STANDARD MICROSYSTEMS CORP
8-K, 1996-01-29
COMPUTER PERIPHERAL EQUIPMENT, NEC
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<PAGE>   1
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                        --------------------------------

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                       the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

                Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):

                                January 12, 1996

                        STANDARD MICROSYSTEMS CORPORATION
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

 <S>             DELAWARE                         <C>     0-7422             <C>     11-2234952
(State or other jurisdiction of Incorporation)    (Commission File Number)   (IRS Employer Identification No.)
</TABLE>


                                 80 ARKAY DRIVE
                            HAUPPAUGE, NEW YORK 11788
          (Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

                                 (516) 434-4600
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)


<PAGE>   2



ITEM 2.  ACQUISITION OR DISPOSITION OF ASSETS.

                 On January 9, 1996, the registrant, Standard Microsystems
Corporation ("SMC"), together with SMC Enterprise Networks, Inc., a Delaware
corporation and wholly-owned subsidiary of SMC (collectively, the "Sellers"),
and Cabletron Systems, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("Cabletron") and Cabletron
Systems Acquisition, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("Acquisition"), entered into
an Asset Purchase Agreement (the "Agreement"). Under the terms of the Agreement,
on January 12, 1996, Cabletron and Acquisition (collectively, the "Buyer")
purchased substantially all of the assets (and assumed certain of the
liabilities) of the Enterprise Networks business unit of the Sellers for
$75,900,000 in cash. The Enterprise Networks business unit of Sellers designed,
developed, manufactured and sold enterprise-wide switching products for computer
networks. The purchase price is subject to adjustment based on certain changes
that may be required upon audit of the final assets acquired and liabilities
assumed by the Buyer at the closing date of the asset sale. The purchase price
was determined by arms-length negotiations between Sellers and the Buyer. Under
the terms of the Agreement, the Sellers have agreed to indemnify the Buyer
against certain losses. As security for Sellers' indemnification obligations,
$7,050,000 of the purchase price was placed in escrow to be used as a source
from which certain indemnifiable losses may be paid by Sellers to Buyer.


<PAGE>   3



ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.

(b)  Pro Forma Financial Information.

         (1)      Unaudited Pro Forma Consolidated Condensed Balance Sheet as 
                  of November 30, 1995.

         (2)      Unaudited Pro Forma Consolidated Condensed Statements of 
                  Income for the year ended February 28, 1995 and nine months 
                  ended November 30, 1995

(c)  Exhibits.  The exhibit identified below is made part of this report.

Exhibit No.               Description
- -----------               -----------

     2                    Asset Purchase Agreement, dated as of January 9, 1996,
                          among Cabletron Systems, Inc., Cabletron Systems
                          Acquisition, Inc., SMC Enterprise Networks, Inc., and
                          Standard Microsystems Corporation.


<PAGE>   4



                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                          STANDARD MICROSYSTEMS CORPORATION
                                                       (Registrant)

Date: January 26, 1996                     By:  /s/ Anthony M. D'Agostino
                                                --------------------------------
                                                Anthony M. D'Agostino
                                                Vice President Finance and
                                                Chief Financial Officer

<PAGE>   5

ITEM 7 (b)   PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION


DESCRIPTION OF TRANSACTION

In January 1996, Standard Microsystems Corporation and its wholly-owned
subsidiary, SMC Enterprise Networks, Inc. (collectively, the "Company") sold
substantially all of the net assets of the Company's Enterprise Networks
business unit ("ENBU") to Cabletron Systems, Inc. and Cabletron Systems
Acquisition, Inc. (collectively, "Cabletron") pursuant to an Asset Purchase
Agreement between the Company and Cabletron. The Company's ENBU designs,
develops, manufactures and sells enterprise-wide switching products for
computer networks.

Under the terms of the agreement, Cabletron acquired specific assets and
intellectual properties, and assumed certain liabilities, related to the ENBU
in exchange for $75.9 million in cash, subject to certain purchase price
adjustments as defined in the Asset Purchase Agreement.


FINANCIAL INFORMATION PRESENTED

The unaudited Pro Forma Consolidated Condensed Balance Sheet as of November 30,
1995 presents Standard Microsystems Corporation's consolidated financial
position assuming the transaction had taken place on that date. The unaudited
Pro Forma Consolidated Condensed Statements of Income for the year ended
February 28, 1995 and nine months ended November 30, 1995 present Standard
Microsystems Corporation's consolidated operating results (before extraordinary
items) assuming the transaction had taken place at the beginning of each period
presented.

The pro forma figures presented do not necessarily represent the actual results
that would have occurred had the transaction taken place as assumed herein, nor
are they necessarily indicative of future operating results or financial
condition.

<PAGE>   6
               STANDARD MICROSYSTEMS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
            UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED BALANCE SHEET
                             AS OF NOVEMBER 30, 1995
                                 (IN THOUSANDS)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                        PRO FORMA
                                                   NOV. 30, 1995         BUSINESS      ADJUSTMENTS           NOV. 30, 1995
                                                       ACTUAL              SOLD        (SEE NOTES)             PRO FORMA
                                                   -----------------------------------------------           -------------
<S>                                                  <C>                 <C>            <C>                     <C>      
ASSETS

Current Assets
   Cash and cash equivalents                         $  12,594           $     -        $  68,850  (A)          $  81,444
   Accounts receivable                                  50,456            (3,774)               -                  46,682
   Inventories                                          50,151            (8,485)               -                  41,666
   Deferred tax benefits                                10,929                 -           (1,934) (C)              8,995
   Other current assets                                  5,889            (1,448)             254  (B)              4,695
                                                  -----------------------------------------------            ------------

      Total current assets                             130,019           (13,707)          67,170                 183,482
                                                  -----------------------------------------------            ------------

Property, plant and equipment                          136,571            (6,926)               -                 129,645
Accumulated depreciation and amortization               80,616            (2,798)               -                  77,818
                                                  -----------------------------------------------            ------------

                                                        55,955            (4,128)               -                  51,827
                                                  -----------------------------------------------            ------------

Intangible assets                                       19,663            (4,423)               -                  15,240
Long-term investment                                    13,990                 -                -                  13,990
Deferred tax benefits                                    2,904                 -             (920) (C)              1,984
Other assets                                             4,287                 -            7,050  (A)             11,337
                                                  -----------------------------------------------            ------------

                                                     $ 226,818         $ (22,258)       $  73,300               $ 277,860
                                                  ===============================================            ============

LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY

Current Liabilities
   Accounts payable                                  $  17,712         $  (1,846)       $       -               $  15,866
   Accrued expenses and other liabilities               17,739            (1,609)           5,734  (B)             21,864
   Income taxes payable                                    174                 -           17,793  (C)             17,967
                                                  -----------------------------------------------            ------------

      Total current liabilities                         35,625            (3,455)          23,527                  55,697
                                                  -----------------------------------------------            ------------

Long-term debt                                          18,000                 -                -                  18,000

Minority interest in subsidiary                         11,327                 -                -                  11,327

Shareholders' equity:
   Preferred stock                                           -                 -                -                       -
   common stock                                          1,342                 -                -                   1,342
   Additional paid-in capital                           79,467                 -                -                  79,467
   Retained earnings                                    73,813                 -           30,970  (D)            104,783
   Unrealized gain on investment, net                    1,929                 -                -                   1,929
   Foreign currency translation adjustment               5,315                 -                -                   5,315
                                                  -----------------------------------------------            ------------

      Total shareholders' equity                       161,866                 -           30,970                 192,836
                                                  -----------------------------------------------            ------------

                                                     $ 226,818         $  (3,455)       $  54,497               $ 277,860
                                                  ===============================================            ============
</TABLE>
<PAGE>   7
               STANDARD MICROSYSTEMS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
         UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED STATEMENT OF INCOME
                      FOR THE YEAR ENDED FEBRUARY 28, 1995
                    (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                        YEAR ENDED                           PRO FORMA            YEAR ENDED
                                                       FEB. 28, 1995         BUSINESS       ADJUSTMENTS          FEB. 28, 1995
                                                          ACTUAL               SOLD         (SEE NOTES)            PRO FORMA
                                                 ------------------------------------------------------      ------------------
<S>                                                      <C>               <C>                 <C>                   <C>      
Revenues                                                 $ 378,671         $ (22,113)          $     -               $ 356,558
Cost of goods sold                                         214,269           (11,336)                -                 202,933
                                                 ------------------------------------------------------      ------------------

Gross profit                                               164,402           (10,777)                -                 153,625

Operating expenses:
   Research and development                                 28,286            (7,604)                -                  20,682
   Selling, general and administrative                      90,005            (9,386)            1,296  (A)             81,915
   Amortization of intangible assets                         5,489            (1,083)                -                   4,406
                                                 ------------------------------------------------------      ------------------

                                                           123,780           (18,073)            1,296                 107,003

Income from operations                                      40,622             7,296            (1,296)                 46,622

Other income (expense), net                                    670                 -                 -                     670
                                                 ------------------------------------------------------      ------------------

Income before minority interest and
  provision for income taxes                                41,292             7,296            (1,296)                 47,292

Minority interest in net income
   of subsidiary                                               185                 -                 -                     185
                                                 ------------------------------------------------------      ------------------

Income before provision for income taxes                    41,107             7,296            (1,296)                 47,107

Provision for income taxes                                  15,940                 -             1,918  (B)             17,858
                                                 ------------------------------------------------------      ------------------

Income before extraordinary item                         $  25,167         $   7,296         $  (3,214) (C)          $  29,249
                                                 ======================================================      ==================


Income per share before extraordinary item               $    1.89                                                   $    2.20
                                                 ==================                                          ==================

Weighted average common and common
  equivalent shares outstanding                             13,305                                                      13,305
                                                 ==================                                          ==================
</TABLE>
<PAGE>   8
               STANDARD MICROSYSTEMS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
         UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED STATEMENT OF INCOME
                   FOR THE NINE MONTHS ENDED NOVEMBER 30, 1995
                    (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                      NINE MONTHS                                              NINE MONTHS
                                                         ENDED                            PRO FORMA                ENDED
                                                     NOV. 30, 1995        BUSINESS       ADJUSTMENTS           NOV. 30, 1995
                                                        ACTUAL              SOLD         (SEE NOTES)             PRO FORMA
                                               -----------------------------------------------------      ------------------
<S>                                                    <C>               <C>                <C>                   <C>      
Revenues                                               $ 248,213         $ (13,708)         $     -               $ 234,505
Cost of goods sold                                       159,339           (11,210)               -                 148,129
                                               -----------------------------------------------------      ------------------

Gross profit                                              88,874            (2,498)               -                  86,376

Operating expenses:
   Research and development                               23,937            (7,616)               -                  16,321
   Selling, general and administrative                    79,659            (9,541)           1,306  (A)             71,424
   Amortization of intangible assets                       6,816              (812)               -                   6,004
                                               -----------------------------------------------------      ------------------

                                                         110,412           (17,969)           1,306                  93,749

Income (loss) from operations                            (21,538)           15,471           (1,306)                 (7,373)

Other income (expense), net                                 (620)                -                -                    (620)
                                               -----------------------------------------------------      ------------------

Income (loss) before minority interest and
  provision for income taxes                             (22,158)           15,471           (1,306)                 (7,993)

Minority interest in net income
   of subsidiary                                             153                 -                -                     153
                                               -----------------------------------------------------      ------------------

Income (loss) before provision
   for income taxes                                      (22,311)           15,471           (1,306)                 (8,146)

Provision for (benefit from) income taxes                 (7,508)                -            5,208  (B)             (2,300)
                                               -----------------------------------------------------      ------------------

Net income (loss)                                      $ (14,803)        $  15,471        $  (6,514)              $  (5,846)
                                               =====================================================      ==================


Net income (loss) per share                            $   (1.11)                                                 $   (0.44)
                                               ==================                                         ==================

Weighted average common and common
  equivalent shares outstanding                           13,325                                                     13,325
                                               ==================                                         ==================
</TABLE>
<PAGE>   9
               STANDARD MICROSYSTEMS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
    NOTES TO UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS


UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED BALANCE SHEET

(A)      Reflects the sale of substantially all of the assets of the ENBU to
         Cabletron Systems, Inc. for $75.9 million in cash, of which $7.1
         million was placed in escrow pursuant to the Asset Purchase Agreement
         as security for the Company's indemnification obligations.

(B)      Represents certain assets not conveyed ($254,000) and liabilities not
         assumed ($1,434,000) by Cabletron, as well as an accrual for
         approximately $4.3 million of expenses directly related to the
         transaction.

(C)      Income taxes on the gain realized by the Company on the transaction
         have been accrued at a rate of 40%, which includes the statutory 
         federal tax rate and state tax rates of those states impacted by this
         transaction. Of the resulting $20.6 million accrued for income taxes,
         $17.8 million is estimated to be currently payable, and $2.8 million is
         deferred.

(D)      An after-tax gain of approximately $31.0 million on this transaction is
         presented within these assumptions.

UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

(A)      Represents various allocated selling, general and administrative
         expenses which would not have been eliminated had the transaction
         occurred as presented. These expenses include general marketing
         services, sales administration and certain field sales expenses.

(B)      Income taxes have been provided at a rate of 39%, which approximates
         the effective combined federal and state statutory rate for the periods
         presented.

(C)      The Company reported a $944,000 extraordinary loss (net of tax) on an
         early extinguishment of debt in fiscal 1995. This loss is excluded from
         these pro forma results for the year ended February 28, 1995.

<PAGE>   10



                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit Index             Description                                   
- -------------             -----------                                

        2                 Asset Purchase Agreement, dated as               
                          of January 9, 1996, among Cabletron
                          Systems, Inc., Cabletron Systems
                          Acquisition, Inc., SMC Enterprise
                          Networks, Inc., and Standard Microsystems
                          Corporation.


<PAGE>   1
                            ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT


                                      AMONG



                            CABLETRON SYSTEMS, INC.,


                      CABLETRON SYSTEMS ACQUISITION, INC.,


                          SMC ENTERPRISE NETWORKS, INC.


                                       AND


                        STANDARD MICROSYSTEMS CORPORATION


                                 JANUARY 9, 1996

<PAGE>   2



                                TABLE OF CONTENTS


<TABLE>
<S>                                                                                                                      <C>
1.       Definitions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    1
                                                                                                                          
2.       Acquisition of Assets by Buyer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    9
                 2.1.     Purchase and Sale of Assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    9
                 2.2.     Excluded Assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   10
                 2.3.     Assumption of Liabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   10
                 2.4.     Liabilities Not Assumed.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   12
                 2.5.     Purchase Price  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   15
                 2.6.     Adjustment to Purchase Price; Closing Date Audit  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   15
                 2.7.     The Closing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   16
                 2.8.     Deliveries at the Closing.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   16
                 2.9.     Preliminary Allocation of Purchase Price. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   17
                 2.10.    Joint Software  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   17
                                                                                                                          
3.       Representations and Warranties of the Sellers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   17
                 3.1.     Organization of the Sellers.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   17
                 3.2.     [Reserved]  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   17
                 3.3.     Authorization of Transaction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   17
                 3.4.     Noncontravention  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   18
                 3.5.     Brokers' Fees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   18
                 3.6.     Title to Assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   18
                 3.7.     Acquired Assets Used in Business  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   18
                 3.8.     Subsidiaries.   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   19
                 3.9.     Financial Statements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   19
                 3.10.    Indebtedness; Guarantees  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   19
                 3.11.    Absence of Changes  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   19
                 3.12.    Absence of Undisclosed Liabilities  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   22
                 3.13.    Legal and Other Compliance  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   22
                 3.14.    Taxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   22
                 3.15.    Property, Plant and Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   23
                 3.16.    Intellectual Property . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   24
                 3.17.    Inventories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   26
                 3.18.    Contracts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   26
                 3.19.    Notes and Accounts Receivable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   27
                 3.20.    Powers of Attorney  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   28
                 3.21.    Litigation  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   28
                 3.22.    Product Warranties; Defects; Liability  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   28
                 3.23.    Employees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   28
                 3.24.    Employee Benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   29
                                                                                                                          
</TABLE>
                                       -i-
<PAGE>   3

<TABLE>
<S>                                                                                                                       <C>
                 3.25.    [Reserved]  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   30
                 3.26.    Affiliated Transactions  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    30
                 3.27.    [Reserved]  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   30
                 3.28.    Distributors, Customers, Suppliers  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   30
                 3.29.    No Illegal Payments, Etc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   31
                 3.30.    Books and Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   31
                 3.31.    Consents  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   31
                 3.32.    Disclosure  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   31
                                                                                                                          
4.       Representations and Warranties of Cabletron and Acquisition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   31
                 4.1.     Organization of Cabletron and Acquisition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   32
                 4.2.     Authority for Agreement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   32
                 4.3.     Noncontravention. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   32
                 4.4.     Brokers' Fees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   32
                                                                                                                          
5.       Covenants. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   32
                 5.1.     General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   32
                 5.2.     Notices and Consents  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   32
                 5.3.     Preservation of Business  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   33
                 5.4.     Full Access . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   33
                 5.5.     Notice of Developments  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   33
                 5.6.     Exclusivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   33
                 5.7.     Employee Matters  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   33
                 5.8.     Retention of and Access to Records after Closing  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   34
                 5.9.     Bulk Sales Compliance; Liens under Chapter 62C,                                                 
                          Section 51 of the Massachusetts General Laws  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   35
                 5.10.    Transfer Taxes  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   35
                 5.11.    Product Warranty Repair and Service.    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   35
                 5.12.    Delivery of Audited Financial Statements  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   36
                 5.13.    License of Trademarks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   36
                 5.14.    Cooperation in Connection with Pending Litigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   36
                 5.15.    General Skill and Knowledge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   36
                 5.16.    Relationship with Nu-Link  .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   37
                 5.17.    License under Multimedia Patent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   37
                 5.18.    Trillium Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   37
                                                                                                                          
6.       Conditions to Obligation to Close  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   37
                 6.1.     Conditions to Obligation of the Buyer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   37
                 6.2.     Conditions to Obligations of the Sellers  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   39
                                                                                                                          
7.       Confidentiality  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   40
                 7.1.     Confidential Information Related Exclusively to the                                             
                          Business Relating to the Assets of the ENBU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   40
</TABLE>

                                      -ii-
<PAGE>   4
<TABLE>
<S>                                                                                                                      <C>
                 7.2.     Shared Confidential Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  40

8.      Noncompetition  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  41
                 8.1.     Noncompetition  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  41
                 8.2.     . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  41

9.       Indemnification  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  41
                 9.1.     Survival of Representations and Warranties  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  41
                 9.2.     Indemnity by Sellers  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  42
                 9.3.     Environmental Indemnification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  43
                 9.4.     Indemnity by Buyer  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  43
                 9.5.     Matters Involving Third Parties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  43
                 9.6.     Other Indemnification Provisions  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  45

10.      Termination  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  45
                 10.1.    Termination of Agreement  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  45
                 10.2.    Effect of Termination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  46

11.      Miscellaneous. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  46
                 11.1.    Press Releases and Public Announcements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  46
                 11.2.    No Third Party Beneficiaries  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  46
                 11.3.    Entire Agreement  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  46
                 11.4.    Succession and Assignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  46
                 11.5.    Counterparts  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  46
                 11.6.    Headings  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  46
                 11.7.    Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  46
                 11.8.    Governing Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  48
                 11.9.    Amendments and Waivers  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  48
                 11.10.   Severability  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  48
                 11.11.   Expenses  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  48
                 11.12.   Construction  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  48
                 11.13.   Incorporation of Exhibits and Schedules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  49
                 11.14.   Specific Performance  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  49
                 11.15.   Resolution of Disputes  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  49
</TABLE>

                                     -iii-
<PAGE>   5



                            EXHIBITS

A     -    Form of Escrow Agreement

B-1   -    Assignment and Assumption Agreement

B-2   -    Bill of Sale

B-3   -    Inventory Bill of Sale

C     -    Allocation of Purchase Price

D     -    Financial Statements

E     -    Form of Opinion of Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich & Rosati

F     -    Form of Opinion of Ropes & Gray

G     -    Form of Product Agreement

H     -    Form of Assignment of Patent Application

                            SCHEDULES

Schedule 1.1       -  Retained Products

Schedule 2.1(a)    -  Encumbrances on Acquired Assets

Schedule 2.1(b)    -  Leases

Schedule 2.1(c)    -  Permits

Schedule 2.1(d)    -  Intellectual Property

Schedule 2.1(e)    -  Contracts

Schedule 2.3(e)    -  Penril Litigation

Schedule 2.6(a)    -  Preliminary Closing Net Assets Acquired Statement

Schedule 6.1(m)    -  Contracts to be Terminated

Disclosure Letter  -  Exceptions to Representations and Warranties

                                      -iv-

<PAGE>   6



                            ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT

         This Asset Purchase Agreement (the "Agreement") is entered into on
January 9, 1996 by and among Cabletron Systems, Inc., a Delaware corporation
("Cabletron"), Cabletron Systems Acquisition, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a
wholly-owned subsidiary of Cabletron ("Acquisition") (Cabletron and Acquisition
are collectively referred to herein as the "Buyer"), Standard Microsystems
Corporation, a Delaware corporation ("SMC") and SMC Enterprise Networks, Inc., a
Delaware corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of SMC, ("Subsidiary") (SMC
and Subsidiary are collectively referred to herein as the "Sellers"). The Buyer
and the Sellers are referred to collectively herein as the "Parties."


         This Agreement contemplates a transaction in which the Buyer will
purchase substantially all of the assets (and assume certain of the liabilities)
of the Enterprise Networks business unit of SMC in consideration of the Purchase
Price (as defined below).

         Now, therefore, in consideration of the premises and the mutual
promises herein made, and in consideration of the representations, warranties,
and covenants herein contained, the Parties agree as follows.

1. Definitions.

         "694 Chip" means the device marketed by SMC under the part number
SMC83C694 for implementing the 10BASE-T interface and Manchester Encoder/Decoder
functions.

         "Acquired Assets" shall have the meaning set forth in Section  2.1.

         "Acquisition" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble above.

         "Affiliate" has the meaning set forth in Rule 12b-2 of the regulations
promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act.

         "Affiliated Group" means any affiliated group within the meaning of
Code Section 1504(a) or any similar group defined under a similar provision of
state, local, or foreign law.

         "Agreement" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble above.

         "Assets of the ENBU" means the Products, Technology and other assets,
rights, business and operations that directly relate to, are incorporated or
embodied in, or are used in or necessary to the development, manufacture,
testing or marketing of the Products.

         "Assumed Liabilities" shall have the meaning in Section  2.3.
<PAGE>   7

         "Bacon Chip" means the device marketed by SMC under the part number
SMC83C110 that implements the 100BASE-TX conveyance sub-layer, 4B/5B
encoding/decoding, and stream ciphering functions.

         "Basis" means any past or present fact, situation, circumstance,
status, condition, activity, practice, plan, occurrence, event, incident,
action, failure to act, or transaction that forms or could reasonably form the
basis for any specified consequence.

         "Buyer" has the meaning set forth in the preamble above.

         "Cabletron" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble above.

         "Cash" means cash and cash equivalents (including marketable securities
and short term investments) calculated in accordance with GAAP applied on a
basis consistent with the preparation of the Financial Statements.

          "Chemical Substance" means any chemical substance, including but not
limited to any: (i) pollutant, contaminant, irritant, chemical, raw material,
intermediate, product, by-product, slag, construction debris; (ii) industrial,
solid, liquid or gaseous toxic or hazardous substance, material or waste, (iii)
petroleum or any fraction thereof; (iv) asbestos or asbestos-containing
material; (v) polychlorinated biphenyl; (vi) chlorofluorocarbons; and, (vii) any
other substance, material or waste, which is identified or regulated under any
Environmental Law or Safety Law, as now and hereinafter in effect, or other
comparable laws.

         "Closing" has the meaning set forth in Section  2.7 below.

         "Closing Date" has the meaning set forth in Section  2.7 below.

         "Closing Date Audit" has the meaning set forth in Section  2.6 below.

         "Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

         "Component Products Division" means the Component Products Division of
SMC located principally in Hauppauge, New York.

         "Confidential Information" means any and all information concerning the
Assets of the ENBU that is not already generally or readily obtainable by the
public or is publicly known or becomes publicly known through no fault of the
Sellers.

         "Contracts" has the meaning set forth in Section  2.1(e).

         "Controlled Group of Corporations" means a group of corporations that
is treated as a single employer by reason of Code Sections 401(b), (c) or (m).


                                      -2-
<PAGE>   8

         "Desktop Networks Business Unit" means the Desktop Networks Business
Unit of SMC located principally in Irvine, California.

         "Disclosure Letter" has the meaning set forth in Section  3 below.

         "Employee Benefit Plan" means any (a) nonqualified deferred
compensation or retirement plan or arrangement which is an Employee Pension
Benefit Plan, (b) qualified defined contribution retirement plan or arrangement
which is an Employee Pension Benefit Plan, (c) qualified defined benefit
retirement plan or arrangement which is an Employee Pension Benefit Plan
(including any Multiemployer Plan), or (d) Employee Welfare Benefit Plan or
material fringe benefit plan or program.

         "Employee Pension Benefit Plan" has the meaning set forth in ERISA
Section 3(2).

         "Employee Welfare Benefit Plan" has the meaning set forth in ERISA
Section 3(1).

         "ENBU" means the Sellers with respect to its Enterprise Networks
business unit.

         "Environment" means real property and any improvements thereon, and
also includes, but is not limited to, ambient air, surface water, drinking
water, groundwater, land surface, subsurface strata and water body sediments.

         "Environmental Laws" mean any federal, state, local and foreign law,
regulation or legal requirement relating to pollution, or protection or cleanup
of the Environment, including, without limitation, the Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, as amended, the Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act, as amended, the Clean Air Act, as amended, the
Clean Water Act, as amended, and any other law or legal requirement, as now or
hereinafter in effect, relating to: (a) the Release, containment, removal,
remediation, response, cleanup or abatement of any sort of any Chemical
Substance; (b) the manufacture, generation, formulation, processing, labeling,
distribution, introduction into commerce, use, treatment, handling, storage,
recycling, disposal or transportation of any Chemical Substance; (c) exposure of
persons, including employees, to any Chemical Substance; or, (d) the physical
structure, use or condition of a building, facility, fixture or other structure,
including, without limitation, those relating to the management, use, storage,
disposal, cleanup or removal of asbestos, asbestos-containing materials,
polychlorinated biphenyls or any other Chemical Substance.

         "Environmental Liabilities and Costs" means all Losses incurred: (i)
that are required by a governmental agency or third party in order to comply
with any Environmental Law or Environmental Permit; (ii) that are required by a
governmental agency or third party as a result of a Release of any Chemical
Substance; or, (iii) that are required by a governmental agency or third party
as a result of any environmental conditions present at, created by or arising
out of the past or present operations of Sellers through the Closing Date or of
any prior owner or operator of a facility or site at which Sellers now operates
or has previously operated.

                                      -3-
<PAGE>   9

         "Environmental Permit" means any Permit or authorization from any
governmental authority required under, issued pursuant to, or authorized by any
Environmental Law.

         "Escrow Agreement" means the Escrow Agreement entered into by the
Parties pursuant to Section 6.1(o).

         "ERISA" means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as
amended.

         "Excluded Assets" has the meaning set forth in Section  2.2 below.

         "Extremely Hazardous Substance" has the meaning set forth in Section
302 of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986, as
amended.

         "FEAST Chip" means the device marketed by SMC under the part number
SMC91C100 for implementing the Fast Ethernet Media Access Control (MAC)
functions in all its revisions. The functions of this chip are documented in the
SMC91C100 data sheet dated 12/09/94.

         "FEAST Full Duplex Chip" means the pin compatible successor to the
SMC91C100 that adds full duplex communications capability to the functions
implemented by the SMC91C100. The details of the functions of this chip are
documented in the engineering spec titled "FEAST Full Duplex" specification
dated 12/04/95.

         "Fiduciary" has the meaning set forth in ERISA Section 3(21).

         "Final Balance Sheet" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.6 below.

         "Final Closing Net Assets Acquired Statement" has the meaning set forth
in Section 2.6 below.

         "Financial Statement" has the meaning set forth in Section 3.9 below.

         "GAAP" means United States generally accepted accounting principles as
in effect from time to time.

         "Hart-Scott-Rodino Act" means the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust
Improvements Act of 1976, as amended.

         "Indebtedness" has the meaning set forth in Section 3.10.

         "Intellectual Property" means the entire right, title and interest in
and to all proprietary rights of every kind and nature, including Patents,
copyrights, Trademarks, mask works, trade secrets and proprietary information,
all applications for any of the foregoing, and any license or agreements
granting rights related to the foregoing: (i) subsisting in, covering, reading
on, directly applicable to or existing in the Products or the Technology,
including, without limitation, all 

                                      -4-
<PAGE>   10

Technology identified in Schedule 2.1(d); or (ii) that are owned, licensed or
controlled in whole or in part by ENBU and directly relate to the Assets of the
ENBU; or (iii) that are used in or necessary to the development, manufacture,
marketing or testing of the Products.

         "Interim Financial Statements" has the meaning set forth in Section
3.9.

         "Inventory" means the inventory of Products, including all raw
materials and supplies, manufactured and purchased parts, goods in process, and
finished goods, comprising the Acquired Assets.

         "Joint Software" means the source code, object code, programmer
documentation and user documentation, as further developed pursuant to Section
2.10, comprising: (i) the software programs known as EliteView 3.1 (Microsoft
Windows version) for the following - 3512 Ethernet Hub, 3812 Ethernet Hub,
Tigerstack Ethernet Hub, PC Agent, 4008 Token Ring MAU, 4016 Token Ring MAU,
Tigerswitch XE, ES/1, ES/1 ATX; (ii) the software programs known as EliteView
4.3 (Microsoft Windows version); (iii) the software programs known as EliteView
Snap-in (Novell NMS version); and (iv) the software program known as Agent
Emulator.

         "Knowledge" means actual knowledge after reasonable investigation.

         "Leases" has the meaning set forth in Section  2.1(b).

         "Liability" means any liability or obligation (whether known or
unknown, whether asserted or unasserted, whether absolute or contingent, whether
accrued or unaccrued, whether liquidated or unliquidated, whether incurred or
consequential and whether due or to become due), including any liability for
Taxes.

         "Lien" means any mortgage, pledge, lien, security interest, charge,
claim, equity, encumbrance, restriction on transfer, conditional sale or other
title retention device or arrangement (including, without limitation, a capital
lease), transfer for the purpose of subjection to the payment of any
Indebtedness, or restriction on the creation of any of the foregoing, whether
relating to any property or right or the income or profits therefrom; provided,
however, that the term "Lien" shall not include (i) statutory liens for Taxes to
the extent that the payment thereof is not in arrears or otherwise due, (ii)
encumbrances in the nature of zoning restrictions, easements, rights or
restrictions of record on the uses of real property if the same do not
materially detract from the value of the property encumbered thereby or impair
the use of such property in the Assets of the ENBU as currently conducted, (iii)
statutory or common law liens to secure landlords, lessors or renters under
leases or rental agreements confined to the premises rented to the extent that
no payment or performance under any such lease or rental agreement is in arrears
or is otherwise due, (iv) deposits or pledges made in connection with, or to
secure payment of, worker's compensation, unemployment insurance, old age
pension programs mandated under applicable laws or other social security
regulations and (v) statutory or common law liens in favor of carriers,
warehousemen, mechanics and materialmen, statutory or common 

                                      -5-
<PAGE>   11

law liens to secure claims for labor, materials or supplies and other like
liens, which secure obligations to the extent that payment thereof is not in
arrears or otherwise due.

         "Losses" has the meaning set forth in Section  9.2.

         "Most Recent Balance Sheet" means the statement of assets and
liabilities dated November 30, 1995 prepared by Sellers and included in the
Financial Statements attached as Exhibit D hereto.

         "Most Recent Fiscal Year End" has the meaning set forth in Section 3.9
below.

         "Multiemployer Plan" has the meaning set forth in ERISA Section  3(37).

         "Net Asset Value" means the excess of the Acquired Assets over the
Assumed Liabilities as shown on the Final Closing Net Assets Acquired Statement
prepared as of the Closing Date and determined in accordance with GAAP applied
on a basis consistent with the preparation of the Financial Statements;
provided, however, that assets, liabilities, gains, losses, revenues, and
expenses for interim periods or as of dates other than fiscal year-end will be
determined, for purposes of the Final Closing Net Assets Acquired Statement,
through the full application of the procedures which would be used in preparing
an audited balance sheet.

         "Ordinary Course of Business" means the ordinary course of business
consistent with past practice (including with respect to quantity and
frequency).

         "Parties" has the meaning set forth in the preamble above.

         "Patent" means any: (i) United States or foreign patent, patent
application, patent disclosure or other patent right; (ii) any division,
continuation, continuation-in-part or similar extension of an application that
is a Patent; and (iii) any patent or other patent right that issues or is based
upon an application that is a Patent.

         "PBGC" means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.

         "Penril Litigation" has the meaning set forth in Section  2.3(e) below.

         "Person" means an individual, a partnership, a corporation, an
association, a joint stock company, a trust, a joint venture, an unincorporated
organization, or a governmental entity (or any department, agency, or political
subdivision thereof).

         "Preliminary Closing Net Assets Acquired Statement" has the meaning set
forth in Section 2.6 below.

                                      -6-
<PAGE>   12
         "Product Agreement" means the Product Agreement entered into by the
Parties attached hereto as Schedule G.

         "Products" means all current products and services that are identified
in Schedule 2.1(d), any subsequent versions of such products currently being
developed, any products currently being developed by ENBU which are designed to
supersede, replace or function as a component of such products, and any
upgrades, enhancements, improvements and modifications to the foregoing
currently being developed.

         "Prohibited Transaction" has the meaning set forth in ERISA Section 406
and Code Section 4975.

         "Purchase Price" has the meaning set forth in Section  2.5 below.

         "Release" means any actual or, to the Knowledge of the Seller, alleged
spilling, leaking, pumping, pouring, emitting, dispersing, emptying,
discharging, injecting, escaping, leaching, dumping, or disposing of any
Chemical Substance into the Environment that would cause an Environmental
Liability and Cost (including the abandonment or discarding of barrels,
containers, tanks or other receptacles containing or previously containing any
Chemical Substance).

         "Reportable Event" has the meaning set forth in ERISA Section  4043.

         "Retained Products" means all current products and services that are
identified in Schedule 1.1, all current products and services of and products
currently under development by the Component Products Division and Desktop
Networks Business Unit, any subsequent versions of such products currently being
developed, any products currently being developed which are designed to
supersede, replace or function as a component of such products, and any
upgrades, enhancements, improvements and modifications to the foregoing
currently being developed.

         "Retained Technology" means all inventions, copyrightable works,
integrated circuit masks, discoveries, innovations, know-how, information
(including ideas, research and development, know-how, formulas, compositions,
manufacturing and production processes and techniques, technical data, designs,
drawings, specifications, customer and supplier lists, pricing and cost
information, business and marketing plans and proposals, documentation, and
manuals), computer software, computer hardware, integrated circuits, electronic,
electrical and mechanical equipment and all other forms of technology, including
improvements, modifications, derivatives or changes, whether tangible or
intangible, embodied in any form, whether or not protectible or protected by
patent, copyright, mask work right, trade secret law or otherwise, that are
incorporated, embodied or used in or are used to develop, manufacture, test or
market the Retained Products.

         "Safety Laws" means any federal, state, local and foreign law,
regulation or legal requirement relating to health or safety, including the
Occupational Safety and Health Act, as amended, as now or hereinafter in effect
relating to (a) exposure of employees to any Chemical 

                                      -7-
<PAGE>   13

Substance or (b) the physical structure, use or condition of a building,
facility, fixture or other structure, including, without limitation, those
relating to equipment or manufacturing processes, or the management, use,
storage, disposal, cleanup or removal of any Chemical Substance.

         "Safety Liabilities and Costs" means all Losses incurred to comply with
any Safety Law or as a result of any health or safety conditions present at,
created by or arising out of the past or present operations of the ENBU through
the Closing Date.

         "Securities Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

         "Securities Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.

         "Security Interest" means any mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance,
charge, or other security interest, other than (a) mechanic's, materialmen's,
and similar liens, (b) liens for Taxes not yet due and payable, (c) purchase
money liens and liens securing rental payments under capital lease arrangements,
and (d) other liens arising in the Ordinary Course of Business and not incurred
in connection with the borrowing of money.

         "Subsidiary" means any corporation with respect to which a specified
Person (or a Subsidiary thereof) owns a majority of the common stock or has the
power to vote or direct the voting of sufficient securities to elect a majority
of the directors.

         "Tax" or "Taxes" means any federal, state, local, or foreign income,
gross receipts, license, payroll, employment, excise, severance, stamp,
occupation, premium, windfall profits, environmental (including taxes under Code
Section 59A), customs duties, capital stock, franchise, profits, withholding,
social security (or similar, including FICA), unemployment, disability, real
property, personal property, sales, use, transfer, registration, value added,
alternative or add-on minimum, estimated, or other tax of any kind whatsoever,
including any interest, penalty, or addition thereto, whether disputed or not.

         "Tax Return" means any return, declaration, report, claim for refund,
or information return or statement relating to Taxes, including any schedule or
attachment thereto, and including any amendment thereof.

         "Technology" means all inventions, copyrightable works, integrated
circuit masks, discoveries, innovations, know-how, information (including ideas,
research and development, know-how, formulas, compositions, manufacturing and
production processes and techniques, technical data, designs, drawings,
specifications, customer and supplier lists, pricing and cost information,
business and marketing plans and proposals, documentation, and manuals),
computer software, computer hardware, integrated circuits, electronic,
electrical and mechanical equipment and all other forms of technology, including
improvements, modifications, derivatives or changes, whether tangible or
intangible, embodied in any form, whether or not protectible or protected by


                                      -8-
<PAGE>   14

patent, copyright, mask work right, trade secret law or otherwise, that are
incorporated, embodied or used in or are used to develop, manufacture, test or
market the Products.

         "Trademarks" means any trademarks, service marks, trade dress, and
logos, together with all translations, adaptations, derivations, and
combinations thereof and including all goodwill associated therewith.


2. Acquisition of Assets by Buyer.


         2.1. Purchase and Sale of Assets. The Sellers agree to sell and
transfer to the Buyer, and the Buyer agrees to purchase from the Sellers at the
Closing, subject to and upon the terms and conditions contained herein, free and
clear of any Lien or Security Interest except as listed on Schedule
2.1(a), all of the Sellers' right, title, and interest in and to the
following properties and assets, except as provided in Section 2.2
(collectively, the "Acquired Assets"):


                        (a) All assets of the ENBU reflected on the Most Recent
                 Balance Sheet and all assets of the ENBU of the same nature as
                 those reflected on the Most Recent Balance Sheet that have been
                 acquired by Sellers in the Ordinary Course of Business since
                 November 30, 1995 (other than assets reflected on the Most
                 Recent Balance Sheet that have been disposed of in the Ordinary
                 Course of Business since November 30, 1995) including without
                 limitation:


                                  (i) all tangible personal property (such as
                        machinery, equipment, inventories, raw materials,
                        supplies, manufactured and purchased parts, works in
                        progress, finished goods, furniture, tools, jigs and
                        dies) included in the Most Recent Balance Sheet;


                                  (ii) prepaid expenses and other similar 
                         current assets of the ENBU included in Most Recent 
                         Balance Sheet;


                          (b) All leasehold interests and subleases and rights
                 thereunder relating to the real and personal property as listed
                 on Schedule 2.1(b) (the "Leases");


                          (c) All licenses (other than Intellectual Property),
                 permits, authorizations, orders, registrations, certificates,
                 variances, approvals, consents and franchises pertaining to or
                 used in connection with the Assets of the ENBU or any pending
                 applications relating to any of the foregoing, including
                 without limitation all governmental permits, licenses,
                 authorizations, approvals and consents described in
                 Schedule 2.1(c);


                          (d) All Intellectual Property, except as set forth in
                 Section 2.2, goodwill associated therewith, licenses and
                 sublicenses granted in respect thereto and rights thereunder,
                 remedies against infringements thereof and rights to protection
                 of 

                                      -9-
<PAGE>   15

                 interest therein, including without limitation the
                 Intellectual Property described in Schedule 2.1(d) hereto;


                          (e) All contracts, indentures, mortgages, instruments,
                 Security Interests, guaranties, or other agreements relating to
                 the Assets of the ENBU as listed on Schedule 2.1(e)
                 (the "Contracts");


                          (f) (i) All customer, distribution, supplier and
                 mailing lists of any of the Sellers relating exclusively to the
                 business of ENBU and (ii) copies of all other customer,
                 distribution, supplier and mailing lists of any of the Sellers
                 relating to the Assets of ENBU, excluding the Excluded Assets;


                          (g) All claims, deposits, prepayments, refunds, causes
                 of action, choses in action, rights of recovery, rights of set
                 off and rights of recoupment relating to the Assets of the ENBU
                 or the other Acquired Assets, excluding the Excluded Assets,
                 except as set forth on Schedule 2.3(e); and


                          (h) (i) All business and financial records, books,
                 ledgers, files, plans, documents, correspondence, lists,
                 architectural plans, drawings, notebooks, creative materials,
                 advertising and promotional materials, marketing materials,
                 studies, reports, equipment repair, maintenance or service
                 records exclusively relating to the Assets of the ENBU
                 excluding the Excluded Assets whether written or electronically
                 stored or otherwise recorded and (ii) copies of all other
                 business and financial records, books, ledgers, files, plans,
                 documents, correspondence, lists, architectural plans,
                 drawings, notebooks, creative materials, advertising and
                 promotional materials, marketing materials, studies, reports,
                 equipment repair, maintenance or service records relating in
                 part to the Assets of the ENBU excluding the Excluded Assets
                 and relating in part to businesses retained by SMC whether
                 written or electronically stored or otherwise recorded.


         2.2. Excluded Assets. There shall be excluded from the Acquired
Assets to be sold, assigned, transferred, conveyed and delivered to Buyer
hereunder, and to the extent in existence on the Closing Date, there shall be
retained by the Sellers, the following assets, properties and rights
(collectively, the "Excluded Assets"):


                          (a) all accounts receivable and notes receivable;

                          (b) all Patents owned by the Sellers other than that
                 certain application for U.S. Letters Patent known as Multimedia
                 Bandwidth Accelerator, Serial No. 08/428,403, and any division,
                 continuation, continuation-in-part in similar extension of such
                 application;


                                      -10-
<PAGE>   16
                          (c) the entire right, title and interest in and to all
                 proprietary rights of every kind and nature, including Patents,
                 copyrights, Trademarks, mask works, trade secrets and
                 proprietary information, all applications for any of the
                 foregoing, and any license or agreements granting rights
                 related to the foregoing subsisting in, covering, reading on,
                 directly applicable to or existing in the Feast Chip, the Feast
                 Full Duplex Chip, the Bacon Chip and the 694 Chip and, any
                 subsequent versions of such chips currently being developed,
                 and any upgrades, enhancements, improvements and modifications
                 to such chips currently being developed.

                          (d) the entire right, title and interest in and to all
                 proprietary rights of every kind and nature, including Patents,
                 copyrights, Trademarks, mask works, trade secrets and
                 proprietary information, all applications for any of the
                 foregoing, and any license or agreements granting rights
                 related to the foregoing: (i) subsisting in, covering, reading
                 on, directly applicable to or existing in the Retained Products
                 or the Retained Technology; or (ii) that are owned, licensed or
                 controlled in whole or in part by ENBU and directly relate to
                 the Retained Products or Retained Technology; or (iii) that are
                 used in or necessary to the development, manufacture, marketing
                 or testing of the Retained Products including but not limited
                 to a non-exclusive, non-transferable right to: (i) use the
                 technology claimed in the application for U.S. Letters Patent
                 known as Multimedia Bandwidth Accelerator, Serial No.
                 08/428,403 (the "Multimedia Patent") to the extent such
                 technology is embodied in the Retained Products; and (ii)
                 license the Multimedia Patent to the extent SMC is
                 contractually required to do so pursuant to the licenses
                 described in Section 3.16(e) of the Disclosure Letter;

                          (e) all rights in and to the trademarks EliteView(TM)
                 and TigerSwitch(TM) except as set forth in Section 5.13;

                          (f) any goodwill of the Sellers;

                          (g) loans by Sellers to employees of Sellers;

                          (h) fixed assets not directly relating to employees of
                 the ENBU; and

                          (i) deferred service revenue.

         2.3. Assumption of Liabilities. On the terms and subject to the
conditions set forth herein and subject to Section 2.4 hereof, from and after
the Closing, the Buyer will assume and satisfy or perform when due only the
following Liabilities and obligations of the Sellers and its Subsidiaries (the
"Assumed Liabilities"):

                          (a) all Liabilities of the ENBU set forth on the face
                 of the Most Recent Balance Sheet;


                                      -11-
<PAGE>   17

                          (b) all Liabilities of the ENBU incurred after
                 November 30, 1995 in the Ordinary Course of Business that
                 would, if incurred during the last fiscal year, be required in
                 accordance with GAAP to be set forth on the face of the Most
                 Recent Balance Sheet;

                          (c) all Liabilities and obligations of the ENBU under
                 the Leases listed on Schedule 2.1(b);

                          (d) all Liabilities and obligations under the
                 Contracts listed in Schedule 2.1(e); and

                          (e) all Liabilities and obligations of the Sellers and
                 the ENBU in respect of the case pending in the Circuit Court in
                 Maryland captioned Penril Datacomm Networks, Inc. v. Standard
                 Microsystems Corporation et al. (Cir. Ct. MD, No. 106878) (the
                 "Penril Litigation") but only to the extent and subject to the
                 terms described on Schedule 2.3(e).

         2.4. Liabilities Not Assumed. Except as expressly set forth in
this Agreement, the Buyer will not assume or perform any Liabilities or
obligations not specifically contemplated by Section 2.3 hereof nor any of the
following Liabilities and obligations (whether or not contemplated by Section
2.3 unless specifically contemplated by this Section 2.4):

                          (a) any Liability or obligation of any of the Sellers
                 for Taxes of any Person attributable to any taxable period or
                 activities or events that occurred prior to the Closing Date
                 regardless of whether reserved on the Financial Statements;

                          (b) any Liability of any of the Sellers for the unpaid
                 Taxes of any Person prior to the Closing Date or as a
                 consequence of the Closing, including Taxes imposed on any of
                 the Sellers as a transferee or successor, by contract, or
                 otherwise;

                          (c) any Liability or obligation of any of the Sellers
                 to indemnify any Person (including any of the Sellers) by
                 reason of the fact that such Person was a director, officer,
                 employee, or agent of any of the Sellers or was serving at the
                 request of such entity as a partner, trustee, director,
                 officer, employee, or agent of another entity;

                          (d) any Liability or obligation of any of the Sellers
                 as a result of any legal or equitable action or judicial or
                 administrative proceeding initiated at any time caused by any
                 action that occurred or condition that existed prior to the
                 Closing Date and in respect of anything done, suffered to be
                 done or omitted to be done by 



                                      -12-
<PAGE>   18

                 such Seller or any of their directors, officers, employees or
                 agents except as set forth in Section 2.3(e);

                          (e) any Liability of any of the Sellers for costs and
                 expenses incurred in connection with this Agreement and the
                 transactions contemplated hereby;

                          (f) any Liability or obligation of any of the Sellers
                 under this Agreement (or under any side agreement between any
                 of the Sellers on the one hand and the Buyer on the other hand)
                 entered into on or after the date of this Agreement;

                          (g) any Liability or obligation of any of the Sellers
                 incurred in connection with the making or performance of this
                 Agreement;

                          (h) any Liability or obligation for products
                 manufactured or sold (or, in the case of warranty obligations,
                 for products sold prior to Closing) or services rendered by the
                 ENBU prior to the Closing Date (i) except (A) to the extent
                 described on Schedule 2.3(e) and (B) any Liability for product
                 warranty repair and replacement (as described in Section 5.11)
                 to the extent of the reserve as set forth in the Most Recent
                 Balance Sheet and in Section 2.3(b) above, and (ii) including,
                 without limitation, any Liability relating to the pending
                 dispute between the Sellers and Willemijn Houdstermaatschappiuj
                 BV regarding the Soderblom Patent (U.S. Patent No. Re. 31,852)
                 and related contractual Liabilities except as described on
                 Schedule 2.3(e);

                          (i) any Liability or obligation of any of the Sellers
                 arising out of any Employee Benefit Plan established or
                 maintained by any of the Sellers for the benefit of past or
                 present employees of ENBU or to which the ENBU contributes or
                 any liability or the termination of any such plan;

                          (j) any Liability or obligation of any of the Sellers
                 for making payments or providing benefits of any kind to its
                 employees or former employees (including, without limitation,
                 (A) as a result of the sale of the Acquired Assets or as a
                 result of the termination by any of the Sellers of any
                 employees, (B) any Liability or obligation arising out of, or
                 relating to, the Worker Adjustment and Retaining Act of 1988,
                 (C) any obligation to provide former employees (including
                 individuals who become former employees by reason of the
                 consummation of the transactions contemplated by this
                 Agreement) so-called COBRA continuation coverage, (D) any
                 Liability or obligation in respect of medical and other
                 benefits for existing and future retirees and for claims made
                 after Closing in respect of costs and expenses incurred prior
                 to Closing, (E) any Liability or obligation in respect of
                 work-related employee injuries or worker's compensation claims
                 (F) any Liability of Sellers pursuant to Section 5.7 hereof (G)
                 any Liability or obligation in respect of 

                                      -13-
<PAGE>   19

                 the Sellers' 401(k) savings plan, except as set forth in
                 Section 5.7, and (H) any Liability or obligation in respect of
                 employee bonuses);

                          (k) any Liability pertaining to the ENBU or its
                 business and arising out of or resulting from noncompliance
                 prior to the Closing Date with any national, regional or local
                 laws, statutes, ordinances, rules, regulations, orders,
                 determinations, judgments, or directives, whether
                 legislatively, judicially or administratively promulgated
                 (including, without limitation, any Environmental Liabilities
                 and Costs whether or not arising out of or resulting from
                 Sellers' noncompliance with Environmental Laws);

                          (l) any Liability or obligation of any of the Sellers
                 under any leases, contracts, or agreements not listed on
                 Schedules 2.1(b) and 2.1(e);

                          (m) any Liability or obligation of any of the Sellers
                 in respect of Environmental Liabilities and Costs arising out
                 of any condition existing at or prior to Closing which
                 constitutes a violation of or gives rise to a duty to remediate
                 under any Environmental Law which is occurring or occurred on
                 either (A) property which is not owned or leased by any of the
                 Sellers on the Closing Date or (B) property which is owned or
                 leased by any of the Sellers on the Closing Date, in both cases
                 without limit as to point of time, knowledge or amount
                 (including, without limitation, any Liability or obligation to
                 remediate any Chemical Substance, (i) generated, used, stored,
                 disposed of or Released (specifically including naphtha) at any
                 property or facility owned or leased by the Sellers or their
                 Affiliates at any time prior to the Closing Date, (ii) Released
                 from or in connection with any underground or above-ground
                 storage tank maintained at any property or facility owned or
                 leased by any of the Sellers or its Affiliates at any time
                 prior to the Closing Date or (iii) generated, used, stored,
                 disposed of or Released in connection with the ENBU's past or
                 present operations);

                          (n) all Safety Liabilities and Costs;

                          (o) any Liability or obligation in respect of accounts
                 payable; and

                          (p) any Liabilities or obligations for accrued
                 royalties for Soderblom, accrued payroll, accrued legal fees,
                 accrued bonuses, incentives and accrued vacation, and accrued
                 Taxes; and

                          (q) any Liabilities or obligations of the Sellers and
                 Buyer in respect of the Penril Litigation in excess of the
                 amounts described on Schedule 2.3(e) except for any Liabilities
                 (including damages) of Buyer in the Penril Action arising from
                 actions taken by Buyer post-closing.

                                      -14-
<PAGE>   20

         2.5. Purchase Price. The Buyer agrees to pay to SMC the purchase price
(the "Purchase Price") as follows:


                 2.5.1. Cash. At closing, $68,850,000 in cash payable by wire
         transfer upon such wire instructions delivered by SMC to Buyer two
         business days prior to the Closing; and


                 2.5.2. Escrow Amount. $7,050,000 in cash payable by wire to
         Fleet National Bank of Massachusetts as escrow agent (the "Escrow
         Agent"), to be held in escrow pursuant to the Escrow Agreement among
         the Parties and the Escrow Agent in the form of Exhibit A hereto.


         2.6. Adjustment to Purchase Price; Closing Date Audit. Within
20 days following the Closing Date, SMC shall prepare a closing statement that
shall consist solely of a balance sheet of the Assets Acquired and the Assumed
Liabilities relating to the ENBU as of the Closing Date (the "Final Closing Net
Assets Acquired Statement") prepared consistently with the Preliminary Closing
Net Assets Acquired Statement attached hereto as Schedule 2.6(a) (the
"Preliminary Closing Net Assets Acquired Statement") and (ii) a Final Balance
Sheet of the ENBU dated as of the Closing Date prepared in accordance with GAAP
consistently with the Most Recent Balance Sheet (the "Final Balance Sheet") and
shall deliver them to Buyer. The Final Closing Net Assets Acquired Statement
shall be derived from the Final Balance Sheet and shall specifically describe
the derivation from such Final Balance Sheet. Within 30 days of receipt of the
Final Closing Net Assets Acquired Statement, KPMG Peat Marwick will, at Buyer's
expense, conduct an examination in accordance with generally accepted auditing
standards or such other similar procedures reasonably considered necessary by
KPMG Peat Marwick (the "Closing Date Audit") of the Acquired Assets and Assumed
Liabilities as reflected on the Final Closing Net Assets Acquired Statement as
of the close of business on the Closing Date. SMC shall make its work papers and
back up materials used in preparation of the Final Closing Net Assets Acquired
Statement and the Final Balance Sheet available for review by Buyer and KPMG
Peat Marwick. Within ten days of the completion of the Closing Audit, Buyer
shall provide SMC with written notice of any adjustments to the Final Closing
Net Assets Acquired Statement provided to Buyer from SMC excluding issues
relating to inventory valuation and including adjustments to the total amount of
accounts receivable less accounts payable as reflected on the Final Balance
Sheet ("Dispute Notice"). If Buyer does not provide a Dispute Notice to SMC
within such 10 day period, Buyer shall be deemed to have accepted the Final
Closing Net Assets Acquired Statement as prepared by SMC and shall be final and
binding on the parties in the absence of fraud or manifest error.

         Based upon the Final Balance Sheet as audited and as agreed to by the
Parties as contemplated by this Section 2.6, (i) Seller will pay to Buyer,
within 5 days of the resolution of such disputes, an amount equal to the amount
by which (A) the accounts receivable less the accounts payable as reflected on
Final Balance Sheet exceeds (B) $1,900,000 or (ii) Buyer will pay Sellers,
within 5 days of the resolution of such disputes, an amount equal to the amount
by which (A) the accounts receivable less the accounts payable as reflected on
Final Balance Sheet is less than (B) 

                                      -15-
<PAGE>   21

$1,900,000. Any other payments that may be determined based on the above, shall
be made by Sellers to Buyer within 5 days of such resolution.

         The Dispute Notice shall set forth the amounts as to which the Buyer
disagrees. The Parties shall attempt in good faith to resolve such dispute. In
the event that the Parties cannot so agree, the Parties shall, at Sellers' and
Buyer's joint expense, resolve the dispute by arbitration. The Buyer and Sellers
have selected Price Waterhouse to resolve any remaining objections. The
determination of such accounting firm shall be made within 30 days of the
notification of Price Waterhouse by Buyer and Sellers, shall be set forth in
writing and shall be conclusive and binding on the Parties. The fees and
expenses of Price Waterhouse shall be shared equally by the Buyer and the SMC.
The Final Closing Net Assets Acquired Statement shall be revised to reflect the
resolutions of any objections thereto.

         2.7. The Closing. The closing of the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement (the "Closing") shall take place at the offices of Ropes &
Gray in Boston, Massachusetts, commencing at 10:00 a.m. eastern time five
business days following satisfaction of the Closing Conditions set forth in
Sections 6.1 and 6.2, and in any event on or prior to 45 days following the
expiration or termination of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott Rodino Act,
or such other date as the Parties may mutually determine (the "Closing Date").

         2.8. Deliveries at the Closing. At the Closing, (i) the Sellers
will deliver to the Buyer the various certificates, instruments, and documents
referred to in Section 6.1 below; (ii) the Sellers will execute, acknowledge (if
appropriate), and deliver to the Buyer (A) assignments of the Leases, Permits,
Intellectual Property and Contracts, listed in Section 3.31 of the Disclosure
Letter (including Intellectual Property transfer documents), (B) such other
instruments of sale, transfer, conveyance, and assignment as the Buyer and its
counsel may reasonably request; (C) the Escrow Agreement; and (D) the Product
Agreement; (iii) the Buyer and Sellers will execute, acknowledge (if
appropriate), and deliver the Assignment and Assumption Agreement in the form
attached hereto as Exhibit B-1, the Bill of Sale in the form attached hereto as
Exhibit B-2, and the Inventory Bill of Sale in the form attached hereto as
Exhibit B-3; (iv) the Sellers will deliver copies of all material items among
the items identified in Section 2.1(h)(ii), identifying in connection with such
delivery that Sellers have retained a copy of such materials; and (v) the Buyer
will deliver to SMC the consideration payable at Closing specified in Section
2.5 above.

         Simultaneously with such delivery, each of the Sellers will use its
reasonable best efforts and take all action as may be necessary to put Buyer
and, in respect of Inventory, Cabletron Sales & Service, Inc. in possession and
operating control of the Acquired Assets.

         At any time and from time to time after the Closing, at the request of
Buyer and without further consideration, except as stated below, any of the
Sellers: (a) will execute and deliver such other instruments of sale, transfer,
conveyance, assignment and confirmation and take such action as Buyer may
reasonably determine is necessary to transfer, convey and assign to Buyer, and
to confirm Buyer's title to or interest in the Acquired Assets, to put Buyer in
actual possession and 


                                      -16-
<PAGE>   22

operating control thereof and to assist Buyer in exercising all rights with
respect thereto; (b) will deliver to Buyer copies of all non-material items
among the items identified in Section 2.1(h)(ii).

         2.9. Preliminary Allocation of Purchase Price. The Parties
agree that the preliminary allocation of the Purchase Price for the Acquired
Assets shall be as determined by the allocation formula set forth on Exhibit
C hereto, as may be adjusted to reflect any Additional Payment or other
adjustments. The Sellers and Buyer agree that the allocation may be amended or
modified by mutual agreement prior to the filing of the applicable Tax Returns
of Buyer and the Sellers. The Sellers and Buyer shall use such final allocation
in all Tax Returns.

         2.10. Joint Software. Buyer shall use reasonable efforts to
perform such further development of the Joint Software as is currently
anticipated by the Parties, provided, however, that Buyer's sole obligation will
be to devote ten man hours a week through April 7, 1996 to further development
of the Joint Software. Sellers hereby assign an undivided 50% interest in the
Joint Software, and all intellectual property, including copyrights, therein, to
Buyer, and Buyer hereby assigns an undivided 50% interest in the Joint Software,
and all intellectual property, including copyrights, therein, to Sellers. The
Parties agree that Sellers shall receive no title in any enhancements, upgrades,
modifications or new versions of the Joint Software developed by Buyer other
than developed pursuant to the first sentence of this paragraph. THE PARTIES
AGREE THAT THE SELLERS ARE RECEIVING THE JOINT SOFTWARE "AS IS", AND THAT BUYER
MAKES NO REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY WHATSOEVER, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL
WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, CONCERNING THE JOINT SOFTWARE.

3. Representations and Warranties of the Sellers. The Sellers each severally and
   not jointly represent and warrant to the Buyer that the statements contained
   in this Section 3 are correct and complete as of the date of this Agreement
   and, if different than the date of this Agreement, will be correct and
   complete as of the Closing Date (as though made then and as though the
   Closing Date were substituted for the date of this Agreement throughout this
   Section 3), except as set forth in the Disclosure Letter accompanying this
   Agreement and initialed by the Parties (the "Disclosure Letter"). The
   Disclosure Letter will be arranged in paragraphs corresponding to the
   lettered and numbered paragraphs contained in this Section 3.


         3.1. Organization of the Sellers. Each of the Sellers is a
corporation duly organized, validly existing, and in good standing under the
laws of the State of Delaware. Copies of the certificate of incorporation and
bylaws of each of the Sellers, as amended to date, have been heretofore
delivered to Buyer and are accurate and complete.


         3.2. [Reserved].


         3.3. Authorization of Transaction. Each of the Sellers has the
power and authority (including full corporate power and authority) to execute
and deliver this Agreement and to 

                                      -17-
<PAGE>   23

perform its respective obligations hereunder. All corporate and other actions or
proceedings to be taken by or on the part of each of the Sellers to authorize
and permit the execution and delivery by it of this Agreement and the
instruments required to be executed and delivered by it pursuant hereto, the
performance by each of the Sellers of its obligations hereunder, and the
consummation by each of the Sellers of the transactions contemplated herein,
have been duly and properly taken. This Agreement has been duly executed and
delivered by each of the Sellers and constitutes the legal, valid and binding
obligation of each of the Sellers, enforceable in accordance with its terms and
conditions.

         3.4. Noncontravention. Neither the execution and the delivery
of this Agreement, nor the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby
(including the assignments and assumptions referred to in Section 2 above), will
(i) violate any constitution, statute, regulation, rule, injunction, judgment,
order, decree, ruling, charge, or other restriction of any government,
governmental agency, or court to which any of the Sellers or the Acquired Assets
is subject or any provision of the charter or by-laws of any of the Sellers or
(ii) conflict with, result in a breach of, constitute a default under, result in
the acceleration of, create in any party the right to accelerate, terminate,
modify, or cancel, or require any notice under any agreement, contract, lease,
license, instrument, Lien, Security Interest or other arrangement to which any
of the Sellers is a party or by which it is bound or to which any of their
assets is subject (or result in the imposition of any Security Interest upon any
of their assets) except where such violation, conflict, breach, default,
acceleration, termination, modification, cancellation, failure to give notice or
Security Interest would not have a material adverse effect on the financial
condition of the ENBU or on the ability of the Sellers to consummate the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement. None of the Sellers needs to give
any notice to, make any filing with, or obtain any authorization, consent, or
approval of any government or governmental agency in order for the Parties to
consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (including the
assignments and assumptions referred to in Section 2 above) except for the
required filings under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act, which filings have been made,
and except where the failure to give notice, to file, or to obtain any
authorization, consent, or approval would not have a material adverse effect on
the financial condition of the ENBU or on the ability of the Sellers to
consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

         3.5. Brokers' Fees. None of the Sellers has any Liability or obligation
to pay any fees or commissions to any broker, finder, or agent with respect to
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement for which the Buyer could become
liable or obligated.

         3.6. Title to Assets. The Sellers collectively have good and valid
title to, or a valid and subsisting leasehold interest in, and the power to sell
the Acquired Assets, free and clear of all Security Interests, except for
properties and assets disposed of in the Ordinary Course of Business since
November 30, 1995 and not in contravention of provisions of Section 3.11.

         3.7. Acquired Assets Used in Business. The Acquired Assets
comprise all of the assets, properties and rights of every type and description,
real, personal, tangible and intangible 

                                      -18-
<PAGE>   24

used by the ENBU in product development, manufacturing, marketing and testing of
the Products other than the Excluded Assets set forth in Section 2.2(d) and (e)
above.


         3.8. Subsidiaries. Section 3.8 of the Disclosure Letter sets
forth for the Subsidiary (i) its name and jurisdiction of incorporation, (ii)
the number of shares of authorized capital stock of each class of its capital
stock, (iii) the number of issued and outstanding shares of each class of its
capital stock, the names of the holders thereof and the number of shares held by
each such holder, (iv) the number of shares of its capital stock held in
treasury, and (v) its directors and officers. SMC holds of record and owns
beneficially all of the outstanding shares of the Subsidiary, free and clear of
any restrictions on transfer, Taxes, Security Interests, options, warrants,
purchase rights, contracts, commitments, equities, claims, and demands.

         3.9. Financial Statements. Attached hereto as Exhibit D are the
following financial statements (collectively the "Financial Statements"): (i)
unaudited balance sheet (statement of net assets and liabilities) and an
unaudited statement of revenues and expenses for the fiscal year ended February
28, 1995 (the "Most Recent Fiscal Year End") for the Acquired Assets and (ii)
unaudited Most Recent Balance Sheet as of November 30, 1995 and unaudited
statement of revenues and expenses relating to the Acquired Assets for the nine-
and three-month periods ending November 30, 1995 ("Interim Financial
Statements"). The Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with
GAAP applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered thereby and
are consistent with the books and records of the ENBU. The Parties agree that
inventory reserves for valuation as of the date of the Most Recent Balance Sheet
are deemed to be adequate.

         3.10. Indebtedness; Guarantees. Except as set forth on the Most
Recent Balance Sheet, none of the Sellers has any indebtedness for money
borrowed or for the deferred purchase price of property or services, excluding
trade payables and other accrued current liabilities incurred in the ordinary
course of business, or capital lease obligations, conditional sale or other
title retention agreements relating to the Assets of the ENBU ("Indebtedness").
None of the Sellers is a guarantor or otherwise liable for any Liability or
obligation, of any other Person for any matter which relates to or affects or
will affect the Assets of the ENBU.

         3.11. Absence of Changes. Since the Most Recent Balance Sheet
date and except as disclosed in Section 3.11 of the Disclosure Letter, there has
not been any material adverse change in the business, financial condition,
operations or results of operations of the ENBU. Without limiting the generality
of the foregoing, since that date:


                          (a) none of the Sellers has sold, leased, transferred,
                 or assigned any of the ENBU's assets, tangible or intangible,
                 other than for a fair consideration in the Ordinary Course of
                 Business;

                          (b) none of the Sellers has entered into (i) any
                 agreement, contract, lease, or license (or series of related
                 agreements, contracts, leases, and licenses) 

                                      -19-
<PAGE>   25
                 involving payments of more than $25,000 relating to the Assets
                 of the ENBU or (ii) any exclusive distribution agreement or
                 any agreement that would limit Buyer's rights to select
                 distribution channels for the Products;

                          (c) no party (including the ENBU and the Sellers) has
                 accelerated, terminated, modified, or canceled any agreement,
                 contract, lease, or license (or series of related agreements,
                 contracts, leases, and licenses) involving payments of more
                 than $25,000 relating to the Assets of the ENBU;


                          (d) none of the Sellers has imposed any Security
                 Interest upon any of the ENBU's assets, tangible or intangible;


                          (e) the ENBU has not made any capital expenditure (or
                 series of related capital expenditures) involving more than
                 $10,000 singly or $50,000 in the aggregate.


                          (f) none of the Sellers has made any capital
                 investment in, any loan to, or any acquisition of the
                 securities or assets of, any other Person (or series of related
                 capital investments, loans, and acquisitions) involving
                 payments of more than $25,000 relating to the Assets of the
                 ENBU;


                          (g) the ENBU has not issued any note, bond, or other
                 debt security or created, incurred, assumed, or guaranteed any
                 indebtedness for borrowed money or capitalized lease obligation
                 involving payments of more than $25,000;


                          (h) the ENBU has not delayed or postponed the payment
                 of accounts payable and other Liabilities outside the Ordinary
                 Course of Business;


                          (i) the ENBU has not canceled, compromised, waived, or
                 released any right or claim (or series of related rights and
                 claims) involving payments of more than $25,000;


                          (j) none of the Sellers or the ENBU has granted any
                 license or sublicense of any rights under or with respect to
                 any Intellectual Property;


                          (k) none of the Sellers has any reason to believe that
                 its major vendors, licensors, distributors and customers do not
                 intend to continue with Buyer a business relationship on terms
                 at least as favorable as the relationship such vendors,
                 licensors, distributors and customers, as the case may be,
                 currently have with Sellers.


                          (l) the ENBU has not experienced any material damage,
                 destruction, or loss (whether or not covered by insurance) to
                 its property;

                                      -20-
<PAGE>   26
                         (m) none of the Sellers has made any loan to, or
                 entered into any other transaction with, any of the ENBU's
                 directors, officers, and employees outside the Ordinary Course
                 of Business;


                          (n) none of the Sellers has entered into any
                 employment contract or collective bargaining agreement, written
                 or oral, or modified the terms of any existing such contract or
                 agreement relating to the Assets of the ENBU;


                          (o) none of the Sellers has granted any increase in
                 the base compensation of any of the directors, officers, and
                 employees of the ENBU outside the Ordinary Course of Business;


                          (p) none of the Sellers has adopted, amended, modified
                 or terminated any bonus, profit-sharing, incentive, severance,
                 or other plan, contract, or commitment for the benefit of any
                 of the directors, officers, and employees of the ENBU(or taken
                 any such action with respect to any other Employee Benefit
                 Plan);


                          (q) none of the Sellers has made any payment pursuant
                 to any Employee Benefit Plan, or bonus, profit-sharing,
                 incentive, severance or other plan, contract or commitment for
                 the benefit of any of ENBU's directors, officers and employees;


                          (r) none of the Sellers has changed employment terms
                 for any of the directors, officers, and employees of the ENBU
                 outside the Ordinary Course of Business;


                          (s) the ENBU has not made or pledged to make any
                 charitable or other capital contribution outside the Ordinary
                 Course of Business;


                          (t) none of the Sellers or the ENBU has modified or
                 changed the application of GAAP from the manner in which it was
                 applied in the Financial Statements;


                          (u) there has not been any other occurrence, event,
                 incident, action, failure to act, or transaction outside the
                 Ordinary Course of Business involving the ENBU; and


                          (v) none of the Sellers has accelerated the collection
                 or conversion of accounts receivable or notes receivable by
                 offering any incentive for such acceleration, including but not
                 limited to prepayment discounts, allowances or enhancements;
                 and


                          (w) none of the Sellers has committed to do any of the
                 foregoing.


                                      -21-
<PAGE>   27
         3.12. Absence of Undisclosed Liabilities. There is no Liability (and,
to the Sellers' knowledge without additional investigation there is no Basis for
any present or future action, suit, proceeding, hearing, investigation, charge,
complaint, claim, or demand against any of them giving rise to any Liability) of
the ENBU, except for (i) Liabilities set forth on the face of the Most Recent
Balance Sheet (rather than in any notes thereto), (ii) Liabilities which have
arisen after the date of the Most Recent Balance Sheet in the Ordinary Course of
Business, and (iii) Liabilities not assumed pursuant to Section 2.3.


         3.13. Legal and Other Compliance. Each of the ENBU and its respective
predecessors is in compliance with all applicable laws (including rules,
regulations, codes, plans, injunctions, judgments, orders, decrees, rulings, and
charges thereunder) of federal, state, local, and foreign governments (and all
agencies thereof) the violation of which would have a material adverse effect on
the ENBU or its operations, and no action, suit, proceeding, hearing,
investigation, charge, complaint, claim, demand, or notice has been filed or
commenced against any of them alleging any failure so to comply. Neither the
ownership nor use of the properties of the ENBU, excluding Intellectual
Property, nor the conduct of the business relating to the Assets of the ENBU
conflicts with the rights of any other Person or violates, with or without the
giving of notice or the passage of time or both, any terms or provisions of any
Lien or Security Interest, lease, license, agreement, understanding, law,
ordinance, rule or regulation, or any order, judgment or decree to which the
ENBU is a party or by which they or their assets are bound or affected.


         3.14. Taxes.


                          (a) Each of the Sellers has timely filed all Tax
                 Returns that they were required to file concerning the ENBU.
                 All Taxes owed by the Sellers concerning the ENBU (whether or
                 not shown on any Tax Return) have been paid. The Sellers
                 currently are not the beneficiary of any extension of time
                 within which to file any Tax Return relating to the Assets of
                 the ENBU. No claim has ever been made by an authority in a
                 jurisdiction where any of the Sellers does not file Tax Returns
                 that they may be subject to taxation by that jurisdiction in
                 respect of Assets of the ENBU. There are no Security Interests
                 in any of the Assets of the ENBU that arose in connection with
                 any failure (or alleged failure) to pay any tax.


                          (b) There is no dispute or claim concerning any Tax
                 Liability relating to the Assets of the ENBU either (A) claimed
                 or raised by any authority in writing or (B) as to which the
                 Sellers have Knowledge based upon contact with any agent of
                 such authority. The federal Tax Returns for SMC and its
                 consolidated subsidiaries have been audited for all years from
                 February 28, 1988 through February 28, 1993. Included in that
                 return were the ENBU operations for the short period January 1,
                 1993 to February 28, 1993. No other income Tax Returns filed
                 with respect to the ENBU Assets have been audited. All returns
                 filed for periods subsequent to February 28, 1993 remain open,
                 but are not currently under audit. Each of the



                                      -22-
<PAGE>   28
                 Sellers has delivered to the Buyer correct and complete copies
                 of all federal Income Tax Returns, examination reports and
                 statements of deficiencies assessed against or agreed to
                 relating to the Assets of the ENBU.


                          (c) The unpaid Taxes of the Sellers for the business
                 relating to the Assets of the ENBU (A) did not, as of the Most
                 Recent Balance Sheet, exceed the reserve for Tax Liability
                 (rather than any reserve for deferred Taxes established to
                 reflect timing differences between book and Tax Income) set
                 forth on the face of the Most Recent Balance Sheet (rather than
                 in any notes thereto) and (B) do not exceed that reserve as
                 adjusted for the passage of time through the Closing Date.


                          (d) At the Closing, the Sellers will provide the Buyer
                 with a certificate substantially in the form specified in
                 Treas. Reg. Section 1.1445-2(b)(2)(iii)(B) to the effect that
                 the Sellers are not foreign persons for purposes of sections
                 897 and 1445 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.


         3.15. Property, Plant and Equipment.


                          (a) None of the Sellers owns any real property that is
                 used in the Acquired Assets other than incidental assets
                 located at SMC's sites in New York;


                          (b) Section 3.15(b) of the Disclosure Letter lists all
                 real property leased or subleased to the Sellers that is used
                 in the Assets of the ENBU. The Sellers have delivered to the
                 Buyer correct and complete copies of the leases and subleases
                 listed in Section 3.15(b) which have not been amended or
                 modified since the date thereof of the Disclosure Letter (as
                 amended to date). With respect to each lease and sublease
                 listed in Section 3.15(b) of the Disclosure Letter:


                                  (i) to the Sellers' Knowledge, the lease or
                          sublease is legal, valid, binding, enforceable, and in
                          full force and effect;


                                  (ii) to the Sellers' Knowledge, the lease or
                          sublease will continue to be in full force and effect
                          on identical terms following the consummation of the
                          transactions contemplated hereby (including the
                          assignments and assumptions referred to in Section 2
                          above);


                                  (iii) to the Sellers' Knowledge, no party to
                          the lease or sublease is in breach or default, and no
                          event has occurred which, with notice or lapse of
                          time, would constitute a material breach or default or
                          permit termination, modification, or acceleration
                          thereunder;


                                  (iv) to the Sellers' Knowledge, no party to
                          the lease or sublease has repudiated any provision
                          thereof;


                                      -23-
<PAGE>   29
                                  (v) none of the Sellers has granted any
                          sublease under the lease or sublease;


                                  (vi) none of the Sellers has assigned,
                          transferred, conveyed, mortgaged, deeded in trust, or
                          encumbered any interest in the leasehold or
                          subleasehold; and


                                  (vii) all facilities leased or subleased
                          thereunder have received all approvals of governmental
                          authorities (including licenses and permits) required
                          in connection with the operation thereof and have been
                          operated and maintained in accordance with applicable
                          laws, rules, and regulations.


                          (c) All improvements, machinery, equipment and other
                 tangible assets which are included in the Acquired Assets and
                 used in the development, manufacture and testing of the
                 Products are free from defects (patent and latent), have been
                 reasonably maintained, are in good operating condition and
                 repair (subject to normal wear and tear) and are suitable in
                 all material respects for the purposes for which they presently
                 are used.


         3.16. Intellectual Property.


                          (a) To the Seller's Knowledge, the Sellers own or have
                 the right to use pursuant to a written license or agreement,
                 all Intellectual Property.


                          (b) Except as disclosed in Section 3.16 of the
                 Disclosure Letter and except for Patents owned by parties other
                 than the Sellers, the Assets of the ENBU have not infringed
                 upon or misappropriated any intellectual property rights of
                 third parties (and, to Sellers' Knowledge, there is no Basis
                 for a claim of such infringement or misappropriation), and none
                 of the Sellers and the officers (and employees with
                 responsibility for Intellectual Property matters at the ENBU)
                 of the ENBU has ever received any notice alleging any such
                 infringement or misappropriation.


                          (c) All of the Sellers' employees that have
                 participated in the development of the Products have entered
                 into employee agreements with one Intellectual Property therein
                 to a Seller. Pursuant to such employee agreements or applicable
                 law, the Sellers own all of the right, title and interest of
                 their employees to any Intellectual Property in the Products.


                          (d) Schedule 2.1(d) identifies: (i) certain items of
                 Intellectual Property, and (ii) each license or agreement which
                 the Sellers have granted to any third party


                                      -24-
<PAGE>   30
                 of the Sellers assigning all right, title and interest in the
                 with respect to any of the Intellectual Property. With respect
                 to each item of Intellectual Property:


                                  (i) the Sellers own all Intellectual Property
                          designated as owned by Sellers, free and clear of any
                          Security Interest and are in compliance with all
                          material terms of all licenses relating to any
                          Intellectual Property licensed to Sellers;


                                  (ii) the item is not subject to any
                          outstanding injunction, judgment, order, decree,
                          ruling, or charge;


                                  (iii) no action, suit, proceeding, hearing,
                          investigation, charge, complaint, claim, or demand is
                          pending, or to the Knowledge of the Sellers, is
                          threatened, which challenges the legality, validity,
                          enforceability, use, or ownership of the item, and to
                          the Sellers' actual knowledge without independent
                          investigation, there is no Basis therefor; and


                                  (iv) none of the Sellers has agreed to
                          indemnify any Person (other than customers of the
                          Sellers or users of the Sellers' products) for or
                          against any infringement or misappropriation with
                          respect to the item.


                          (e) Section 3.16(e) of the Disclosure Letter
                 identifies each item of Intellectual Property among the
                 Acquired Assets which, to the Knowledge of the Sellers, is
                 owned by a third party and is used pursuant to license or
                 agreement. The Sellers have provided to the Buyer correct and
                 complete copies of all such licenses and agreements. With
                 respect to each item of Intellectual Property, except as set
                 forth in Section 3.16(e) of the Disclosure Letter:


                                  (i) the underlying item of Intellectual
                          Property is not subject to any outstanding injunction,
                          judgment, order, decree, ruling or charge;


                                  (ii) no action, suit, proceeding, hearing,
                          investigation, charge, complaint, claim or demand is
                          pending or, to the Knowledge of the Sellers, is
                          threatened, which challenges the legality, validity,
                          or enforceability of the underlying item of
                          Intellectual Property;


                                  (iii) none of the Sellers or the ENBU has
                          granted any sublicense or similar right with respect
                          to the license, sublicense, agreement or permission;
                          and


                                  (iv) the license or agreement is legal, valid,
                          binding, enforceable, and in full force and effect,
                          and, to the Sellers' Knowledge, will continue to be
                          legal, valid, binding, enforceable, and in full force
                          and effect on identical

                                      -25-
<PAGE>   31
                          terms following the consummation of the transactions 
                          contemplated hereby.


                          (f) To the Knowledge of the Sellers, the Acquired
                 Assets do not infringe upon any Patents owned by parties other
                 than the Sellers. It is expressly understood that for the
                 purposes of this Section 3.16(f), the Sellers have not searched
                 any patent records and the Sellers do not undertake to make a
                 search of any patent records.


                          (g) To the Knowledge of the Sellers, no third party
                 has infringed upon or misappropriated any Intellectual
                 Property. It is expressly understood that for the purposes of
                 this Section 3.16(g), the Sellers have not conducted any
                 independent investigation intended to reveal any such
                 infringement or misappropriation.


         3.17. Inventories. The inventory of the ENBU consists of raw
materials and supplies, manufactured and purchased parts, goods in process, and
finished goods, none of which is damaged, or defective, subject only to the
reserve for inventory writedown set forth on the face of the Most Recent Balance
Sheet as adjusted for the passage of time through the Closing Date in accordance
with GAAP and the past custom and practice of the Sellers. The inventory, taken
as a whole, as reflected in the Most Recent Balance Sheet and books and records
of the ENBU is valued at the lower of cost (on a first-in, first-out basis) or
market in accordance with GAAP, consistently applied. Since the date of the Most
Recent Balance Sheet, no inventory has been sold or disposed of except through
sales in the Ordinary Course of Business. The Parties agree that the inventory
reserves for valuation as of the date of the Most Recent Balance Sheet are
deemed to be adequate.


         3.18. Contracts. Section 3.18 of the Disclosure Letter lists the
following contracts and other agreements (including the Contracts, and Leases
listed on Schedules 2.1(b) and 2.1(e)) related to the Assets of the ENBU to
which any of the Sellers is a party:


                          (a) any agreement (or group of related agreements) for
                 the lease of personal property to or from any Person providing
                 for lease payments in excess of $25,000;


                          (b) any agreement (or group of related agreements) for
                 the purchase or sale of raw materials, commodities, supplies,
                 products, or other personal property, or for the furnishing or
                 receipt of services, the performance of which will involve
                 consideration in excess of $25,000;


                          (c) any agreement concerning a partnership or joint
                 venture;


                          (d) any agreement (or group of related agreements)
                 under which it has created, incurred, assumed, or guaranteed
                 any Indebtedness in excess of $25,000 


                                      -26-
<PAGE>   32
                 or under which it has imposed a material Security Interest on 
                 any of its assets, tangible or intangible of the ENBU;


                          (e) any agreement concerning confidentiality or
                 noncompetition;


                          (f) any agreement for the employment of any individual
                 on a full-time, part-time, consulting or other basis in excess
                 of $25,000 or providing severance benefits;


                          (g) any agreement under which it has advanced or
                 loaned any amount to any directors, officers, and employees of
                 the ENBU outside the Ordinary Course of Business;


                          (h) any agreement which will be assigned to Buyer
                 pursuant to Section 2.1(e), under which the consequences of a
                 default or termination could have a material adverse effect on
                 the business, financial condition, operations, results of
                 operations of the Assets of the ENBU;


                          (i) any contract or arrangement with any federal,
                 state or local government agency relating to the Assets of the
                 ENBU; or


                          (j) any support contract with customers relating
                 exclusively to the Acquired Assets.

The Sellers have delivered to the Buyer a correct and complete copy of each
written agreement listed in Section 3.18 of the Disclosure Letter (as amended to
date). Except as disclosed in Section 3.18 of the Disclosure Letter, with
respect to each such material agreement: (A) the agreement is legal, valid, and
binding and in full force and effect; (B) the Sellers are not, and to the
Sellers' Knowledge, no other party is in breach or default, and no event has
occurred which with notice or lapse of time would constitute a breach or
default, or permit termination, modification, or acceleration, under the
agreement; and (C) to the Sellers' Knowledge, no party has repudiated any
provision of the agreement.


         3.19. Notes and Accounts Receivable. All notes and accounts
receivable of the Sellers pertaining to the Assets of the ENBU are reflected
properly on the Sellers' books and records in accordance with GAAP, are valid
receivables, arose in the Ordinary Course of Business subject to no setoffs or
counterclaims except as recorded as accounts payable, are current and
collectible and will be collected in accordance with their terms at their
recorded amounts, except as reflected as net of allowance for bad debts on the
face of the Most Recent Balance Sheet (rather than in any notes thereto or
reserve therefor) as adjusted for the passage of time in accordance with GAAP
and past practice and custom of the Sellers.


                                      -27-
<PAGE>   33
         3.20. Powers of Attorney. There are no outstanding powers of attorney
executed on behalf of any of the Sellers in respect of the Assets of the ENBU,
its assets, liabilities or business.


         3.21. Litigation. Except as disclosed in Section 3.21 of the Disclosure
Letter, there are no judicial or administrative actions, claims, suits,
proceedings or investigations pending or, to the actual knowledge of the Sellers
without independent investigation, threatened, that may result in any material
adverse change in the business relating to the Assets of the ENBU or the
Acquired Assets or which may materially interfere with any part of the business
relating to the Assets of the ENBU as currently conducted, or that question the
validity of this Agreement or of any action taken or to be taken pursuant to or
in connection with the provisions of this Agreement, nor, to the actual
knowledge of Sellers' without independent investigation, is there any Basis for
any such action, claim, suit, proceeding or investigation. There are no
judgments, orders, decrees, citations, fines or penalties heretofore assessed
against the Sellers affecting the business relating to the Assets of the ENBU or
the Acquired Assets under any federal, state or local law, except for such
judgments, orders, decrees, citations, fines or penalties which would not have a
material adverse effect on the Assets of the ENBU or the Acquired Assets.


         3.22. Product Warranties; Defects; Liability. Except as set forth in
Section 3.22 of the Disclosure Statement, each product manufactured, sold,
leased, or delivered by the ENBU which is an Acquired Asset or was a predecessor
product to any product which is an Acquired Asset (collectively, the "Acquired
Products"), has complied with and conformed to all applicable federal, state,
local or foreign laws and regulations, contractual commitments and all
applicable warranties, and none of the Sellers or the ENBU has any Liability
(and there is no Basis for any present or future action, suit, proceeding,
hearing, investigation, charge, complaint, claim, or demand giving rise to any
Liability) for replacement or repair thereof or other damages in connection
therewith, subject in each case only to the reserve for product warranty claims
set forth on the face of the Most Recent Balance Sheet. Except as disclosed in
Section 3.22 of the Disclosure Letter, no Acquired Product is subject to any
guaranty, warranty, or other indemnity beyond the applicable standard terms and
conditions of sale or lease including any Liability as a result of field and
epidemic failures. Section 3.22 of the Disclosure Letter includes copies of the
standard terms and conditions of sale or lease for the Products of the ENBU
(containing applicable guaranty, warranty, and indemnity provisions).


         3.23. Employees. Since January 1, 1993, none of the Sellers has
experienced any labor disputes or work stoppage due to labor disagreements with
respect to the employees of the Sellers engaged in the Assets of the ENBU. The
Sellers are in compliance with all applicable laws respecting employment and
employment practices, terms and conditions of employment and wages and hours and
have not been and are not engaged in any unfair labor practice as defined in the
National Labor Relations Act, as amended, the violation of which could have a
material adverse effect on the Assets of the ENBU. There is no unfair labor
practice charge or complaint against the Sellers pertaining to the Assets of the
ENBU pending or, to the Knowledge of the Sellers, threatened before the National
Labor Relations Board. Section 3.23 of the Disclosure Letter lists any
collective bargaining agreement to which the any of the Sellers is party. No

                                      -28-
<PAGE>   34
grievance which may have an adverse affect on the ENBU and its operations or
prospects nor any arbitration proceeding arising out of or under any collective
bargaining agreement is pending and no pending claims therefore have been made.
Except as disclosed in Section 3.23 of the Disclosure Letter, no collective
bargaining agreement to which the any of the Sellers is a party restricts such
Seller or the ENBU from relocating, closing or subcontracting any of the ENBU's
operations.


         3.24.   Employee Benefits.


                          (a) Section 3.24 of the Disclosure Letter lists each
                 Employee Benefit Plan that the Sellers maintain or to which any
                 of the Sellers contributes relating to employees of the ENBU
                 and any other profit sharing, stock option, stock purchase,
                 stock appreciation, deferred compensation, severance, or other
                 material plan or arrangement for the benefit of the ENBU's
                 current or former directors, officers, or employees.


                                  (i)   Each such Employee Benefit Plan (and 
                          each related trust, insurance contract, or fund)
                          materially complies in form and in operation in all
                          respects with the applicable requirements of ERISA,
                          the Code, and other applicable laws.


                                  (ii)  All required reports and descriptions
                          (including Form 5500 Annual Reports, Summary Annual
                          Reports and Summary Plan Descriptions) have been filed
                          or distributed appropriately with respect to each such
                          Employee Benefit Plan. The requirements of Part 6 of
                          Subtitle B of Title I of ERISA and of Code Section
                          4980B have been met with respect to each such Employee
                          Benefit Plan which is an Employee Welfare Benefit Plan
                          subject to such Part.


                                  (iii) All contributions (including all
                          employer contributions and employee salary reduction
                          contributions) which are due have been paid to each
                          such Employee Benefit Plan which is an Employee
                          Pension Benefit Plan. All premiums or other payments
                          for all periods ending on or before the Closing Date
                          have been paid with respect to each such Employee
                          Benefit Plan which is an Employee Welfare Benefit
                          Plan.

                                  (iv)  Each such Employee Benefit Plan which is
                          an Employee Pension Plan intended to be qualified
                          under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified.


                                  (v)   The Sellers have delivered to the Buyer
                          correct and complete copies of the plan documents,
                          summary plan descriptions, insurance contracts and
                          similar contractual or descriptive materials with
                          respect to each Employee Benefit Plan listed in
                          Section 3.24 of the Disclosure Letter.


                                      -29-
<PAGE>   35
                          (b) No Employee Benefit Plan that any of the Sellers
                 and their Subsidiaries and the Controlled Group of Corporations
                 which includes the Sellers and their Subsidiaries maintains or
                 ever has maintained or to which any of them contributes, ever
                 has contributed, or ever has been required to contribute has
                 been completely or partially terminated or been the subject of
                 a Reportable Event as to which notices would be required to be
                 filed with the PBGC. There have been no Prohibited Transactions
                 with respect to any Employee Benefit Plan. None of the Sellers
                 has not incurred any Liability to the PBGC (other than PBGC
                 premium payments) or otherwise under Title IV of ERISA
                 (including any withdrawal Liability) or under the Code with
                 respect to any such Employee Benefit Plan which is an Employee
                 Pension Benefit Plan.


                          (c) None of the Sellers, their Subsidiaries and the
                 other members of the Controlled Group of Corporations that
                 includes the Sellers and its Subsidiaries contributes to, ever
                 has contributed to, or ever has been required to contribute to
                 any Multiemployer Plan or has any Liability (including
                 withdrawal Liability) under any Multiemployer Plan.


                          (d) None of the Sellers and their Subsidiaries
                 maintains or has ever maintained, contributed or been required
                 to contribute to any Employee Welfare Benefit Plan providing
                 medical, health, or life insurance or other welfare-type
                 benefits for current or future retired or terminated employees,
                 their spouses, or their dependents (other than in accordance
                 with Code Section 4980B).


                          (e) None of the Sellers and their Subsidiaries
                 maintains or has ever maintained, contributed or been required
                 to contribute to any Employee Benefit Plan that is a defined
                 benefit plan or arrangement.


         3.25.   [Reserved].


         3.26.   Affiliated Transactions.  Except as set forth  in Section  3.26
of the Disclosure Letter, the Sellers and their Affiliates (other than the ENBU)
do not own any asset, tangible or intangible, which is used in the business
relating to the Assets of the ENBU which is not being transferred to Buyer
hereunder as an Acquired Asset, other than Excluded Assets.


         3.27.   [Reserved]


         3.28.   Distributors, Customers, Suppliers. Section 3.28 of the
Disclosure Letter sets forth a complete and accurate list of (i) the ten largest
distributors for the ENBU products indicating the specific product, existing
contractual arrangements, if any, with each such distributor and the volume of
products distributed, (ii) the ten largest customers (by dollar volume) of the
ENBU during the Most Recent Fiscal Year, indicating the existing contractual


                                      -30-
<PAGE>   36
arrangements with each such customer by product and (iii) all suppliers of
significant materials or services to the ENBU, indicating the contractual
arrangements for continued supply from such Person. All distributorship
agreements relating to the Assets of the ENBU are terminable at the election of
the ENBU on not more than 60 days notice and none of such agreements provide
that such distributor has exclusive rights for any geographic area or for any
Product.


         3.29. No Illegal Payments, Etc. To the Knowledge of the
Sellers, none of the Sellers, nor any of the officers, employees or agents of
the ENBU, has (a) directly or indirectly given or agreed to give any illegal
gift, contribution, payment or similar benefit to any supplier, customer,
governmental official or employee or other person who was, is or may be in a
position to help or hinder the Assets of the ENBU (or assist in connection with
any actual or proposed transaction) or made or agreed to make any illegal
contribution, or reimbursed any illegal political gift or contribution made by
any other person, to any candidate for federal, state, local or foreign public
office (i) which may subject the ENBU to any damage or penalty in any civil,
criminal or governmental litigation or proceeding or (ii) the non-continuation
of which has had or might have, individually or in the aggregate, a material
adverse effect on the ENBU or (b) established or maintained any unrecorded fund
or asset or made any false entries on any books or records for any purpose.


         3.30. Books and Records. The books and all corporate (including
minute books and stock record books) and financial records of the ENBU are
complete and correct in all material respects and have been maintained in
accordance with applicable sound business practices, laws and other
requirements.


         3.31. Consents. Section 3.31 of the Disclosure Letter sets
forth a true, correct and complete list of the identities of any Person whose
consent or approval is required and the matter, agreement or contract to which
such consent relates in connection with the transfer, assignment or conveyance
by the Sellers of any of the Acquired Assets.


         3.32. Disclosure. Neither the representations and warranties
contained in this Section 3 (including the Disclosure Letter) nor any
certificate furnished or to be furnished by Sellers to Buyer contains any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in
order to make the statements and information contained in this Section 3 not
misleading. There is no material fact known to the Sellers relating to the ENBU
or the Acquired Assets which may materially adversely affect the same which has
not been disclosed in writing in this Agreement to the Buyer. Notwithstanding
the foregoing sentence, the Sellers make no representation as to the future
financial performance of the business relating to the Assets of the ENBU.


4. Representations and Warranties of Cabletron and Acquisition. The Buyer
   represents and warrants to each of the Sellers that the statements contained
   in this Section 4 are correct and complete as of the date of this Agreement
   and, if different than the date of this Agreement, will be correct and
   complete as of the Closing Date (as though made then and as though the
   Closing Date were substituted for the date of this Agreement throughout this
   Section 4).


                                      -31-
<PAGE>   37
         4.1. Organization of Cabletron and Acquisition. Each of Cabletron and
Acquisition is a corporation duly organized, validly existing, and in good
standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation.


         4.2. Authority for Agreement. Each of Cabletron and Acquisition has
full power and authority (including full corporate power and authority) to
execute and deliver this Agreement and to perform its obligations hereunder.
This Agreement constitutes the valid and legally binding obligation of each of
Cabletron and Acquisition, enforceable in accordance with its terms and
conditions.


         4.3. Noncontravention. Neither the execution and the delivery of this
Agreement, nor the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby
(including the assignments and assumptions referred to in Section 2 above), will
(i) violate any constitution, statute, regulation, rule, injunction, judgment,
order, decree, ruling, charge, or other restriction of any government,
governmental agency, or court to which Cabletron and Acquisition is subject or
any provision of their respective charters or bylaws or (ii) conflict with,
result in a breach of, constitute a default under, result in the acceleration
of, create in any party the right to accelerate, terminate, modify, or cancel,
or require any notice under any agreement, contract, lease, license, instrument,
or other arrangement to which Cabletron and Acquisition is a party or by which
it is bound or to which any of its assets is subject. None of Cabletron nor
Acquisition needs to give any notice to, make any filing with, or obtain any
authorization, consent, or approval of any government or governmental agency in
order for the Parties to consummate the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement (including the assignments and assumptions referred to in Section 2
above), except for filings under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act, which filings have
been made.


         4.4. Brokers' Fees. The Buyer has no Liability or obligation to pay any
fees or commissions to any broker, finder, or agent with respect to the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement for which any of the Sellers could
become liable or obligated.


5. Covenants. The Parties agree as follows:

         5.1. General. Subject to the terms and conditions provided in this
Agreement, each of the Parties will use its reasonable best efforts to take all
action and to do all things necessary, proper, or advisable in order to
consummate and make effective the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
(including satisfaction, but not waiver, of the closing conditions set forth in
Section 6 below).


         5.2. Notices and Consents. Each of the Sellers will give any notices to
third parties, and will use its reasonable best efforts to obtain any third
party consents, that are required to transfer the Acquired Assets to Buyer, and
any other consent that the Buyer may reasonably request. Each of the Parties has
filed any Notification and Report Forms and related material that it may be
required to file with the Federal Trade Commission and the Antitrust Division of
the United States 


                                      -32-
<PAGE>   38
Department of Justice under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act, will use its reasonable
best efforts to obtain an early termination of the applicable waiting period,
and will make any further filings pursuant thereto that may be necessary in
connection therewith, provided that neither party shall be obligated to divest
any part of its business or assets or to agree to forego any business activities
or opportunities, present or future, as a result of such reasonable best efforts
obligation.


         5.3. Preservation of Business. Each of the Sellers will use its
reasonable best efforts to keep the business and properties of the ENBU
substantially intact, including its present operations, physical facilities,
working conditions, and relationships with lessors, licensors, suppliers,
customers, and employees.


        5.4. Full Access. Each of the Sellers will permit representatives of the
Buyer to have full access at all reasonable times, and in a manner so as not to
interfere with the normal business operations of the ENBU, to all premises,
properties, personnel, books, records (including Tax records), contacts, and
documents of or pertaining to the ENBU.


        5.5. Notice of Developments. Each Party will give prompt written notice
to the other Party of any material adverse development causing a breach of any
of its own representations and warranties in Section 3 and Section 4 above. No
disclosure by any Party pursuant to this Section 5.5, however, shall be deemed
to amend or supplement the Disclosure Letter or to prevent or cure any
misrepresentations, breach of warranty, or breach of covenant.


        5.6. Exclusivity. Each of the Sellers will not and will cause
Seller's Subsidiaries, Affiliates, directors, officers, employees,
representatives and agents not to directly or indirectly (i) solicit, initiate
or encourage the submission of any proposal or offer or transaction from any
Person relating to the sale or acquisition of the assets of the ENBU, the Assets
of the ENBU or (ii) participate in any discussions or negotiations regarding,
furnish any information with respect to, assist or participate in, or facilitate
in any other manner any effort or attempt by any Person to do or seek any of the
foregoing. The Sellers will notify the Buyer immediately if any Person makes any
bona fide written proposal, offer, inquiry, or contact with respect to any of
the foregoing.

         5.7. Employee Matters.

              5.7.1. Each of the Sellers agrees to (i) terminate all the
         employees who are engaged in the business relating to the Assets of the
         ENBU who Cabletron intends to hire after the Closing (the "Employees")
         immediately prior to Closing and to pay any and all Liabilities
         relating to such termination, including, without limitation any
         payments and benefits due such Employees pursuant to accrued salary and
         wages, pension, retirement, savings, health, welfare and other benefits
         and severance payments or similar payments of the Employees and (ii)
         provide to all Employees any notice (which notice shall be reasonably
         acceptable to Buyer) required under any law or regulations in respect
         of such termination including, without limitation COBRA.


                                      -33-
<PAGE>   39
              5.7.2. As soon as practicable following Closing and in all events
         within twenty-one days thereafter, Sellers shall pay an amount equal to
         the grossed-up value (assuming an effective average tax rate of 37% for
         all participants) of the 1995 401(k) matching contribution on a fully
         vested basis to those Employees who participated in the Sellers' 401(k)
         savings plan during 1995, including applicable income taxes, FICA and
         similar amounts. Buyer shall reimburse Sellers for the amount of such
         additional payment. As soon as practicable following Closing and in all
         events within twenty-one days thereafter, Sellers shall pay to
         Employees an amount equal to the grossed-up value (assuming an
         effective average tax rate of 37% for all participants) of the unvested
         amount in the accounts of all Employees under Sellers' Plan, taking
         into account all contributions for 1995. Promptly thereafter Sellers
         shall cause the accounts of all Employees under Sellers' Plan, taking
         into account all contributions for 1995, to be distributed or
         transferred in a direct rollover. In connection with such distribution
         or direct rollover, the plan administrator of Sellers' Plan shall
         certify to each distributee, including any plan or IRA accepting a
         rollover or direct rollover, that after taking into account such
         distribution or direct rollover Sellers' Plan is and remains qualified
         under Section 401(a) et seq. of the Code.


              5.7.3. Employees (other than any Employee who is not employed by
         Buyer or who is in an ineligible classification of employees) shall be
         eligible to participate in Buyer's 401(k) plan following Closing
         without regard to the normal entry- date requirements under such plan.


              5.7.4. Any Employee who immediately after the Closing becomes an
         active full-time employee of Buyer shall be eligible to participate in
         Buyer's employee health, life insurance and disability plans as of the
         date such employee commences active employment with the Buyer;
         provided, however, any and all other terms, conditions and exclusions
         of such plans (including, but not limited to, pre-existing condition
         exclusions, actively-at-work requirements, evidence of insurability
         requirements, and nonconfinement/nondisability requirements) shall
         fully apply.

              5.7.5. Contemporaneously with the Closing, Sellers agree to vest
         any unvested options held by any Employees and to extend the period
         during which such options may be exercised to one year following
         Closing.

              5.7.6. After Closing, SMC will promptly pay Employees' accrued 
         vacation through Closing.

         5.8. Retention of and Access to Records after Closing. The Sellers may
retain a single set of copies of any books and records of the ENBU which Sellers
reasonably believe will be required by them for the purpose of: (i) performing
any of Sellers' accounting, public reporting, or other administrative functions
which are performed in the ordinary course of Sellers' business, or (ii)
complying with discovery requests arising in all litigation currently pending
against Sellers or 


                                      -34-
<PAGE>   40
otherwise conducting SMC's defense in such actions. Sellers shall destroy such
copies upon the Sellers' determination that any such copies are no longer
reasonably required by them for either of the purposes set forth in the
preceding sentence. Seller's use, disclosure and disposition of such copies
shall otherwise be governed in accordance with Section 7.1 to the extent that
such copies contain Exclusive Confidential Information. For a period of five
years after the Closing Date, the Sellers and their representatives shall have
reasonable access to any other books and records of the ENBU to the extent that
such access may reasonably be required by any of the Sellers in connection with
matters relating to or affected by the operations of the ENBU prior to the
Closing Date. Such access shall be afforded by Buyer upon receipt of reasonable
advance notice and during normal business hours. Each of the Sellers shall be
solely responsible for any costs or expenses incurred by it pursuant to this
Section 5.8. If Buyer shall desire to dispose of any of such books and records
prior to the expiration of such five-year period, Buyer shall, prior to such
disposition, give the Sellers a reasonable opportunity, at Sellers' expense, to
segregate and remove such books and records as any of the Sellers may select.


         5.9. Bulk Sales Compliance; Liens under Chapter 62C, Section 51 of
the Massachusetts General Laws. Buyer hereby waives compliance by the
Sellers with the provisions of any bulk transfer law which may be applicable to
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Further, the Parties recognize
that the Massachusetts Commissioner of Revenue may not, by Closing, have granted
a waiver of any Tax Lien that might accrue pursuant to Chapter 62C, Section 51
of the Massachusetts General Laws. Buyer hereby consents to such Lien arising
upon the sale of the Acquired Assets; provided, however, that
such consent is conditioned upon Sellers indemnifying and holding harmless Buyer
against and in respect of any Loss (as defined in Section 9.2 below) resulting
from the existence of any Tax Lien on the Acquired Assets under said Section 51.


         5.10. Transfer Taxes. Buyer and Sellers each agree to bear fifty
percent of any Massachusetts sales and use Taxes on the transfer of the Acquired
Assets hereunder, including any such Taxes which may be imposed in the event
Sellers do not obtain a clearance certificate from the Massachusetts
Commissioner of Revenue. Sellers have applied for a clearance certificate and
shall use their best efforts to obtain such certificate.

         5.11. Product Warranty Repair and Service. Buyer agrees that for a
period of 18 months following Closing, Buyer shall perform the warranty work for
products sold by Sellers prior to the Closing date pursuant to Buyer's normal
repair or replacement procedures. To the extent that Buyer's actual costs for
providing such warranty work does not exceed the warranty reserve on the Most
Recent Balance Sheet, Buyer shall bear all costs of such warranty without
reimbursement from Sellers. However, Buyer shall be entitled to indemnification
by Sellers pursuant to the procedures set forth in Section 9.2 below to the
extent that Buyer's cost of providing such warranty work for products for which
Sellers' standard warranty had not yet expired exceeds the amount of such
warranty reserves. In the event that Buyer shall determine to provide additional
warranty work beyond the applicable warranty provided by Seller, the cost of
providing such optional warranty work shall be borne by Buyer, and Buyer shall
not be entitled to indemnification or credit in connection with such optional
warranty work. In addition, Buyer 


                                      -35-
<PAGE>   41
shall not be entitled to credit or indemnification for the incremental cost of
providing new replacement products instead of repaired products, where a
repaired product would be adequate to satisfy Sellers' warranty obligation.

         In addition, SMC shall indemnify Buyer pursuant to the procedures set
forth in Section 9.2 below for liability incurred by Buyer due to Epidemic
Failure. Such liability shall be deemed to be Buyer's direct costs due to
repair, replacement and product recalls in the event of an Epidemic Failure. An
Epidemic Failure shall be deemed to be a repetitive failure of a product
originating from a single cause which has such severity and frequency of
occurrence that the exercise of reasonable product business practice would
require a product recall, repair or replacement. Liability for product warranty
and repair and servicing shall be allocated among the Parties as provided in
Sections 2.3, 2.4 and 9.


         5.12. Delivery of Audited Financial Statements. On or before
January 19, 1996, SMC shall deliver to Buyer an audited balance sheet (statement
of assets and liabilities) and a statement of revenues and expenses for the
fiscal year ended February 28, 1995 for the Acquired Assets acquired by Buyer,
subject to the Assumed Liabilities (the "Audited Financial Statements"). The
Audited Financial Statements shall be prepared in accordance with GAAP applied
on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered thereby and shall be
consistent with the books and records of the ENBU. Sellers shall deliver,
together with the Audited Financial Statements, an opinion of Sellers'
independent auditors, Arthur Andersen & Co., that the Audited Financial
Statements present fairly the financial condition and results of operations of
the business relating to the Assets of the ENBU. Sellers shall make available to
Buyer and Buyer's auditors Sellers' work papers and backup materials used in the
preparation of the Audited Financial Statements.


         5.13. License of Trademarks. In order to effect the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, (i) after the Closing, Sellers agree to and
hereby do license on a nonexclusive, royalty-free basis for the limited purpose
of the sale and resale of the Inventory the trademarks EliteView(TM) and
TigerSwitch(TM) and (ii) after the Closing, Buyer agrees to and hereby does
license on a nonexclusive, royalty-free basis, for the limited purpose of using
existing sales collateral and packaging and similar items retained by Seller,
the ENBU trademarks purchased by Buyer pursuant to this Agreement.


         5.14. Cooperation in Connection with Pending Litigation. Buyer agrees
to cooperate in Sellers' defense of any litigation pending against Sellers on
the date of Closing as required by law or as otherwise reasonably necessary,
including making Employees reasonably available to the extent doing so would not
unduly interfere with Buyer's business. Sellers agree to pay all reasonable
out-of-pocket costs incurred by Buyer in connection with such cooperation. The
foregoing shall not apply to Penril Datacomm, Inc. v. Standard Microsystems
Corporation, et. al., Case No. 106878, which is the subject of a separate letter
between the Parties.


         5.15. General Skill and Knowledge. Each of the Parties agree that
employees of Sellers who are either retained by Sellers or terminated by Sellers
and hired by Buyer may use the general 


                                      -36-
<PAGE>   42
skill and knowledge they have developed in the future business of Sellers or
Buyer, as the case may be.


         5.16. Relationship with Nu-Link. SMC and Buyer agree that neither of
them shall enter into any agreement with Nu-Link, Inc. that prohibits Nu-Link,
Inc. from entering into an agreement with the other.


         5.17. License under Multimedia Patent. In order to effect the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, after the Closing, Buyer agrees to
and hereby does grant to Sellers the rights with respect to the Multimedia
Patent set forth in Section 2.2(d).


         5.18. Trillium Software. Sellers agree to use their reasonable best
efforts to cause Trillium to grant to Buyer a license for the Trillium software
being transferred to the Buyer satisfactory to Buyer granting the Buyer rights
equivalent to the rights held by the Sellers in such software.


6. Conditions to Obligation to Close.


         6.1. Conditions to Obligation of the Buyer. The obligation of the Buyer
to consummate the transactions to be performed by it in connection with the
Closing is subject to satisfaction of the following conditions:


                 (a) Representations and Warranties. The representations and
              warranties set forth in Section 3 above shall be true and correct
              in all material respects when made and on and as of the Closing
              Date;


                 (b) Performance by the Sellers. Each of the Sellers shall have
              performed and complied with all of its covenants, agreements and
              obligations hereunder in all material respects through the
              Closing;

                 (c) Consents. The Sellers shall have procured all of the
              governmental approvals, consents or authorizations and third party
              consents specified in Section 3.31 and Section 5.2 above;


                 (d) Absence of Litigation. No action, suit, or proceeding not
              set forth in the Disclosure Letter shall be pending or threatened
              before any court or quasi-judicial or administrative agency of any
              federal, state, local, or foreign jurisdiction wherein an
              unfavorable injunction, judgment, order, decree, ruling, or charge
              would (i) prevent consummation of any of the transactions
              contemplated by this Agreement, (ii) cause any of the transactions
              contemplated by this Agreement to be rescinded following
              consummation, (iii) materially and adversely affect the right of
              the Buyer to own the Acquired Assets, to operate the former Assets
              of the ENBU (and no such injunction, judgment, order, decree,
              ruling, or charge shall be in effect);


                                      -37-
<PAGE>   43
                 (e) Absence of Material Adverse Change. There shall not have
              occurred any material adverse change in the condition, financial
              or otherwise, business, properties, assets or prospects of the
              business relating to the Assets of the ENBU.


                 (f) Absence of Disasters. The business relating to the
              Assets of the ENBU shall not have been materially adversely
              affected in any way as a result of fire, explosion, disaster,
              accident, labor dispute, flood, act of war, civil disturbance, or
              act of God.


                 (g) Anti-trust Matters. All applicable waiting periods (and any
              extensions thereof) under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act shall have
              expired or otherwise been terminated;


                 (h) Employment and Noncompetition Agreements. The Employment
              Agreement dated as of December 22, 1995 by and between Acquisition
              and Ashraf M. Dahod shall not be in default and be in full force
              and effect;


                 (i) Notices. The Sellers shall have sent termination notices to
              employees as contemplated by Section 5.7;


                 (j) Tax Clearance Certificates. The Sellers shall have made
              application for and be using best efforts to obtain as soon as
              possible a certificate of the Massachusetts Commissioner of
              Revenue waiving any Taxes under Chapter 62C, Section 44 of the
              Massachusetts General Laws and a waiver of any Tax lien on the
              Acquired Assets that might accrue pursuant to Chapter 62C, Section
              51 of the Massachusetts General Laws.

                 (k) Certificates. The Sellers shall have delivered to the Buyer
              a certificate to the effect that each of the conditions specified
              above in Section 6.1(a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (i) and (j) are
              satisfied in all respects;


                 (l) F.I.R.P.T.A. Certificate. The Sellers shall have delivered
              to the Buyer the certificate contemplated by Section 3.14(d).


                 (m) Termination. The Sellers shall have terminated, effective
              as of or prior to the date of the Closing, the contracts and
              agreements set forth in Schedule 6.1(m).


                 (n) Opinion. The Buyer shall have received from the Sellers a
              corporate opinion, in form and substance as set forth in Exhibit E
              attached hereto, addressed to the Buyer, and dated as of the
              Closing Date; Buyer shall have received an opinion of patent
              counsel for Sellers as to the Sellers application for U.S. Letters
              Patent known as Multimedia Bandwidth Accelerator, Serial No.
              08/428,403 in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Buyer;


                                      -38-
<PAGE>   44
                 (o) Escrow Agreement. The Sellers shall have executed and
              delivered the Escrow Agreement, in form and substance the same or
              substantially the same as the Escrow Agreement set forth as
              Exhibit A;


                 (p) Product Agreement. The Sellers shall have executed and
              delivered the Product Agreement, in form and substance the same or
              substantially similar to the Product Agreement set forth as
              Exhibit G;


                 (q) Assignment of Patent Application. The Sellers shall have
              executed and delivered the Assignment of Patent Application, in
              form and substance the same or substantially similar to the
              Assignment of Patent Application set forth as Exhibit H; and


                 (r) Payment of Sellers to Buyer. Sellers shall pay Buyer by
              wire transfer $1,900,000.

The Closing shall not be deemed a waiver of any breach by the Sellers of the
Agreement or any of the Sellers' representations and warranties.


         6.2. Conditions to Obligations of the Sellers. The obligation of the 
Sellers to consummate the transactions to be performed by them in connection
with the Closing is subject to satisfaction of the following conditions:


                 (a) Representations and Warranties. The representations and
              warranties set forth in Section 4 above shall be true and correct
              in all material respects at and as of the Closing Date;

                 (b) Performance by Buyer. The Buyer shall have performed and
              complied with all of its covenants hereunder in all material
              respects through the Closing;


                 (c) Absence of Litigation. No action, suit, or proceeding shall
              be pending or threatened before any court or quasi-judicial or
              administrative agency of any federal, state, local, or foreign
              jurisdiction wherein an unfavorable injunction, judgment, order,
              decree, ruling, or charge would (A) prevent consummation of any of
              the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or (B) cause any
              of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement to be rescinded
              following consummation (and no such injunction, judgment, order,
              decree, ruling, or charge shall be in effect);


                 (d) Certificates. The Buyer shall have delivered to the Sellers
              a certificate to the effect that each of the conditions specified
              above in Section 6.2(a)-(c) is satisfied in all respects;


                                      -39-
<PAGE>   45
                 (e) Anti-trust Matters. All applicable waiting periods (and any
              extensions thereof) under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act shall have
              expired or otherwise been terminated;


                 (f) Opinion. The Sellers shall have received from counsel to
              the Buyer an opinion in form and substance as set forth in Exhibit
              F attached hereto, addressed to the Sellers, and dated as of the
              Closing Date.

The Closing shall not be deemed a waiver of any breach by the Buyer of the
Agreement or any of the Buyer's representations and warranties.


7. Confidentiality.


         7.1. Confidential Information Related Exclusively to the Business
Relating to the Assets of the ENBU. Each of the Sellers will treat and hold as
confidential all of the Confidential Information related exclusively to the
Acquired Assets (other than the Acquired Assets identified in Sections
2.1(f)(ii) and 2.1(h)(ii)) and all other Confidential Information related
exclusively to the business relating to the Assets of the ENBU (the "Exclusive
Confidential Information"), refrain from using any of the Exclusive Confidential
Information except in connection with this Agreement, and will use reasonable
best efforts to deliver promptly to the Buyer or destroy, at the request and
option of the Buyer, all tangible embodiments (and, except as set forth in
Section 5.8, all copies) of the Exclusive Confidential Information which are in
his or its possession. In the event that any of the Sellers is requested or
required (by oral question or request for information or documents in any legal
proceeding, interrogatory, subpoena, civil investigative demand, or similar
process) to disclose any Exclusive Confidential Information, such Seller will
notify the Buyer promptly of the request or requirement so that the Buyer may
seek an appropriate protective order or waive compliance with the provisions of
this Section 7.1. If, in the absence of a protective order or the receipt of a
waiver hereunder, any of the Sellers is, on the advice of counsel, compelled by
any government agency or court to disclose any Exclusive Confidential
Information, then such Seller may disclose the Exclusive Confidential
Information; provided, however, that the disclosing Seller shall use his or its
best efforts to obtain, at the request of the Buyer, an order or other assurance
that confidential treatment will be accorded to such portion of the Exclusive
Confidential Information required to be disclosed as the Buyer shall designate.


         7.2. Shared Confidential Information. Each of the Parties will
treat and hold as confidential all of the Confidential Information other than
the Exclusive Confidential Information (the "Shared Confidential Information")
and will use such Shared Confidential Information only for purposes consistent
with this Agreement. In the event that any of the Parties is requested or
required (by oral question or request for information or documents in any legal
proceeding, interrogatory, subpoena, civil investigative demand, or similar
process) to disclose any Shared Confidential Information, such Party will notify
the other Parties promptly of the request or requirement so that the such other
Parties may seek an appropriate protective order or waive compliance with the
provisions of this Section 7.2. If, in the absence of a protective order or the
receipt of a waiver hereunder, any of the Parties is, on the advice of counsel,
compelled by any 


                                      -40-
<PAGE>   46
government agency or court to disclose any Shared Confidential Information, then
such Party may disclose such Shared Confidential Information; provided, however,
that the disclosing Party shall use his or its best efforts to obtain, at the
request of another Party, an order or other assurance that confidential
treatment will be accorded to such portion of the Shared Confidential
Information required to be disclosed as the other Party shall designate.


8. Noncompetition.


         8.1. Noncompetition. The Sellers agree, for themselves and
their subsidiaries and any entity which they control, that, in consideration of
the purchase by the Buyer hereunder, they shall not, on or prior to the date
which is three (3) years after the Closing Date (the "Restricted Period"),
directly or indirectly, run, own, manage, operate, control, invest (other than
for minority investments) or participate in any business, venture or activity
which engages in the business of backbone enterprise level switching solutions,
including ES/1 class switches, in direct sale to end users and in Fortune 1000
class organizations markets; provided, however, that the Sellers continue to
have the right during the Restricted Period and thereafter, to engage in the
Sellers' current LAN businesses (other than backbone enterprise level switching
solutions, including ES/1 class switches) and in workgroup switching and fast
Ethernet switching, in the sale of either: (i) products for the low- to
mid-range LAN markets or (ii) products which are appropriate for two-step
distribution. Any products that Sellers are permitted to sell pursuant to the
foregoing provision may be sold by Sellers in any market, through any channel or
directly to customers, and to any customer desired by Sellers. The foregoing
provision shall not bind or otherwise apply to any Person which merges or
consolidates with SMC with the result that SMC is not the surviving entity or
purchases all or substantially all of the assets of SMC, the Desktop Networks
Business Unit or the business related to the Retained Products set forth on
Schedule 1.1 and upon such transaction, the covenant set forth in this Section
8.1 shall terminate as to such transferred businesses.


         8.2. Each of the Parties agree that for a period of two (2) years from
and after the Closing Date it will not, without the consent of the other Party,
directly or indirectly solicit or initiate contact with any of the employees of
the other Party with a view of inducing or encouraging such employees to leave
the employ of the other Party for the purpose of being hired by the soliciting
Party or an employer affiliated with it. Mass media advertising of open
positions, job fairs and other recruiting programs not directed at specific
individuals shall not in and of themselves be deemed solicitation or initiation
of contact for purposes of this paragraph.


9. Indemnification.


         9.1. Survival of Representations and Warranties. All of the
representations and warranties of the Sellers (except for those contained in
Section 3.6 and Section 3.14) contained herein or in any document certificate or
other instrument required to be delivered hereunder shall survive the Closing
and continue in full force and effect until 18 months after Closing, after which
such representations and warranties shall terminate. All of the representations
and warranties of the Buyer contained in Section 4 shall survive the Closing and
shall continue in full force and effect until 18 months after


                                      -41-
<PAGE>   47
Closing. The representations and warranties of the Sellers contained in
Section 3.6 and 3.14 shall survive the Closing and shall continue in full force
and effect without limit as to time (subject to any applicable statutes of
limitations).


         9.2. Indemnity by Sellers. SMC hereby agrees to indemnify,
defend and hold harmless Buyer and its directors, officers and Affiliates
against and in respect of all Liabilities, obligations, judgments, Liens,
injunctions, charges, orders, decrees, rulings, damages, dues, assessments,
Taxes, losses, fines, penalties, expenses, fees, costs, amounts paid in
settlement (including reasonable attorneys' and expert witness fees and
disbursements in connection with investigating, defending or settling any action
or threatened action), in each case net of (i) income tax benefits to the Buyer
to the extent realized by the Buyer in the Tax year in which the Loss occurred
and (ii) insurance proceeds if and when actually received by the Buyer,
provided, however, that Buyer shall retain the right in its sole discretion to
determine whether to pursue such claims by, through or against an insurer or to
bring such claims directly or indirectly against the Sellers pursuant to this
Section 9.2, arising out of any claim, damages, complaint, demand, cause of
action, audit, investigation, hearing, action, suit or other proceeding asserted
or initiated or otherwise existing in respect of any matter (collectively, the
"Losses") that results from:


                 (a) the inaccuracy of any representation or warranty made by
              Sellers herein which Buyer has not received express written notice
              of prior to Closing, or resulting from any misrepresentation,
              breach of warranty as if all materiality provisions were not
              contained therein or nonfulfillment of any agreement or covenant
              of Sellers contained herein (including the Disclosure Letter and
              Exhibits hereto, excluding the Product Agreement) or in any
              agreement or instrument required to be entered into in connection
              herewith or from any misrepresentation in or omission from any
              schedule, document, certificate or other instrument required to be
              furnished by Sellers hereunder; provided, however, that SMC shall
              be liable under this Section 9.2(a) in respect of Losses only to
              the extent that the aggregate of such Losses exceeds $500,000 in
              which case the Sellers will be liable for the amount of such
              Losses in excess of $500,000 up to an aggregate amount equal to
              $7,700,000;


                 (b) any Liability of the Sellers or the ENBU which is not an
              Assumed Liability (including any Liability which is not an assumed
              Liability of the Sellers or the ENBU that becomes a Liability of
              the Buyer under any bulk transfer law of any jurisdiction, under
              any common law doctrine of de facto merger or successor liability,
              or otherwise by operation of law); and


                 (c) any Liability in respect of any Taxes relating to the
              Assets of the ENBU attributable to periods beginning before and
              ending on the Closing Date.

In the event that SMC may be obliged to indemnify Buyer under both subsection
(a) and subsection (b) or subsection (c) of this Section 9.2, its obligations
under subsection (b) or subsection (c), as the case may be, shall be controlling
and the limitations provided in Sections 9.1 and 9.2(a) 


                                      -42-
<PAGE>   48
hereof relating to its obligations in respect of Losses resulting from the
inaccuracy of any representation and warranty, or any misrepresentation, breach
of warranty or non-fulfillment of an agreement or covenant as described in
Section 9.2(a), shall not apply. Buyer shall provide Sellers written notice for
any claim made in respect of the indemnification provided in this Section 9.2,
whether or not arising out of a claim by a third party.


         9.3. Environmental Indemnification. Notwithstanding any other provision
of this Agreement to the contrary, this Section 9.3 shall control and limit
Sellers' obligation to indemnify Buyer for Environmental Liabilities and Costs
and Safety Liabilities and Costs. Sellers agree to indemnify and hold harmless
Buyer against any Losses relating to Environmental Liabilities and Costs and
Safety Liabilities and Costs to the extent arising out of any condition existing
at or prior to Closing which constitutes a violation of or gives rise to a duty
to remediate under Environmental Laws or Safety Laws which occurred on property
which is owned or leased by Sellers or on property which is not owned or leased
by Sellers relating to the business relating to the Assets of the ENBU, without
limit in point of time, knowledge or amount.


         9.4. Indemnity by Buyer. Buyer hereby agrees to indemnify, defend and
hold harmless Sellers and their respective directors, officers and Affiliates
against and in respect of all Liabilities, obligations, judgments, liens,
injunctions, charges, orders, decrees, rulings, damages, dues, assessments,
Taxes, losses, fines, penalties, damages, expenses, fees, costs, amounts paid in
settlement (including reasonable attorneys' and expert witness fees and
disbursements in connection with investigating, defending or settling any action
or threatened action) arising out of any claim, complaint, demand, cause of
action, audit, investigation, hearing, action, suit or other proceeding asserted
or initiated in respect of any matter that results from the inaccuracy of any
representation or warranty made by Buyer herein, or resulting from any
misrepresentation, breach of warranty or nonfulfillment of any agreement or
covenant of Buyer, including Buyer's agreement to assume certain Liabilities of
the ENBU pursuant to Section 2.2 of this Agreement, contained herein or in any
agreement or instrument required to be entered into in connection herewith or
from any misrepresentation in or omission from any schedule, document,
certificate or other instrument required to be furnished by Buyer hereunder.


         9.5. Matters Involving Third Parties.


                 (a) If any third party shall notify any Party (the "Indemnified
              Party") with respect to any matter (a "Third Party Claim") which
              may give rise to a claim for indemnification against any other
              Party (the "Indemnifying Party") under this Section 9, then the
              Indemnified Party shall promptly notify each Indemnifying Party
              thereof in writing; provided, however, that no delay on the part
              of the Indemnified Party in notifying any Indemnifying Party shall
              relieve the Indemnifying Party from any obligation hereunder
              unless (and then solely to the extent) the Indemnifying Party
              thereby is prejudiced.


                                      -43-
<PAGE>   49
                (b) Any Indemnifying Party will have the right to defend the
              Indemnified Party against the Third Party Claim with counsel of
              its choice reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Party so
              long as (A) the Indemnifying Party notifies the Indemnified Party
              in writing within 15 days after the Indemnified Party has given
              notice of the Third Party Claim that the Indemnifying Party will
              indemnify the Indemnified Party from and against the entirety of
              any Losses the Indemnified Party may suffer resulting from,
              arising out of, relating to, in the nature of, or caused by the
              Third Party Claim, (B) the Indemnifying Party provides the
              Indemnified Party with evidence reasonably acceptable to the
              Indemnified Party that the Indemnifying Party will have the
              financial resources to defend against the Third Party Claim and
              fulfill its indemnification obligations hereunder, (C) the Third
              Party Claim involves only money damages and does not seek an
              injunction or other equitable relief, and (D) settlement of, or an
              adverse judgment with respect to, the Third Party Claim is not, in
              the good faith judgment of the Indemnified Party, likely to result
              in a material restriction upon the business practices of the
              Indemnified Party in respect of the Assets of the ENBU, and (E)
              the Indemnifying Party conducts the defense of the Third Party
              Claim actively and diligently.


                 (c) So long as the Indemnifying Party is conducting the defense
              of the Third Party Claim in accordance with Section 9.2(b) above,
              (A) the Indemnified Party may retain separate co-counsel at its
              sole cost and expense and participate in the defense of the Third
              Party Claim, (B) the Indemnified Party will not consent to the
              entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement with respect to
              the Third Party Claim without the prior written consent of the
              Indemnifying Party (which consent shall not unreasonably be
              withheld), and (C) the Indemnifying Party will not consent to the
              entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement with respect to
              the Third Party Claim unless written agreement is obtained
              releasing the Indemnified Party from all liability thereunder. The
              Indemnified Party shall cooperate in all reasonable respects with
              the Indemnifying Party and such attorneys in the investigation,
              trial and defense of such lawsuit or action and any appeal arising
              therefrom.


                 (d) In the event any of the conditions in Section 9.2(b) above
              is or becomes unsatisfied, however, (A) the Indemnified Party may
              defend against, and consent to the entry of any judgment or enter
              into any settlement with respect to, the Third Party Claim in any
              manner it may deem appropriate (and the Indemnified Party need not
              consult with, or obtain any consent from, any Indemnifying Party
              in connection therewith), (B) the Indemnifying Parties will
              reimburse the Indemnified Party promptly and periodically for the
              costs of defending against the Third Party Claim (including
              attorneys' fees and expenses), and (C) the Indemnifying Parties
              will remain responsible for any Losses the Indemnified Party may
              suffer resulting from, arising out of, relating to, in the nature
              of, or caused by the Third Party Claim to the fullest extent
              provided in this Section 9.


                                      -44-
<PAGE>   50
         9.6. Other Indemnification Provisions. Each of the Sellers
hereby agrees that it will not make any claim for indemnification against any of
the Buyer and its Subsidiaries solely by reason of the fact that he or it was a
director, officer, employee, or agent of the Sellers, the ENBU or was serving at
the request of any such entity as a partner, trustee, director, officer,
employee, or agent of another entity (whether such claim is for judgments,
damages, penalties, fines, costs, amounts paid in settlement, losses, expenses,
or otherwise and whether such claim is pursuant to any statute, charter
document, bylaw, agreement, or otherwise) with respect to any action, suit,
proceeding, complaint, claim, or demand brought by the Buyer against such
Sellers (whether such action, suit, proceeding, complaint, claim, or demand is
pursuant to this Agreement, applicable law, or otherwise) unless the underlying
claim is an Assumed Liability.


10. Termination.


         10.1. Termination of Agreement. Certain of the Parties may terminate
this Agreement as provided below.


                 (a) the Parties may terminate this Agreement by mutual written
              consent at any time prior to the Closing;


                 (b) the Buyer may terminate this Agreement by giving written
              notice to SMC at any time prior to the Closing (A) in the event
              any of the Sellers has breached any representation, warranty, or
              covenant contained in this Agreement in any material respect, the
              Buyer has notified such Seller of the breach, and the breach has
              continued without cure for a period of 30 days after the notice of
              breach or (B) if the Closing shall not have occurred on or before
              the earliest to occur of 45 days after the expiration or other
              termination of all applicable waiting periods under the
              Hart-Scott-Rodino-Act and February 29, 1996, by reason of the
              failure of any condition precedent under Section 6.1 hereof
              (unless the failure results primarily from the Buyer itself
              breaching any representation, warranty, or covenant contained in
              this Agreement); and


                 (c) SMC may terminate this Agreement by giving written notice
              to the Buyer at any time prior to the Closing (A) in the event the
              Buyer has breached any representation, warranty, or covenant
              contained in this Agreement in any material respect, SMC has
              notified the Buyer of the breach, and the breach has continued
              without cure for a period of 30 days after the notice of breach or
              (B) if the Closing shall not have occurred on or before the
              earliest to occur of 45 days after the expiration or other
              termination of all applicable waiting periods under the
              Hart-Scott-Rodino-Act and February 29, 1996, by reason of the
              failure of any condition precedent under Section 6.2 hereof
              (unless the failure results primarily from the Company itself
              breaching any representation, warranty, or covenant contained in
              this Agreement).


                                      -45-
<PAGE>   51
         10.2. Effect of Termination. If any Party terminates this Agreement
pursuant to Section 10.1 above, all rights and obligations of the Parties
hereunder shall terminate without any Liability of any Party to any other Party
(except for any Liability of any Party then in breach).

11. Miscellaneous.


         11.1. Press Releases and Public Announcements. No Party shall
issue any press release or make any public announcement relating to the subject
matter of this Agreement prior to the Closing without the prior written approval
of the other Party; provided, however, that any Party may make any public
disclosure it believes in good faith is required by applicable law or any
listing or trading agreement concerning its publicly-traded securities (in which
case the disclosing Party will advise the other Party prior to making the
disclosure).


         11.2. No Third Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement shall not confer any
rights or remedies upon any Person other than the Parties and their respective
successors and permitted assigns.


         11.3. Entire Agreement. This Agreement (including the documents
referred to herein and attached hereto) constitutes the entire agreement between
the Parties and supersedes any prior understandings, agreements, or
representations by or between the Parties, written or oral, to the extent they
related in any way to the subject matter hereof, including but not limited to
the Confidentiality Agreement between Cabletron and SMC dated October 20, 1995.

         11.4. Succession and Assignment. This Agreement shall be binding upon
and inure to the benefit of the Parties named herein and their respective
successors and permitted assigns. No Party may assign either this Agreement or
any of its rights, interests, or obligations hereunder without the prior written
approval of the other Party; provided, however, that the Buyer may (i) assign
any or all of its rights and interests hereunder to one or more of its
Affiliates and (ii) designate one or more of its Affiliates to perform its
obligations hereunder and that the Sellers may assign any or all of their rights
and interests, but not its obligations, hereunder to a wholly-owned subsidiary
of SMC.


         11.5. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original but all of which
together will constitute one and the same instrument.


         11.6. Headings. The section headings contained in this Agreement are
inserted for convenience only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or
interpretation of this Agreement.


         11.7. Notices. All notices, requests, demands, claims, and other
communications hereunder will be in writing. Any notice, request, demand, claim,
or other communication hereunder shall be deemed duly given (i) upon
confirmation of facsimile, (ii) when sent by overnight delivery and (iii) when
mailed by registered or certified mail return receipt requested and postage
prepaid at the following address:


                                      -46-
<PAGE>   52
         If to the Sellers:

              Standard Microsystems Corporation
              80 Arkay Drive
              Hauppauge, New York  11788
              Tel:  516-434-2803
              Fax:  516-273-5550
              Attention: Paul Richman

         Copy to:

              Tor Braham
              Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich & Rosati, Professional Corporation
              650 Page Mill Road
              Palo Alto, CA 94304
              Tel:  415-493-9300
              Fax:  415-493-6811

         If to the Buyer:

              Cabletron Systems, Inc.
              P.O. Box 6257
              Rochester, New Hampshire
              Tel:  603-332-9400
              Fax:  603-332-4616
              Attention:  David J. Kirkpatrick

         Copy to:

              Lauren I. Norton
              Ropes & Gray
              One International Place
              Boston, Massachusetts
              Tel:  617-951-7000
              Fax:  617-951-7050

Any Party may send any notice, request, demand, claim, or other communication
hereunder to the intended recipient at the address set forth above using any
other means (including personal delivery, expedited courier, messenger service,
telecopy, telex, ordinary mail, or electronic mail), but no such notice,
request, demand, claim, or other communication shall be deemed to have been duly
given unless and until it actually is received by the intended recipient. Any
Party may change 


                                      -47-
<PAGE>   53
the address to which notices, requests, demands, claims, and other
communications hereunder are to be delivered by giving the other Party notice in
the manner herein set forth.

         11.8.  Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the domestic laws of the State of Delaware without
giving effect to any choice or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the
State of Delaware or any other jurisdiction) that would cause the application of
the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Delaware.

         11.9.  Amendments and Waivers. No amendment of any provision of
this Agreement shall be valid unless the same shall be in writing and signed by
the Buyer and the Sellers. No waiver by any Party of any default,
misrepresentation, or breach of warranty or covenant hereunder, whether
intentional or not, shall be deemed to extend to any prior or subsequent
default, misrepresentation, or breach of warranty or covenant hereunder or
affect in any way any rights arising by virtue of any prior or subsequent such
occurrence.

         11.10. Severability. Any term or provision of this Agreement
that is invalid or unenforceable in any situation in any jurisdiction shall not
affect the validity or enforceability of the remaining terms and provisions
hereof or the validity or enforceability of the offending term or provision in
any other situation or in any other jurisdiction.

         11.11. Expenses. Each of the Buyer and the Sellers will bear his or its
own costs and expenses (including legal fees and expenses) and the Sellers will
bear all of the costs and expenses (including legal fees and expenses) of the
ENBU incurred in connection with this Agreement and the transactions
contemplated hereby. Sellers will bear all fees of Robertson Stephens & Company,
L. P., and any associated costs and expenses.

         11.12. Construction. The Parties have participated jointly in
the negotiation and drafting of this Agreement. In the event an ambiguity or
question of intent or interpretation arises, this Agreement shall be construed
as if drafted jointly by the Parties and no presumption or burden of proof shall
arise favoring or disfavoring any Party by virtue of the authorship of any of
the provisions of this Agreement. Any reference to any federal, state, local, or
foreign statute or law shall be deemed also to refer to all rules and
regulations promulgated thereunder, unless the context requires otherwise. The
word "including" shall mean including without limitation. For purposes of the
Disclosure Letter, each disclosure: (i) applies only to the particular section
referenced unless a disclosure is specifically cross-referenced in a separate
section or otherwise clearly and unambiguously applies to another section; and
(ii) shall be deemed to adequately disclose an exception to a representation or
warranty only where such disclosure expressly identifies the exception. Without
limiting the generality of the foregoing, the mere identification (or inclusion
of a copy) of a document or other item shall not be deemed adequate to disclose
an exception to a representation or warranty made herein (unless the
representation or warranty has to do with the existence of the document or other
item itself) unless a review of such item would provide a reasonable disclosure
of such exception. The Parties intend that each representation, warranty, and
covenant contained herein shall have independent significance. If any Party has

                                      -48-
<PAGE>   54
breached any representation, warranty, or covenant contained herein in any
respect, the fact that there exists another representation, warranty, or
covenant relating to the same subject matter (regardless of the relative levels
of specificity) which the Party has not breached shall not detract from or
mitigate the fact that the Party is in breach of the first representation,
warranty, or covenant.

         11.13. Incorporation of Exhibits and Schedules. The Exhibits and
Schedules identified in this Agreement are incorporated herein by reference and
made a part hereof.

         11.14. Specific Performance. Each of the Parties acknowledges
and agrees that the other Party would be damaged irreparably in the event any of
the provisions of this Agreement are not performed in accordance with their
specific terms or otherwise are breached. Accordingly, each of the Parties
agrees that the other Party shall be entitled to an injunction or injunctions to
prevent breaches of the provisions of this Agreement and to enforce specifically
this Agreement and the terms and provisions hereof in any action instituted in
any court of the United States or any state thereof having jurisdiction over the
Parties and the matter in addition to any other remedy to which it may be
entitled, at law or in equity.

         11.15. Resolution of Disputes.

              11.15.1. If a dispute arises between the parties relating to this
         Agreement, it shall be resolved solely in accordance with the following
         procedures. Either Party may call a meeting by written notice to be
         attended by individuals with decision-making authority regarding the
         dispute. Within ten days of the initial request, the Parties will meet
         and attempt to resolve the dispute. If the Parties are unable to
         resolve the dispute at such meeting, either Party may, within five days
         of such meeting, call a meeting by written notice to be attended by the
         Chief Executive Officer of SMC and the Chief Operating Officer of
         Cabletron. Within ten days of the initial request, the Chief Executive
         Officer of SMC and the Chief Operating Officer of Cabletron will meet
         and attempt to resolve the dispute.

              11.15.2. If the Chief Executive Officer of SMC and the Chief
         Operating Officer of Cabletron are unable to resolve the dispute at
         their meeting, either Party may, within five days of such meeting,
         submit the dispute to expedited mediation under the Commercial
         Mediation Rules of the American Arbitration Association ("AAA"). The
         mediator shall not have authority to impose a settlement upon the
         parties to the dispute, but will attempt to assist them in reaching a
         satisfactory resolution of the dispute. The mediator shall end such
         mediation whenever, in his or her judgment, further efforts at
         mediation would not contribute to resolution of the dispute. If the
         dispute is not resolved through mediation in ten days from submission
         of the dispute to the mediator, either Party may terminate mediation.

                                      -49-
<PAGE>   55
              11.15.3. Upon termination of mediation, the Parties may avail
         themselves of any remedies that are available under this Agreement and
         applicable law, including litigation.


              11.15.4. In addition to the procedures set forth in subsections
         11.15.1 through 11.15.3, in the event of a dispute arising from conduct
         by one Party that is likely to cause irreparable harm to another Party,
         such other Party may, at its option, bring an action in state or
         federal court solely for the purpose of obtaining an injunction
         maintaining the status quo ante during the pendency of the other
         procedures specified in subsections 11.15.1 through 11.15.3.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties hereto have executed this Agreement on
the date first above written.


                            CABLETRON SYSTEMS, INC.

                            By: /s/ Craig R. Benson
                                -----------------------------------------------
                                Craig R. Benson
                                Chairman, Chief Operating Officer and Treasurer


                            CABLETRON SYSTEMS ACQUISITION, INC.

                            By: /s/ Craig R. Benson
                                -----------------------------------------------
                                Craig R. Benson
                                Treasurer


                            STANDARD MICROSYSTEMS CORPORATION

                            By: /s/ Paul Richman
                                -----------------------------------------------
                                Paul Richman
                                Chairman and Chief Executive Officer


                            SMC ENTERPRISE NETWORKS, INC.

                            By: /s/ Paul Richman
                                -----------------------------------------------
                                Paul Richman
                                President


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