Cisco Expands AVVID Partner Program to Deliver Security Services for SAFE Blueprint; Seven Leading Security Services Vendors Sign-On as Initial Program Partners.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 27, 2001

Cisco Systems, Inc., the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet, announced today that it is extending the Cisco AVVID Partner Program to provide customers and partners with a comprehensive set of services for its SAFE security blueprint.

Enterprise customers now have an array of the industry's top security integrators, consultants and managed service providers ready to help with the successful implementation and management of the SAFE security blueprint. Cisco has identified, verified, and engaged best-in-class security "ecosystem" partners to deliver specific services -- such as security design and implementation, vulnerability assessment, and outsourced security monitoring and management -- for SAFE.

Initial partners in the security service program are: Berbee Information Networks Corp., Counterpane Internet Security, Inc., Guardent, Inc., KPMG Consulting, Inc., Netigy Corp., NetSolve, Inc., and Predictive Systems, Inc.

"This should appeal to customers who are interested in SAFE because it allows them to engage some of the industry's top security services vendors under one umbrella," said Joel Conover, senior analyst, Current Analysis. "Cisco is delivering a very powerful message to the market that the SAFE security blueprint is real, it's achievable, and Cisco continues to lay the foundation for a comprehensive set of security services for enterprise customers."

"By extending the Cisco AVVID Partner Program to offer security services for SAFE, we are accelerating the adoption of secure e-Business solutions in the enterprise," said Richard Palmer, vice president and general manager of the Cisco VPN and Security Services business unit. "Cisco will continue to work with its security ecosystem partners to help customers fortify their networks and safely take advantage of the Internet economy."

SAFE is a comprehensive security blueprint for Cisco AVVID -- the Cisco Architecture for Voice, Video and Integrated Data. The SAFE blueprint provides a simplified, modular approach to network security, recommending design, implementation and management processes for securing e-Business infrastructures.

The Cisco AVVID Partner Program, which now encompasses the former Cisco Security and VPN Associate Program, is an interoperability testing and co-marketing program enabling leading software and services firms to deploy innovative e-Business solutions.

In extending the Cisco AVVID Partner Program to provide security services, Cisco identified eight categories that address the critical security service requirements of e-Business environments. Each of the initial security ecosystem partners will deliver services in at least one of the following areas:

-- Security design and implementation

-- Security policy and procedures assessment

-- Vulnerability assessment

-- Business impact and risk assessment

-- Device, application and code security review

-- Competitive counter-intelligence

-- Outsourced security monitoring and management

-- Security incident response

Cisco plans to create additional service categories and add security ecosystem partners to the program as e-Business continues to evolve.

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.

Note to Editors: Cisco, Cisco Systems and the Cisco Systems logo are registered trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. or its affiliates in the U.S. and certain other countries. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company.