Cisco's Catalyst Line Delivers High-Density, High-Performance Switching Solution in Compact Package for Small and Mid-Size Enterprise Wiring Closet Environments.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 4, 2000

Delivering end-to-end solutions for users across the enterprise, Cisco Systems (Nasdaq:CSCO) today introduced a new addition to its Catalyst family of switches that ensures network agility and provides a high-density and cost-effective solution in the wiring closet.

The new Catalyst 2980G is the industry's highest density, small form factor non-blocking switch on the market today that provides the advantages of intelligent services in a compact package.

Cisco's new Catalyst switch is ideally suited for small to medium-size wiring closet enterprise environments (approximately 80 users) that want greater simplicity in their networks and still be able to take advantage of new Internet business applications.

Through a combination of its high port density, small physical size, and performance capabilities, the 2980G brings customers increased productivity, reduced congestion and ease of management benefits.

"Our network needed a simple yet intelligent switch solution that could help alleviate potential network bottlenecks all the way down to the desktop", noted Michael Olteanu, vice president of Network Engineering at Wells Fargo Bank. "With the 2980G we know we will receive the benefits of the Catalyst line in a high-density form factor and at a price point that's right-sized for our environment."

Right Sized for Small-Medium Enterprise Wiring Closets

The Catalyst 2980G offers space savings and simplicity for network administrators and managers. The two rack unit (RU) chassis's compact size (only 3.5" tall, or 8.8cm) is well-suited for environments such as wiring closets where space is at a premium.

Additionally, with its fixed configuration form factor there is no need for additional modules, interconnect cables or re-configuration thus greatly reducing unnecessary network complexity and management burden.

Robust Features Enable Network Agility

Beyond its compact size benefit, the 2980G also offers a robust set of switching features that enable the enterprise wiring closet to remain agile and flexible as users networking requirements expand. Cisco's new switching solution is optimized to address both the growing needs for high performance Gigabit Ethernet as well as the need to deploy lower-cost Fast Ethernet technology.

Offering 80 10/100Mbps Ethernet ports with two full-duplex 1000Base X Gigabit Ethernet uplinks (GBIC slots), the 2980G can be configured with a variety of different interfaces depending upon customer's network operation requirements.

Along with the Gigabit ports, the 2980G supports a non-blocking architecture with 24Gbps total capacity that can support all 82 ports at wire speed thus minimizing traffic congestion from network growth.

Fault tolerance features available on the 2980G bring platform resiliency that is a requirement for today's mission-critical network regardless of their size. Features include support of multiple loadsharing trunks (Fast EtherChannel), multiple Spanning Trees and fast network convergence services (PortFast and UplinkFast).

End-to-End Approach

With an end-to end solutions approach, Cisco's 2980G uses Catalyst System Software that ensures interoperability with all other members of the Catalyst family including the 4000, 5000 and 6000 platforms.

The 2980G offers a full set of features found in the software including advanced scalability, bandwidth management, network resiliency and security capabilities as well as Web-based CiscoWorks 2000 network management software.

Pricing, Availability and Additional Information

Available immediately, the Catalyst 2980G is offered at a list price of $8,995.00. Further information on the Catalyst 2980G and the entire Catalyst 2900 product family can be found at www.cisco.com/warp/public/cc/cisco/mkt/switch/cat/2900/index.shtml.

About Cisco Systems

Cisco Systems (Nasdaq:CSCO) is the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet. Cisco news and information are available at http://www.cisco.com.

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