Foundry Networks Powers the World's First Tier-O Internet Backbone.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 30, 2000

Opnix Deploys Foundry's ServerIron Layer 4-7 Web Switches and

BigIron Layer 3 Switches to Enhance Internet Connectivity

Foundry Networks(R), Inc. (Nasdaq:FDRY), a leader in high-performance, end-to-end switching and routing solutions, today announced that Opnix, Inc., a next-generation Internet bandwidth provider based in Tempe, Ariz., has implemented Foundry's ServerIron(TM) Layer 4-7 Internet traffic and content management Web switches and BigIron(R) Layer 3 switches as the infrastructure for its global network. Initial deployment of Foundry's equipment has begun in Phoenix with several more cities planned in the next year and a half.

"In order for us provide an unparalleled level of Internet connectivity to our customers with mission-critical bandwidth needs, we needed a best-of-breed switching solution that would improve Internet performance, security, scalability and reliability," said Jay Jacobson, CEO of Opnix. "After an extensive evaluation of different switching products, we chose Foundry's ServerIron Web switches because they offered a feature-rich set of Layer 4-7 solutions, as well as BigIron Layer 3 switches because they provided an extremely high level of performance at an affordable price. The sheer price/performance value of the Foundry gear, combined with Foundry's commitment to next-generation technologies and customer advocacy, were the deciding factors," continued Jacobson.

Opnix is the first company to focus on interconnections between all networks and improving the Internet at its very core. Opnix dramatically increases Internet performance, security, scalability and reliability by combining a next-generation, pure-switched network architecture with intelligent packet-switching technology. This allows Opnix to aggregate and interconnect all the major Internet backbones and send each packet of data to its destination along the optimal route.

By utilizing Foundry's BigIron Layer 3 switching solutions, Opnix can dramatically reduce performance bottlenecks and increase overall throughput with wire-speed IP routing. The Foundry switches are 10 Gigabit ready so that as network traffic increases with the introduction of broadband access, Opnix will have the scalability available to support future convergence of data, video and Voice over IP (VoIP) applications. Opnix installed the Foundry BigIron Layer 3 switch based on its superiority in routing functionality, product reliability and industry-leading performance.

In addition, Opnix has also deployed Foundry's ServerIron Layer 4-7 Internet traffic and content management switches to enhance the connectivity for the delivery of future content and network applications such as entertainment, e-commerce, games, search applications and other features designed for broadband users.

Foundry's ServerIron family of Web switches provides sophisticated Internet traffic and content management features, including server load balancing, URL and cookie-based switching, global server load balancing, firewall load balancing and transparent cache switching. Powered by Internet IronWare(TM), ServerIron Web switches lead the industry in performance, price/performance value, switching intelligence and port density.

"We are pleased to have been selected by Opnix to provide a robust Internet infrastructure platform for their co-location provider, corporate enterprise and Internet Service Provider customers," said Bobby Johnson, president and CEO of Foundry Networks. "Foundry's best-of-breed solutions offer customers such as Opnix a complete, highly available, highly scalable and unprecedented price/performance network offering," continued Johnson.

About Opnix

Opnix is a next-generation Internet bandwidth provider that improves performance, security, scalability and reliability by aggregating and interconnecting major Internet backbones. Its unique Best Path Global Transit(TM) technology evaluates each available path and directs Internet traffic through the fastest and most reliable routes. Customers can have connectivity delivered to their doorstep via telecom-based circuits or co-locate inside the company's carrier-class Switching Cores. Opnix creates a faster and more robust Internet infrastructure platform for corporate enterprises, institutions and Internet companies such as co-location providers, Internet Service Providers (ISPs), content/portal providers, Application Service Providers (ASPs) and broadband network carriers. To find out more about how Opnix can help you with your mission-critical bandwidth needs, please visit our web site at www.opnix.com.

About Foundry Networks

Foundry Networks, Inc. (Nasdaq:FDRY) is a leader in high-performance, end-to-end switching and routing solutions, including Internet routers, Layer 3 switches and Layer 4-7 Internet traffic and content management switches. Foundry products are installed in the world's largest ISPs, including AOL (NYSE:AOL), EarthLink (Nasdaq:ELNK), AT&T WorldNet, MSN, and Cable & Wireless (NYSE:CWP). Foundry products are also installed in large enterprise, entertainment, pharmaceutical and manufacturing companies as well as search engines, e-commerce sites, universities and government organizations. Some of these customers include: The University of Washington, The University of Miami, LucasFilm, Yahoo! (Nasdaq:YHOO), LTV Steel (NYSE:LTV), Incyte Genomics, Inc. (Nasdaq:INCY), U.S. Army, Air Force and Navy, NASA and NIH. For more information about the company and its products, call 888/TURBO-LAN or visit our web site at www.foundrynetworks.com.

Note to Editors: Foundry Networks and BigIron are registered trademarks of Foundry Networks, Inc. IronWare and ServerIron are trademarks of Foundry Networks, Inc. All other trademarks are the sole property of their respective holders.