Enterasys Networks' NetSight Automated Security Manager Named SearchN

    Business Editors/Technology Editors

    ANDOVER, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 25, 2005--

    ASM leads the industry in integrating intrusion-detection capabilities and policy-enabled network switches to automatically detect, locate and respond to threats

    Enterasys Networks(R) (NYSE: ETS), the Secure Networks Company(TM), today announced that its NetSight(R) Automated Security Manager (ASM) has won SearchNetworking.com's prestigious 'Product of the Year' Gold Award for Network Security Devices and Tools. This is the fourth major award for Enterasys Secure Networks solutions in the past six months, confirming Enterasys' leadership in building the world's most secure networks.
    Widely respected for its insight into key information security trends and products, SearchNetworking.com lauded NetSight ASM for standing apart from competitors due to "its seamless integration of core networking functions with security detection. This greatly enhances its efficiency and ease of use, because security is built directly into the network infrastructure, rather than on top of it. This allows for minimal to no IT staff monitoring, as the ASM can be configured to respond either automatically to an attack by limiting the access rights of the affected user, or it can be set up to sound a warning that alerts the IT group that an attack has occurred and follow-up action is needed."
    A panel of judges, including independent industry experts, networking professionals and SearchNetworking.com editors, reviewed more than 120 products across six major categories. Judges rated the products in such critical areas as innovation, performance, ease of integration into environment, ease of use and manageability, functionality, value, and service and support.
    SearchNetworking.com acknowledged Enterasys' commitment to customer service and support, saying, "Enterasys also received high marks from our judges for its comprehensive support services. The company offers online, over the phone and even onsite support to ensure that each customer realizes maximum efficacy from the product. Each customer is able to choose the method of support that works best for them."
    NetSight ASM is the critical connection between network infrastructure, security and business continuity. To do this, it integrates the switching and routing infrastructure with Enterasys' widely installed Dragon(R) Intrusion Defense technology and other third-party security detection technologies. As a result, security is truly pervasive because it is fully integrated into the network infrastructure itself. This seamless integration of security and networking is at the core of Enterasys' Secure Networks approach and is what differentiates the company's solutions from those of all other vendors.
    "As enterprises continue to strive for greater information integrity and compliance, as well as improved business continuity, NetSight is a core element of our Secure Networks security management model. NetSight ASM, in conjunction with our award-winning IDS capabilities and policy-enabled switches, provides enterprises with the shortest time to automatically and instantly detect, locate and respond to network threats," said Cynthia Gallant, executive vice president, Secure Networks Group for Enterasys. "This significantly improves the availability and integrity of information stored on networks, which is the lifeline of every major enterprise today. NetSight is a core element of our Secure Networks strategy and we're pleased the SearchNetworking.com judges recognize what so many enterprises around the world already know--NetSight leads the market in delivering the highest levels of information assurance and application availability."

    The Enterasys Secure Networks Advantage

    Enterasys' industry-leading Secure Networks technology and solutions provide the highest level of infrastructure security available today. Secure Networks delivers the most granular level of security, providing visibility and control down to the network device, individual user and application level. This enables enterprises to quickly and easily detect, assess, locate and protect against attacks. This unmatched security comes from the integrated policy-based management software architecture that works with the embedded security capabilities Enterasys designs into its entire product line. This unique approach offers significant operational and business benefits, unmatched by vendor offerings that add hardware or software to multiple network access points in an attempt to increase security. In fact, Secure Networks technology can even make networks with competitors' equipment more secure.

    About Enterasys Networks

    Enterasys Networks is the Secure Networks Company, providing enterprise customers with innovative network infrastructure products, services and solutions that deliver the security, productivity and adaptability benefits required by Global 2000 organizations. For more information on Enterasys Secure Networks and the company's products, including multilayer switches, core routers, WAN routers, wireless LANs, network management, and intrusion defense systems, visit www.enterasys.com.

    This news release contains forward-looking statements regarding future events, activities and financial performance, such as management's expectations regarding future revenue and cash flow; strategic relationships and market opportunities; product development; and other business strategies and objectives. These statements may be identified with such words as "we expect," "we believe," "we anticipate," or similar indications of future expectations. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, and actual future financial performance, events and activities may differ materially. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. We expressly disclaim any obligation to update such statements publicly to reflect changes in the expectations, assumptions, events or circumstances on which such statements may be based or that may affect the likelihood that actual results will differ materially.
    Some risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: worldwide and regional economic uncertainty and recent political and social turmoil may continue to negatively affect our business and revenue; we have a history of losses in recent years and may not operate profitably in the future; our quarterly operating results may fluctuate, which could cause us to fail to meet quarterly operating targets and result in a decline in our stock price; we earn a substantial portion of our revenue for each quarter in the last month of each quarter, which reduces our ability to accurately forecast our quarterly results and increases the risk that we will be unable to achieve previously forecasted results; we continue to introduce new products, and if our customers delay product purchases or choose alternative solutions, or if sales of new products are not sufficient to offset declines in sales of older products, our revenue could decline, we may incur excess and obsolete inventory charges, and our financial condition could be harmed; we may be unable to upgrade our indirect distribution channels or otherwise enhance our selling capabilities, which may hinder our ability to grow our customer base and increase our revenue; we have experienced significant changes in senior management and our current management team has been together for only a limited time, which could limit our ability to achieve our objectives and effectively operate our business; there is intense competition in the market for enterprise network equipment, which could prevent us from increasing our revenue and achieving profitability; a portion of the enterprises we sell to rely in whole or in part on public funding and often face significant budgetary pressure, and if these customers must delay, reduce or forego purchasing from us, our revenues could be harmed; we depend upon a limited number of contract manufacturers for substantially all of our manufacturing requirements, and the loss of any of our primary contract manufacturers would impair our ability to meet the demands of our customers; and those additional risks and uncertainties discussed in our most recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2004.

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CONTACT: Enterasys Networks Kevin Flanagan, 978-684-1473 kflanaga@enterasys.com or CHEN PR, Inc. Christine Atkinson, 781-466-8282, ext. 39 catkinson@chenpr.com

KEYWORD: MASSACHUSETTS INDUSTRY KEYWORD: HARDWARE TELECOMMUNICATIONS SOFTWARE NETWORKING PRODUCT SOURCE: Enterasys Networks

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