Foundry Networks Extends Gigabit-over-Copper Leadership With New EdgeIron 10GC2F Switch.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

NetWorld+Interop 2002 Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 7, 2002

New Switch Provides Cost-Effective Gigabit Ethernet Solution for

Mid-Range Server, Workgroup, and Desktop 1000BaseT Deployments

Foundry Networks(R), Inc. (Nasdaq:FDRY), a leading provider of high-performance enterprise and service provider switching, routing and Web traffic management solutions, today announced the new high-performance EdgeIron(TM) 10GC2F mid-range Gigabit Ethernet aggregation switch, specifically designed to address the fast-growing Gigabit-over-Copper switch market. During 2000, Foundry was the first vendor to ship 1000BaseT Gigabit Ethernet switches for deployment over standard category 5 copper cabling. The new EdgeIron 10GC2F enhances Foundry's existing Gigabit-over-Copper product portfolio for network applications including high-performance server aggregation, workgroup backbone upgrades, and Gigabit to the desktop migration for power users, with leading feature set, switching performance, and price/performance value.

Gigabit-over-Copper addresses the exploding bandwidth requirements in current networks resulting from new applications and the increasing deployment of high-speed switching technologies at the edges of the network. Gigabit Ethernet leverages existing investment in Ethernet and Fast Ethernet infrastructures, replacing Fast Ethernet core switches and enabling the deployment of additional switched 10/100 Mbps Ethernet at the edge of the network. During the second half of 2001, several new low-cost Gigabit Ethernet network interface cards (NICs) became available for data center server applications, heralding a new era in network infrastructure deployments and expansion.

"The desire to release the power of increasing server speeds, the need to maximize existing cable infrastructure investments, and the recent emergence of low-cost 1000BaseT network interface cards in the market is accelerating the migration from Fast Ethernet to Gigabit Ethernet in server farm, workgroup, and desktop applications," said Ken Cheng, vice president of marketing for Foundry Networks. "Foundry's portfolio of high-performance Gigabit-over-Copper switch offerings provide customers with a reliable and scalable solution to cost-effectively upgrade and expand their network and fully leverage the economic benefits inherent in Gigabit Ethernet."

The EdgeIron 10GC2F ships with a complete standard Layer 2 feature set including 802.1q VLANs, 802.1p based Quality of Service (QoS), 802.1d single Spanning Tree Protocol, Per VLAN Spanning Tree (PVST), 802.1w Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol, Generic VLAN Registration Protocol (GVRP), Generic Multicast Registration Protocol (GMRP) and port mirroring. Featuring an easy-to-use, industry-standard Command Line Interface (CLI), Telnet-based interface, Web-based GUI, and RADIUS-based user authentication, the EdgeIron 10GC2F is easy and secure to configure and deploy. With 17.9 Million packets per second (Mpps) switching performance, support for 8,000 MAC addresses, and 512 active VLANs (each VLAN tag value may range up to 4,096 for 802.1q), the EdgeIron 10GC2F provides best-in-class performance and capacity at an aggressive price point.

Pricing and Availability

Foundry is raising the bar in price/performance value by offering the EdgeIron 10GC2F starting at a base U.S. list price of $6,495 that includes ten 10/100/1000BaseT and two GBIC Gigabit Ethernet ports, one AC power supply, and full Layer 2 functionality (base price excludes GBIC uplink modules). The U.S list price is $445 for each 1000BaseSX GBIC uplink and $995 for each 1000BaseLX GBIC uplink. Foundry's EdgeIron 10GC2F product is generally available beginning in May 2002.

About Foundry Networks

Foundry Networks, Inc. (Nasdaq:FDRY) is a leading provider of high-performance enterprise and service provider switching, routing and Web traffic management solutions including Layer 2/3 LAN switches, Layer 3 Backbone switches, Layer 4 - 7 Web switches and Metro Routers. Foundry's 4,300 customers include the world's premier ISPs, Metro service providers, and enterprises including e-commerce sites, universities, entertainment, health and wellness, government, financial, and manufacturing companies. Some of these customers include: AOL (NYSE:AOL), EarthLink, China Telecom, MSN (Nasdaq:MSFT), Verio, Cable & Wireless (NYSE:CWP), Yahoo! (Nasdaq:YHOO), Incyte Genomics, Inc. (Nasdaq:INCY), Deutsche Bank, The University of Washington, University of Miami, Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et en Automatique (INRIA) of France, The British Library, U.S. Army, Air Force and Navy, NASA and the National Space Development Agency of Japan. For more information about the company and its products, call 888/TURBOLAN or visit www.foundrynetworks.com.

This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and is subject to the safe harbor created by this section. These forward looking statements include statements regarding planned products or product features (Products) that are under development, such as the EdgeIron. While Foundry is planning for the commercial availability of such Products, they are still under development and subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, which could delay the planned availability. Actual results may differ materially due to these and other factors. The matters discussed in this press release also involve risks and uncertainties described from time to time in Foundry's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In particular, see the Risk Factors described in Foundry's final Prospectus dated September 27, 1999 for its initial public offering as well as its most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and Annual Report on Form 10-K. Foundry assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking information contained in this press release.

Foundry Networks, EdgeIron, and the `Iron' family of marks are trademarks or registered trademarks of Foundry Networks, Inc. in United States and other countries. All other trademarks are the properties of their respective owners.