AT&T Canada Selects Advanced Console Server Solution From Perle Systems.

Business Editors & High-Tech Writers

NASHVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 26, 2002

Largest Canadian Telecom Cites Reliability and

Efficiencies of Perle CS9000

Perle Systems (OTCBB:PERL)(TSX:PL), a developer and manufacturer of networking products for IP and e-business access today announced that it has been selected to provide console servers to AT&T Canada, the largest telecom company in Canada.

AT&T Canada's Internet Services & Infrastructure's department wanted an advanced console access solution to manage its multiple dispersed servers and all the attached devices. The installed console at the time kept sending serial breaks to the servers causing them to go through a complete reboot. During this process customers would not have access to the affected server.

After looking at a number of vendors, AT&T found the best solution in the CS9000 console server from Perle Systems Limited.

The Perle CS9000 console server offers network managers a secure, reliable and cost-effective solution to remotely maintain and monitor up to 24 servers and other network devices per unit, over a LAN/WAN network. The console ports can be accessed via the corporate LAN/WAN (or in the event of LAN failure via a dial up modem), allowing for permanent LAN access to server console ports, as well as simultaneous access to multiple systems in a server farm environment.

"We picked the CS9000 because Perle's unit has 24 ports in a 1u device instead of making us choose between eight or 32 like the competition," explained Fred Chagnon, Systems Administrator for AT&T Canada Internet Services & Infrastructure. "It offered the port density we were looking for, and provided enhanced security features such as SSH with no expensive add-ons."

Chagnon's department is currently running 15 CS9000 units, with five more in their inventory for future use. "For each CS9000 we use a UNIX application called Screen to manage console access to all attached devices. Screen is a window-managing program that allows you to interact with one or more programs from a single session. It allows us to have SSH to attached to each server, as well as offer scrollback history and logging," said Chagnon.

SSH is used to prevent 'sniffing' of passwords and other sensitive configuration details from the network. This is accomplished by encrypting all data traffic between an administrator's PC and the CS9000. Administrators can now make secure encrypted connections to attached servers, routers, raid boxes, firewalls etc. with the Perle CS9000.

Because AT&T Canada actually guarantees its service and performance, as being the most robust and reliable Internet Service in Canada, the company counts on equipment to continuously get the job done with little or no downtime. Chagnon explained that to help provide reliable support, AT&T Canada needs reliable equipment such as console servers with no serial breaks.

According to Chagnon, using the Perle CS9000 saves AT&T Canada time and money. Installation of the new equipment was as easy as plugging in the new server. There are less after-hours trips to the office to reboot, and there is less down time. Chagnon feels work gets done faster from a console server. "It saves the time of walking around a building or going from one site to another. Work can be done remotely where it could not be done that way before. When you get paged at 3 in the morning, that makes a big difference," he said.

About AT&T Canada

AT&T Canada is the country's largest competitor to the incumbent telecom companies. With over 18,700 route kilometers of local and long haul broadband fiber optic network, world class managed service offerings in data, Internet, voice and IT Services, AT&T Canada provides a full range of integrated communications products and services to help Canadian businesses communicate locally, nationally and globally. AT&T Canada Inc. is a public company with its stock traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol TEL.B and on the NASDAQ National Market System under the symbol ATTC. Visit AT&T Canada's web site, www.attcanada.com for more information about the company.

About Perle Systems

Perle Systems, is a leading developer, manufacturer and vendor of award-winning networking products. These products are used to connect remote users reliably and securely to central servers for a wide variety of e-business and general business applications. Perle specializes in Internet Protocol (IP) connectivity applications, with an increasing focus on mid-size IP routing solutions. Product lines include routers, remote access servers, console servers, serial servers, multi-port serial cards and network controllers. Perle distinguishes itself by its ownership of extensive networking technology, depth of experience in major network connectivity environments and channel relationships in major world markets. Perle Systems has offices in 9 countries and sells its products through distribution channels worldwide. Its stock is traded on the OTC Bulletin Board (symbol PERL) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (symbol PL). For more information about Perle and its products, access the Company's Web site at www.perle.com.