Berkeley Networks and Digital Worldwide Services Sign Global Reseller Agreement for Exponent Switches; Brings Application-Aware Networking Infrastructure to Market.

MILPITAS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 5, 1998--Berkeley Networks today announced that it has signed a non-exclusive worldwide reseller agreement with Digital Equipment Corp.'s Worldwide Service Division.

The agreement authorizes DIGITAL to resell Berkeley Networks' entire line of high-performance, scalable exponeNT switches.

By combining DIGITAL's applications expertise, Windows NT skills, and systems and network integration expertise with Berkeley Networks' application-aware switches, the two companies will help customers architect and deploy networks that are optimized to run their business-critical applications.

Ravi Sethi, CEO and founder of Berkeley Networks, said, "DIGITAL has the largest and most highly trained Microsoft-certified workforce in the world. This, combined with their large global services organization, allows us to uniquely address the needs -- planning, design, network management and support -- of our global customer base."

Embedding Windows NT directly into the switching platform lets Berkeley Networks provide an integrated set of network services to control the network infrastructure and address the demands of network-centric applications. By employing an industry-standard network operating system (Windows NT), Berkeley Networks can partner with best-in-class independent vendors and pursue a value-sharing business model that guarantees continuous innovation and investment protection for customers.

A flood of new network-centric applications based predominantly on IP networking -- such as Web publishing, ERP (SAP R/3), collaborative conferencing (NetMeeting), e-Commerce, IP Telephony, distributed databases and many other popular enterprise applications -- have unique network requirements for responsiveness, availability and security. According to Bob Daigneault, vice president of DIGITAL's Enterprise Network Services organization, "Berkeley Networks offers a novel approach of combining intelligent ASICs with Windows NT. This will allow our customers to deploy a simplified, scalable switched IP network infrastructure that is application-aware and enables policy-driven administration of security, class of service and monitoring."

The exponeNT family includes the eight-slot e8 enterprise backbone switch with up to 48 Gigabit Ethernet ports or 384 Fast Ethernet ports, and the four-slot e4 modular stackable switch with up to 24 Gigabit Ethernet ports or 192 Fast Ethernet ports. The switches offer wire-speed routing, switching, firewall protection and quality-of-service delivery in conjunction with direct access to directory, security, transport and naming services.

Digital Equipment Corp., recognized for product and service excellence, is a leading supplier of high-performance computing solutions that help enterprises compete in the global marketplace. DIGITAL has networked more than 12 million users and delivered thousands of medium- to large-scale systems integration projects. For additional network services information, visit http://www.digital.com/services/nsis/en/index.htm

Berkeley Networks develops a new generation of policy-driven, application-aware switching platforms based on Windows NT and advanced stateful inspection switching ASICs that raises the intelligence of the network infrastructure in support of next-generation network-centric computing environments. The company's exponeNT switches offer a unique, fully integrated solution with "best-of-breed" services and applications from industry-leading vendors that guarantees continuous innovation and protects investment.

Founded in June 1996, Berkeley Networks is privately held and has raised $14.6 million. Venture and corporate investors include SunAmerica, New Enterprise Associates, Information Technology Ventures, Advanced Technology Ventures, Vantage Point Ventures and Intel Corp. The company is headquartered at 1805 McCandless Drive, Milpitas, Calif., 95035; phone [phone]; fax [phone]. For more information visit Berkeley Networks' Web site at http://www.berkeleynet.com.

CONTACT: Berkeley Networks

Kamal Anand, 408/719-3001

[e-mail]

or

Digital Equipment Corp.

Sue Lawrence-Longo, 978/496-9851

[e-mail]

or

Ulevich & Orrange, Inc. (for Berkeley Networks)

Matthew Quint/Janis Ulevich, 650/329-1590

[e-mail]