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Starlight Networks' new high-performance multimedia networking software sets a new price-performance benchmark for sharing audio, video and data over existing local area networks. StarWare® version 2.0 software is a NetWare Loadable Module (NLM) that supports from five to 100 concurrent mixed media users.

Featuring enhanced management tools for controlling and tuning multimedia information over networks, StarWare version 2.0 delivers a scalable solution that runs on PC server hardware. Based on a client/server architecture, StarWare 2.0 adds media capability to Novell's NetWare servers, making it easy to deliver cost-effective performance to workgroups. StarWare 2.0 is easily installed on any existing NetWare server and co-exists with other NetWare functions.

Applications

Starlight(tm) InterMedia software allows corporate, educational, retail, and government enterprises to turn networked mixed media content into serious productivity tools for desktop and classroom training, distance learning, information delivery, customer support, corporate communications, workgroup collaboration, and more.

With StarWare 2.0 software, users enjoy smooth, reliable video streams. For broadcast quality video (MPEG 1 at 1.5 megabits/sec), StarWare 2.0 can support up to 100 concurrent users who may be using the same or different collaborative applications, on-demand. This new release of Starlight's InterMedia software scales with its hardware platform, taking advantage of new features such as PCI and high-performance CPUs and LAN cards. Using StarWare 2.0, both PC and Macintosh users can receive reliable and glitch-free video, mixed media content, and powerful collaborative applications at their desktops.

Management

The smart resource management function of StarWare 2.0 provides co-existence with third-party NLMs. Its NetWare based user-interface permits monitoring of mixed media data and controls for adjustment of network load. Using the tools of StarWare 2.0, the network administrator can control the amount of video capacity the server will provide, the number of video streams, and the maximum bandwidth reserved for video on each network segment and on individual disk drives. In addition, the StarWare user-interface allows the administrator to access a log file, set server parameters, and monitor the CPU status and the status of each logged-on client. Network administrators can view the log file periodically to make adjustments.

StarWare 2.0 network management tools also allow the network to be partitioned deterministically to manage audio, video, and data separately or together, depending upon the environment and application needs of the user.

Environment

As a Novell NLM, StarWare 2.0 supports the same hardware and network configurations supported by NetWare. Installation is similar to other NetWare modules, and most servers are up and running StarWare 2.0 in less than an hour. StarWare 2.0 supports DOS/Windows and Macintosh clients on a variety of networks, including 10BaseT, 100BaseT, 100VG AnyLAN, FDDI, ATM, and Token-Ring.

StarWare 2.0 supports any type of NetWare-compatible mass storage --e.g., RAID --and is independent of video compression formats, supporting many different digital video compression and delivery systems. This includes MPEG 1 and 2, motion JPEG, Indeo, Video for Windows, QuickTime, QuickTime for Windows, and many other popular formats.

Price/Performance

Optimizes server and network performance to deliver high-quality mixed media delivery from standard PC hardware

Runs on any NetWare-certified hardware, making it simple to get started and grow

Coexists with other applications, including file and print services

Installation and Support

Provides the same look, feel, and administration of other NetWare modules

Easy to install and support; integrates smoothly into existing NetWare environments

Mixed Media Network Control

Key system administration controls provide management tools to monitor and tune the performance of the StarWare 2.0/NetWare server, allowing the system administrator to:

Control the total streaming bandwidth capacity of the server

Control the number of simultaneous video streams

Control the amount of network bandwidth available for video by individual network segment

Monitor server parameters as above

Monitor logged-on clients and their status

Features and Functions

StarWare 2.0 is a NetWare NLM that runs on Novell NetWare versions 3.12 and 4.10.

Platforms: runs on i486 and above NetWare-compliant hardware platforms.

Coexistence: performs with Print, File, and Directory Services on the NetWare servers.

Clients: supports StarWorks® PC and Mac clients.

Playback: supports realtime playback.

Record: supports realtime record.

CD-ROM publishing: supports CD-ROM copy to disk, later accessible by Starlight clients.

Realtime video service: supports network rate control, resource reservation, buffer management, server-push client handshaking, scheduling transmissions, client-side smart buffering, and the MTP protocol.

Disk storage: all NetWare disk solutions, including native and third-party NetWare arrays (RAID 0-5).

Server management: integrates with NetWare's NUT libraries to provide an integrated look and feel.

Demo package: provides demo packages for end users and channel partners.

The following list identifies the minimum StarWare 2.0 configurations, but other configurations may be possible. Please contact your Starlight representative for more information.

Software Requirements

Server

Novell NetWare versions 3.12 or 4.10

StarWare version 2.0 server software by Starlight Networks

Client

Microsoft Windows 3.1 or Windows for Workgroups 3.11

Video for Windows

QuickTime for Windows

MacOS version 7.x and QuickTime

StarWorks version 2.0.5 client software provided by Starlight Networks

Server Hardware

Platform

Novell-certified i486 or Pentium PCs

Storage

Native volumes of SCSI hard disks

Third-party RAID 0-5 components

SCSI Cards

NetWare-certified, including Adaptec 1740, 2940, 3940, DPT, Smart RAID

Network Cards

NetWare-certified, including:
10BaseT
100BaseT
100VG
FDDI
ATM
Token Ring

Starlight Networks
205 Ravendale Drive
Mountain View, CA 94043
(415)967-2774
Fax (415)967-0686

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