[August 30, 2000]

Ziatech Intros Windows 2000 Operating System Support For Its CompactPCI Product Line

Ziatech Corporation introduced a development kit for the Microsoft Windows 2000 operating system in support of its premiere CompactPCI computer products.

Ziatech's Windows 2000 development kit will support all common CPU devices such as Ethernet, video, BootP, compact flash and other storage media on all 6U CompactPCI products, according to Product Manager Doug Steudler. Two versions will be supported: Windows 2000 Professional and Windows 2000 Server.

Among the Ziatech products for which Windows 2000 support is now available are the high performance ZT 5522 System Master Computer and the ZT 5502 System Master, a mid-level solution with the performance of a 500 MHz Intel Pentium III Processor-Low Power. The new development kit is also available for the ZT 5541 Peripheral Master and the ZT 5521 and ZT 5531 System Master boards. All are designed for telecommunications and Internet applications and already support Windows NT, Linux, and VxWorks.

"We've seen the popularity of Windows 2000 grow significantly among telecom and Internet equipment manufacturers since its introduction," Steudler said. "With the availability of our Windows 2000 support package we provide the flexibility for our CompactPCI customers to transition from Windows NT during the coming months." The kit includes software and required documentation.

Separately, Ziatech said it has reached an agreement with Pigeon Point Systems of Scotts Valley, Calif., to incorporate the Pigeon Point Hot Swap Kit, which layers on top of Windows 2000, to add support for inserting and removing CompactPCI IO boards without having to power down.

"We're very pleased to be able to offer the Pigeon Point Hot Swap Kit as part of our standard Windows 2000 development kit," said Ziatech's Steudler. "Through their extensive involvement in the PCI Industrial Computer Manufacturers Group, which develops CompactPCI standards, Pigeon Point Systems has developed a solution that complies with both the Hot Swap and Hot Swap Infrastructure Interface Specifications, and therefore we can assure Ziatech's customers that our offering, as always, will support their equipment designs."

"Hot swap is a key enabler for using Windows 2000 in high availability applications such as telecommunications, where maximizing system up-time is critical," said Pigeon Point President Mark Overgaard. "No one knows better than Ziatech, one of the true innovators in CompactPCI, the importance of hot swap in the telecom arena. By integrating the Pigeon Point solution with their Windows 2000 support, they can offer equipment manufacturers the reliability required in today's competitive communications arena. Furthermore, by integrating tightly with the advanced Plug and Play (PnP) facilities of Windows 2000, the Hot Swap Kit helps those manufacturers leverage the wealth of PnP-aware drivers and applications already available for Windows 2000.

On Aug. 14, 2000, Intel Corporation announced that it had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Ziatech. The transaction is expected to close by Oct. 1, 2000, and Ziatech is expected to become a wholly owned subsidiary of Intel at that time.

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