) NET-3Com, www.3Com.com EtherExpress PRO/100 LAN Adapters , $84 to $99, Intel Corp., (800) 538-3373, www.intel.com/network Awards Table of Contents

Updated April 24, 1997