Cisco and Verity Collaborate To Integrate Search Capabilities With Web Sites, CD-ROMS.

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 20, 1996--Cisco Systems, Inc., the leading global supplier of enterprise networks, and Verity, Inc., a leading provider of search-and-retrieval applications for the enterprise and the Internet, today announced a collaborative effort resulting in the integration of Verity's topic Internet and CD-ROM publishing software with Cisco's family of interactive electronic services for its customers, partners, and employees.

Using Verity's topic technology, Cisco has implemented a consistent, World Wide Web-style interface for most of its interactive electronic services, including Web sites and CD-ROMs used for documentation, training and marketing.

Cisco uses its Web site extensively for customer support, resolving as many as 130,000 inquiries per month without human intervention. The same Web site is used to distribute company news and product information to customers, partners, employees and prospects.

Cisco's Web sites and most of its CD-ROMs share a common look and feel, including the search-and-retrieval capabilities provided by Verity. By using Verity's topicINTERNET SERVER, Cisco has been able to put all product documentation on CD-ROMs, making it easier for customers to quickly find information and also saving millions of dollars in printing, storage, and distribution costs.

"Cisco is a front-runner in harnessing the power of electronic media and search-and-retrieval technology for mass distribution of vital information," said Verity chairman and CEO Philippe Courtot. "Cisco's customer-centric priorities are reflected in how it applies these tools."

"By working jointly with Verity, we can integrate its web browser technology with our CD-ROMs and take advantage of Verity's high-quality search engine," said Chris Sinton, senior manager of interactive marketing at Cisco Systems.

Verity and Cisco have co-developed the Verity topicCD-WEB PUBLISHER product to bring topicINTERNET SERVER capabilities to the desktop. Cisco's CD-ROM products use an embedded topic CD-WEB PUBLISHER to provide advanced search-and-retrieval capabilities across Microsoft Windows, Macintosh and UNIX systems. Because topicCD-WEB PUBLISHER is integrated with topicINTERNET SERVER, customers can easily browse Cisco's UniversCD or the Web Server for either historical or real-time information, and download specific information relevant to their needs.

With Verity's topicSEARCH engine as a key element of Cisco's electronic information dissemination, customers gain the ease of Web-style searches and search results as well as freedom of choice among platforms. Information searches can span multiple formats, including Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML), Portable Document Format (PDF) files for Adobe Acrobat, and 50 word-processing and other formats.

About Cisco

Cisco Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: CSCO), is the leading global supplier of enterprise networks, including routers, LAN and ATM switches, dial-up access servers and network management software. These products, integrated by the Cisco IOS software, link geographically dispersed LANs, WANs, and IBM networks. Cisco is a major supplier of Internet access and management solutions, and more than 80 percent of the routers that make up the backbone of the global Internet are from Cisco. News and product/service information are available at the World Wide Web site http://www.cisco.com. Cisco Systems is headquartered in San Jose, Calif.

About Verity

Verity, Inc. (Nasdaq:VRTY) was founded in April 1988 and is headquartered in Mountain View, Calif. Verity develops and markets the topic family of software tools and applications for searching, retrieving and filtering information across the Internet, enterprise and CD-ROMs. Verity's products have been licensed to corporations, government agencies, on-line service providers, Internet publishers and developers worldwide. The topic SEARCH engine is the engine of choice for Adobe Systems, AT&T, Hitachi, Individual, Inc., Lotus Development Corp., McKinley, Netscape Communications, Quarterdeck, Reuters and many other companies.

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Note to Editors: For more information contact Verity at [e-mail] or at the World Wide Web site http://www.verity.com/ or by calling 415/960-7600.

Verity and TOPIC are registered trademarks of Verity, Inc. in the United States and other countries. Verity, Inc. is not related to the International Stock Exchange of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland Limited, which provide computerized information under the name Topic. All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders.

CONTACT: Cisco Systems

Bob Michelet, 408/526-6636

email: [e-mail]

or

Verity, Inc.

Marguerite Padovani, 415/960-7724

email: [e-mail]