July 23, 2001 Apcon Inc. (www.apcon.com) announces that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has awarded the company a patent (U.S. patent no. 6,243,510) for its fiber-optic patch panel system, which enables users to wire once and then remotely reconfigure network connections through control software. Apcon's patented IntellaPatch panel technology enhances the operational functionality of the traditional patch panel, transforming it from a simple termination block to a smart network management tool designed to meet the demands of testing and compatibility labs, storage area networks (SANs), and high-value telecommunications management.
With this solution, network administrators can remotely connect and disconnect the fiber lines of multiple devices from any other computer on the network, gaining centralized control of a distributed fiber-optic network. Using the device's graphical user interface (GUI) software or command line utilities, administrators can remotely operate and control patch panel configurations, monitor network or device status, automate processes, and set parameters. Since all ports are labeled onscreen, connections can be switched, routed, and shared. The system supports fiber channel, Gigabit Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, and OC-3/OC-12 applications.
