Desert Schools Pioneers New Technology Installation; Credit Union Partners With Calence to Develop Groundbreaking Technology for Communications Between Operations Center and Branch Locations.

Business/Technology Editors

TEMPE, Ariz.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 11, 2002

Desert Schools Federal Credit Union is the first credit union to successfully implement technology utilizing the new Voice Over ATM and Inverse Multiplexing solution developed by Cisco.

This state-of-the-art networking technology allows the credit union to more efficiently utilize communication links between its operations center and 17 current remote branch locations, significantly strengthening its networks and e-commerce business. Calence, a Tempe-based leader in building and managing networks, partnered with Desert Schools on this project, and will provide LAN/WAN network security management.

This groundbreaking technology utilizes a process that aggregates multiple T1 lines to form a single, high-speed ATM link. The single link can be used for both voice and data transmission.

"Desert Schools can now share more information with remote locations without increasing communications costs," said Gary Laieski, project leader and senior director of Information Technology at Desert Schools. "The conversion preserved our ability to reclaim bandwidth once dedicated solely to voice communication."

With this new solution, Desert Schools and Calence addressed several of the credit union's immediate and long-term business objectives, including:

-- Support a 60% growth factor in use of technology services

-- Meet increasing demand for bandwidth with limited support

-- Support standard platform and bandwidth structures

-- Support the rapid growth of Desert Schools e-commerce business

-- Meet quick time-to-market demands

-- Contain costs long term

-- Gain efficiency

-- Utilize a single solution, single vendor approach

The network overhaul was initiated when 3Com notified Desert Schools last year that it would no longer support its existing network. Partnering with Calence and Cisco, the new network solution was implemented in six months.

"Desert Schools was able to take advantage of many services offered by Calence," said Patrick Dirck, director of security solutions for Calence. "Calence performed network and security assessments that allowed Desert Schools to set a strategy for the future of their enterprise network infrastructure. Together our companies were able to execute on the Desert Schools strategy that included migrating the enterprise network infrastructure from 3Com to Cisco; e-commerce network upgrades to improve system capacity and redundancy; e-commerce security upgrades; and network monitoring to include fault and performance management."

"The advantages of working with Calence to meet these objectives were clear," Laieski said. "Their expertise, resources and overall pricing were the best available and they delivered the project on time, on budget and with minimal interruptions in service."

"Working with Desert Schools offered a challenge that we were uniquely positioned to meet," said Calence's Patrick Dirck. "We met an aggressive goal that included successfully piloting Cisco's cutting-edge voice integration technologies and a enterprise wide network replacement in less than six months."

Added Laieski, "I liken this project to rebuilding an airplane while flying it. We needed to rebuild our entire network infrastructure without causing business interruption or negative member impact."

About Desert Schools Federal Credit Union

Desert Schools Federal Credit Union is the largest credit union in Arizona with $1.5 billion in assets, 229,000 members and 18 Valley locations. As a not-for-profit cooperative, Desert Schools is dedicated to providing outstanding members service, playing an active role in the community, supporting a variety of education programs, and endorsing its philosophy of "people helping people."

About Calence

Calence (www.calence.com) builds and manages customized, client-centric networks that are strategically tailored to meet an organization's specific business goals and requirements. Drawing upon both business and technical expertise and experience, Calence designs, implements and manages network solutions that reduce information technology costs, improve internal processes and increase operational efficiency. The company offers strategic services as well as expertise in a wide range of specialty areas, including voice, data, wireless and information security. Calence has earned designation as a Cisco Gold Partner, as well as one of a select group of Cisco AVVID Partners.

Recently named one of the fastest growing privately held companies in Arizona, Calence is headquartered in Tempe, with additional offices in Chicago, Dallas, Kansas City, Los Angeles, and Minneapolis.