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Founded in
1984, Microtest, Inc. has grown from a small consulting business which specialized in
developing computer networks for major companies to a leading producer of network test and
connectivity products. Microtest's two product families--Network Management Products and
Network Connectivity Products--include award-winning products for all types of networks
from local area networks (LANs) to intranets and the Internet.
GROWTH THROUGH TECHNOLOGY LEADERSHIP AND ACQUISITION
NETWORK MANAGEMENT PRODUCTS:
Microtest is the leading supplier of computer network certification and management
products, an industry segment the company created through its patented cable radar
technology. The company's handheld cable test tools quickly pinpoint cable problems,
certify whether network cabling will support a proposed network system and monitor network
activity. They operate across multiple cable types and network management systems and
cost-effectively increase network productivity and reliability by reducing network
downtime. Today Microtest continues to pioneer new test products that meet the growing
demand for increased network reliability, speed and bandwidth as organizations continue to
migrate mission critical operations to increasingly heterogeneous networked environments.
In 1997, the company responded to the growing demand for fiber optic networks with the
first cable tester that certifies multi-mode fiber optic cable to established industry
standards. Most recently, Microtest developed OMNIScanner, a versatile tester that
certifies enhanced category 5 cabling and beyond.
NETWORK CONNECTIVITY PRODUCTS:
In 1989, Microtest entered the network connectivity sector with a product that
revolutionized network printer sharing, and another in 1990 that helped network
users share modems. Then in 1993, leveraging Microtest's expertise in creating easy-to-use
network solutions and recognizing CD-ROM as the data delivery/storage medium of the
future, the company developed the first product for sharing CD-ROM resources across a
network. This award-winning technology sparked a new industry and propelled Microtest into
a leadership position in CD-ROM network connectivity.
In 1995, Microtest positioned itself for the next wave in CD technology with the
acquisition of Optical Media International, a provider of CD-Recordable technology. Then in 1996, the company entered the enterprise CD-ROM networking industry
with the acquisition of Logicraft. Today, the company's full line of Network Connectivity
Products is designed to make it easier for network users to access CD/DVD-ROM resources
from departments and workgroups, to the entire enterprise with large capacity enterprise
CD-ROM servers and powerful CD-ROM management software. Most recently, Microtest made a
move to expand to new areas within Network connectivity with the introduction of
Zervers,
a line of network appliances. First in the line was WebZerver, a compact intranet server
targeted at workgroups and departments within organizations. Recently, the company
presented a new line of CD-ROM thin servers, based on its DiscZerver technology.
MARKET OPPORTUNITY:
Microtest's product lines focus on the growing computer networking industry including
workgroup and enterprise networking. Dataquest projects the LAN market will experience a
5-year, 20% compound annual growth rate. Business' dependence on networking has caused
increasing pressure for improved network performance and reliability, as well as products
and technologies to maximize equipment and information sharing capabilities. The increased
functionality and complexity of network configurations today have created demand for
products that help manage network assets and allow users to share expensive network
devices and applications. Within the networking world, Microtest's award-winning products
have become known as easy to use and reliable, two attributes that contribute to
Microtest's world wide market acceptance.
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