Force10 Delivers Faster Performance to the Friendster Network.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

MILPITAS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 9, 2003

Force10 Networks today announced that Friendster, an online community that connects people through shared friends, has deployed Force10's E-Series switch/routers to speed the process through which Friendster creates networked communities of mutual friends.

"Since our launch eight months ago, we have seen a dramatic increase in subscribers that has quickly outgrown our database and network," said Jonathan Abrams, founder and CEO of Friendster. "By providing scalability with commensurate performance, Force10 delivered a solution that allows us to expand our site features and dramatically increase network processing time for Friendster subscribers."

Friendster has deployed Force10's E600 for the scalability and resiliency required to ensure predictable network performance, allowing Friendster to expand its subscriber base without impacting service. Leveraging the technical innovations in system design of Force10's E-Series, Friendster is also cutting network management costs by simplifying its backup process and reducing the time required for each backup. Prior to deploying Force10's E600, Friendster's backup process took 45 minutes. With the E600, that process now takes less than eight minutes.

The E600 also reduces operational costs by providing Friendster with the ability to expand its network as demand dictates. Friendster will initially deploy 120 Gigabit Ethernet ports to handle its two million subscribers. As traffic increases, Friendster can add new Gigabit Ethernet ports or expand to 10 Gigabit Ethernet ports, all at line-rate throughput.

"With an increasing number of subscribers registering every day, Friendster needed to expand its data center network to accommodate that growth and allow its subscribers to more readily access user profiles," said Andrew Feldman, vice president of marketing at Force10 Networks. "With Force10's E600, Friendster reduces both the network management and operational overhead of its network while increasing the performance."

Force10's E600 switch/routers feature technical innovations in system design that provide unmatched scalability and resiliency. The combination of Force10's EtherScale architecture and modular software delivers line-rate Gigabit and 10 Gigabit throughput regardless of traffic conditions, enabling Friendster to confidently predict application performance.

About Force10 Networks

Force10 Networks is the pioneer in scalable resiliency for high performance switching and routing. Based on a revolutionary system architecture that delivers best-in-class resiliency and massive scalability, Force10's E-Series switch/routers ensure predictable application performance, increase network availability, and reduce operating costs. Today, many of the world's largest Gigabit Ethernet and 10 Gigabit Ethernet networks depend on Force10 Networks. For additional information, please visit the company's website at www.force10networks.com.

Force10, E-Series, EtherScale and FTOS are trademarks of Force10 Networks, Inc. All other company names are trademarks of their respective holders.