Until January, 2000, a company called Simpact designed, manufactured, and marketed data communications servers that link IP networks to legacy and specialty WANs. With over 25 years of experience and more than 10,000 installations worldwide, Simpact was the leading supplier of legacy and specialty protocol solutions for mission-critical applications.

Protogate is a descendent of Simpact, sharing many of the same employees and customers. We at Protogate are committed to continuing to develop hardware and software to satisfy all data-transport needs. Most of us were long-time employees of Simpact, and have in-depth knowledge of Simpact's products. Together we provide Protogate with expertise in every product which was being supported by Simpact, as well as in the products we've developed since Simpact closed.

Protogate's customers cover a wide range of Fortune 1000 companies, including financial data service providers, banks, telcoms, airlines, and utilities. We also supply government agencies and military organizations throughout the world.

Freeway Data Communications Servers
The Freeway line of programmable data communications servers provide multiprotocol WAN-to-LAN connectivity. Freeway servers interface with a broad range of computer platforms including IBM, NT, DEC, HP and Sun systems. When used with Protogate's Message Switch software, Freeways can provide a smooth, phased migration path from serial-line WAN data transport to IP data transport.

ICP Boards
Protogate's intelligent communications processor boards (ICPs) provide high-speed real-time data communications. ICP boards are the component of our Freeway servers which perform the low-level serial-protocol data handling.

Protocols
Protogate's engineers have developed the industry's most extensive library of legacy and specialty protocols, to satisfy many LAN-to-WAN networking needs. Our library contains over 100 protocols, which cover every major industry, including financial data services, transportation, manufacturing, utilities, government, and the military.

Protogate's customers include Fortune 1000 firms, government agencies, the military, and commercial service providers such as financial institutions, utilities, telecommunications, and transportation companies. Protogate also provides its technology to industry leaders through integrators, VARs, and OEM providers. Below is a partial listing of Protogate customers:

• Jeff Gibbons - President/CEO, and Vice President of Engineering
• Dean Sandin - Vice President of Protocol Development

• Roger LaFrance - Vice President of Sales Engineering

  Roger has 33 years of experience in software and hardware engineering as well as experience in technical sales support. Roger spent 16 years at Simpact where he became an expert in the IBM BSC (byte-synchronous) communication protocols and many of the financial applications that use it. Roger later moved from engineering into sales where he became the Director of Sales Engineering for Simpact. Roger also served as the instructor for the Protocol Toolkit class as well as various other customer-related training courses.