ComNet/DC 99 Showcases Future of Enterprise Networking
New product competition, industry leaders, Critical role of Internet
draw attendees to ComNet/DC

WASHINGTON, DC, FEB. 8, 1999 Reinforcing its reputation as the show
for enterprise networking communications, this year's ComNet/DC 99
saw the launch of more than 300 new products, served as a platform
for first-of-its kind conference programs and hosted keynote speakers
presenting the Internet and its role in the changing face of
telecommunications.

Nearly 50,000 attendees flooded ComNet/DC held Jan. 25 28 at the
Washington, DC Convention Center and Washington, DC Renaissance
Hotel. ComNet annually brings together leading edge companies from
the rapidly converging networking and communications industries.

And as it does every year, the show provided a platform to showcase
cutting edge technologies that promise to remake the communications
and networking landscapes. Of the 420 companies that exhibited at
ComNet/DC more than 300 introduced new products and services. More
than a third of the exhibitors participated in the prestigious New
Product Achievement Awards Competition with this year's "Best of
Show" award presented to a start up company, New Access
Communications, with a new product, MetroFusion Network.

"Not only is ComNet the showcase for new and emerging technologies in
enterprise networking communications, it is also the place for
industry representatives to get in-depth training on the technology
behind the products and services," said Debra Hart, ComNet show
director for IDG Expo Management Company, producers of the show.
"This year, we introduced to great acclaim a new conference program
designed specifically for senior executives who increasingly rely on
enterprise networking communications to drive their business. And we
were proud that our conference attendees could earn Continuing
Education Credits through a unique relationship with George
Washington University."

"ComNet was a GREAT show. We continue to have more success at ComNet
than any other event we attend as an exhibitor. " said Maureen Walsh,
mar com specialist, of Baltimore- based IRE. "The quality of
attendees is very high and we always come back with more leads than
any other show." Among the other highlights of this year's show:

VPN Proving Ground

The Virtual Private Network Pavilion let attendees get a firsthand
look at the solutions and the tools necessary to create virtual
private networks throughout their distributed organization. VPN
experts from the Tolly Group of Manasquan, N.J. which sponsored the
pavilion with Bell Atlantic, offered daily presentations in the VPN
Theatre. Participating companies included: Lucent, Bay Networks,
TimeStep Corp, Newbridge Networks, IBM, Compatible Systems, Shiva,
3Com, Indus River, RedCreek Communications and V-ONE Corp.

Keynote and Super Session Line-Up

Attendees also got the chance to hear first-hand from industry
leaders a robust keynote lineup from powerful luminaries including:
C. Michael Armstrong, Chairman and CEO of AT&T, John Chambers,
president and CEO of Cisco Systems, and John Sidgmore, CEO of UUNET
Technologies and Vice Chairman & Chief Operations Officer of MCI
WorldCom.

In addition, ComNet/DC featured a stellar lineup of Super Sessions
speakers, including: John Gallant, editor-in-chief, Network World,
Bob Metcalfe, columnist, vice president of Technology for
International Data Group, inventor of the Ethernet, and founder of
3COM and Frank Dzubeck, President and CEO, Communications Network
Architects. Former FCC Chair, Richard Wiley, Senior Partner for
Wiley, Rein & Fielding lead a Town Meeting focusing on the
convergence of telecommunications and the Internet.

ComNet Executive Forum

In addition to the ComNet/Pro conference lineup, this year's
ComNet/DC saw the debut of the ComNet Executive Forum, to teach
business executives (CIOs, COOs, CFOs and CEOs) how to leverage their
networks for strategic business solutions within their organizations.

New Product Achievement Awards Competition

Sponsored by IDG's InfoWorld, The New Product Achievement Awards
competition recognizes the best new products or services debuting at
ComNet. All winners were chosen by non-exhibiting attendees and were
unveiled at the show. The Most Innovative New Product or Service ward
was presented to New Access Communications MetroFusion Network.
Winners in the other eight categories included:

Carrier/WAN : Salix Technologies ETX5000.

Internet/Intranet : MCI Worldcom's MCI Worldcom Interact

LAN/Internetworking: Softcom Microsystems GigaBlade Network Accelerator

Network Infrastructure Product: Cisco Systems MGX 8850 Wide Area Edge Switch

Network Management: Cornet Technologies FSX Fiber Crosspoint

Wireless: Nbase/Xyplex's Wireless Fiber Driver

Software/Applications: LAN-hopper Systems PATHmaster v4.0

Telephony/Fax/Conferencing: Lucent Technologies PacketStar IP Gateway 1000

Attendance Demographics

This year's final attendance figure was 49,218. A survey of attendees
conducted by Market Perspectives, an independent research company,
revealed more than 90 percent came to ComNet/DC to see new products
and services. The survey confirmed that ComNet draws attendees with
purchasing power: 75 percent of all attendees are involved in
purchasing products for their organization. Ninety percent said the
show was "well worth their time and money." More than 85 percent
identified ComNet/DC as helping in identifying new products and
services that will help with networking and communication challenges
within their organization.

About ComNet Conference & Exposition

ComNet, produced by IDG Expo Management Company, is the premier
technology conference and exposition dedicated to global networking
utilizing wide-area telecommunications, data communications,
networking and Internet technologies. Each year more than 800
manufacturers and suppliers of computer networking and
communications, hardware, software, services, and solutions
participate in ComNet. Founded in 1977, ComNet Washington, DC has
served the IT market for two decades as the premiere information
source for networking professionals. ComNet has captured the
imagination of IT buyers, information seekers and network
professionals responsible for designing, building, facilitating and
managing global networks. ComNet/ San Francisco will be held at the
Moscone Convention Center, August 17-20, 1999. For more information
on ComNet , call 800-545-EXPO or visit our Web site at
www.comnetexpo.com

About IDG Expo Management Company

Headquartered in Norwood, Massachusetts, IDG Expo Management Company
is a premium producer and manager of exposition and conference events
that shape the IT marketplace. IDG Expo Management Company is an
affiliate of the International Data Group (IDG) family of companies.
IDG Expo-produced events include the MACWORLD Expos in Boston and San
Francisco; ComNet in Washington, D.C. and San Francisco and E3 -the
Electronic Entertainment Expo produced for the Interactive Digital
Software Association (IDSA). Each year, more than 2,000 exhibiting
companies and more than 250,000 IT professionals attend IDG's U.S.
events to buy, sell, learn about and influence the IT purchasing
agenda. IDG Expo Management Company was founded in 1979 as Mitch Hall
Associates. For more information, please call 781-551-9800 or visit
the company's Web site at www.idgexpos.com

About International Data Group (IDG)

Headquartered in Boston, International Data Group (IDG) informs more
people world wide about information technology than any other company
in the world. With annual revenues of $2.35 billion, IDG is the
leading global provider of IT media, research, conferences and
expositions. IDG publishes more than 290 computer newspapers and
magazines and 700 book titles in 75 countries, led by
Computerworld/InfoWorld, Macworld, Network World, PC World, Channel
World, and the "_For Dummies" global product lines. IDG offers online
users the largest network of technology sites around the world
through IDG.net (http://www.idg.net), which comprises more than 240
targeted web sites in 55 countries. IDG is also a leading producer of
168 computer-related expositions in 35 countries, and its research
arm, International Data Corporation (IDC) provides computer industry
research and analysis through 49 offices in 42 countries world wide.
Company information is available at http://www.idg.com