Subject: (usr-tc) Total Scrutinizer

From: Brian Becker <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 16 May 2000 19:52:42 +0000

My Internet Service company (semo.net) has been using 3com TC's since early 96. Back in October of 99, we decided that we needed to
design software that would allow our Tech Support department view any user that was logged in to any of our 15 POPs and see their
connection information (signal to noise, recv & trans, blocks resent, etc).

Well, we now have that software done and have taken it thru the beta testing stage and have it available for sale. The software is
called Total Scrutinizer and can be found at http://www.TotallyFabricated.com

The software runs on Windows OS and works with 3Com Total Control Boxes.

You can download a demo of the software which is crippled by limiting your ability to scrutinize 50% of the connected users. But
we've tried to price it so that you can put it on every Techs system ($99 for one license and $299 for 5 licenses).

Brian Becker
President, Poplar Bluff Internet, Inc. http://www.semo.net
Home of http://www.TotallyFabricated.com Software

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From: Paul Farber <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 16 May 2000 21:24:53 +0000

Just in time... 3Com is ending (or at least selling) the Total Control
chassis.

Ever notice that there is no new code for the ARC's/DSP's since DEC 99?
Only software patches to firmware bugs.... hmmmmm.

Paul Farber
Farber Technology
[email-masked]
Ph  570-628-5303
Fax 570-628-5545

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From: Jeff Mcadams <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 16 May 2000 21:30:16 +0000

Also sprach Paul Farber
>Just in time... 3Com is ending (or at least selling) the Total Control

Huh?  Where did you get this info?  As far as I can tell, its patently
untrue.

>Only software patches to firmware bugs.... hmmmmm.

Reminder:  TCS 4.0 is in beta at the moment.  Development work is
ongoing.
-- 
Jeff McAdams                            Email: [email-masked]
Head Network Administrator              Voice: (502) 966-3848
IgLou Internet Services                        (800) 436-4456

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From: "Mark E. Levy" <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 16 May 2000 21:33:36 +0000

I heard that they sold (past tense) the retail modem business...

-- 
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Mark E. Levy, President
FSINet, Inc.
800-827-6085 x202
847-753-6832 fax
www.fsi.net
[email-masked]
---------------------------------------------------------------------

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From: Jeff Mcadams <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 16 May 2000 21:39:42 +0000

Also sprach Mark E. Levy
>I heard that they sold (past tense) the retail modem business...

Oh...is *that* where this came from?

OK...the scoop on that again...

Corebuilder product line is being EOL'ed...customers are urged to
migrate to Extreme Networks gear.

Pathbuilder and NetBuilder is being sold (I believe) to Motorola.

Analog residential modems are being sold to Acton and NatSteel (along
with the Rolling Meadows factory facility)

That leaves 3Com with carrier equipment (Total Control), VoIP (NBX),
home and small office (Office Connect line).  I'm not sure what happens
with the SuperStack line...I think that's lumped in with the Office
Connect as home and small office.

Total Control is happy and continuing, and is, indeed, getting the
benefit of more focus from 3Com, not less.
-- 
Jeff McAdams                            Email: [email-masked]
Head Network Administrator              Voice: (502) 966-3848
IgLou Internet Services                        (800) 436-4456

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From: Paul Farber <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 16 May 2000 22:17:28 +0000

Face it, TC has ended its dial up commitment.  After 3 years of v.90 we
still can't interoperate with about 20% of the modems out there and all
the 'new' features have nothing to do with dial up access.

3Com is getting the highest per port charge for dial up (maybe CISCO is a
bit higher?), and DSP's are not coming down in price.. even though there
are many, many viable alternatives out there for dial up ISP's.

I can't think of any thing more 3Com can do to snub small/mrd ISP's and
not improve thier product for dial up access.

If you like, maybe saying '3Com has stopped support for small/med ISP's
with thier TC product'.  It that better?

Paul Farber
Farber Technology
[email-masked]
Ph  570-628-5303
Fax 570-628-5545

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From: Marty Elliott <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 16 May 2000 22:47:23 +0000

>with thier TC product'.  It that better?

We attended one of 3Com's events describing their new strategies.  We came
away with the definite impression that the TC product line is very
successful (read:  profitable) and 3Com has no intention of EOLing or
selling the TC line.  

We also came away with the impression that there is a definite push to
market/service the top 25% of the installed TC base.  If you don't fit that
demographic (none of our customers do!), then you can expect "service" and
"improvements" as you receive it now...

Note these are our impressions, not the 3Com party line...

FWIW

Marty

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Marty Elliott
MARS, Inc.
2105 S. 48th St. Suite 104
Tempe, AZ 85282
602-426-8272
602-454-0770 fax
Have you heard of the TCU Exchange????
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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From: Paul Farber <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 17 May 2000 00:00:04 +0000

I can't stand marketing drivel (no, voip is not the next big thing) and
no, we will not have DSL in our area.. nor will 80% of the US.

Not saying that they should not provide services for those markets.. but
core product is core product.  No, I can't order 10 chassis at a whack,
but I do see a definate lack of concern for dial up ISP's.

Topped off with crappy support, high per port cost, lack of fixes for code
that is broke, and a definate move away from small/med dial up ISP's...
3Com is for all intensive purposes ending it's support for small/med 
ISP's... IMHO

Paul Farber
Farber Technology
[email-masked]
Ph  570-628-5303
Fax 570-628-5545

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