Cisco Increases Productivity of Direct Customers and Resellers; Cisco Integrates Web-Based Product Ordering Tool With Ariba Buyer Application, Creating an E-Commerce First.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 24, 2000

Cisco Systems  (Nasdaq:CSCO), the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet, today announced its increasing productivity for direct customers and resellers via a collaboration effort with Ariba, Inc., the leading business-to-business (B2B) commerce platform provider. Combining Ariba Web-based purchasing tools, which manage buying, selling and e-commerce processes, with Cisco Web-based ordering tools, which provide pricing and configuration capabilities, streamlines the order entry process, increasing productivity by as much as 20-percent.

"At Cisco customer satisfaction is our number-one concern. With ninety-percent of our direct sales being ordered on-line, we are always looking to help our customers increase productivity," said Todd Elizalde, director of e-commerce at Cisco Systems. "We are very enthusiastic about sharing the productivity gains created by this collaboration effort with our direct customers and resellers."

Until now, Cisco direct customers and resellers used an internal application to enter and process the order and yet another to help configure, add memory, software and other features, and submit their purchase order to Cisco. This created a reduction in productivity because multiple order requests had to be created for each purchase. The Cisco and Ariba collaboration, which is an e-commerce first, simplifies customer and reseller participation in e-commerce by providing a complete integrated purchasing solution.

"As a customer of Ariba Buyer, an Ariba SupplierLive partner, and now the first networking company to include a configurable networking product offering on the Ariba Commerce Services Network, Cisco has enhanced its ability to better serve its direct customers and resellers in the area of business-to-business e-commerce," said Cindy Elkins, senior director, Global Supplier and Content solutions, Ariba. "Cisco is clearly a leader in this field for others to follow and we are extremely pleased to be collaborating with them."

Federal Express Corp. ("FedEx Express"), the world's largest express transportation company, shares a history of e-commerce leadership and innovation with Ariba and Cisco and is testing the new capabilities generated by this collaboration effort.

"We became one of the first companies to use the Cisco/Ariba innovative e-commerce solution because this is exactly the kind of initiative and teamwork FedEx wants from our suppliers in developing supply chain management programs," said Stephen A. Mattman, acting vice president, strategic sourcing and supply at FedEx Express. "Ariba and Cisco are to be commended on a collaboration that adds value to our internal e-procurement process and ultimately leads to increased customer satisfaction for FedEx Express."

Cisco has successfully demonstrated all functional requirements necessary to become an Ariba Ready supplier. Mass availability to all Cisco direct customers and resellers is expected in calendar Q1 2001.

Cisco Systems

Cisco Systems Inc. (Nasdaq:CSCO) is the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet. 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 US 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.