Norstan Achieves Silver Certification From Cisco Systems.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 3, 2002

Norstan, Inc. (Nasdaq:NRRD). Future and current customers of Norstan will be provided with one of the highest levels of support for Cisco solutions. Norstan Communications, Inc. announced today it has achieved Silver Certification from Cisco Systems, Inc. The Cisco Channel Partner Program provides Norstan with the resource framework to develop an expertise to sell, plan, design, implement and operate Cisco networking solutions. To earn Silver Certification, Norstan met the rigorous standards for personnel, training, customer satisfaction, specialization and post sales support requirements set forth by Cisco.

"The purpose of our Channel Partner Program is to help channel partners succeed in the next market evolution of value-based business models," said Surinder Brar, senior director of marketing, Worldwide Channels, for Cisco Systems. "With IP Telephony services and technology as well as wireless LAN specializations, Norstan has secured the training, skills and knowledge to play a key role in accelerating the adoption of these Cisco solutions."

The specializations earned by Norstan include:

IP Telephony Services - Norstan achieved the specialization for having the advanced training, knowledge, personnel and experience to deploy complex, large-scale Cisco IP Telephony solutions. In addition to the personnel and lab requirements, Norstan was also required to provide a minimum of six IP telephony reference accounts. Two of the referenced accounts had to include a PBX migration or integration deployment and two had to include Unity unified messaging implementation. From these six reference accounts Norstan had to obtain a 4.5 out of 5 customer satisfaction rating.

IP Telephony Technology - This specialization recognizes Norstan for having the training and knowledge to plan, design, implement and operate Cisco IP telephony solutions. The specialization targets solutions for the enterprise market, and focuses on the comprehensive Cisco IP solution.

Wireless LAN - This specialization recognizes Norstan for having the ability to plan, design, implement and operate Cisco award-winning, Aironet wireless LAN solutions.

"Norstan is constantly growing as a company in order to better serve our customers," said James C. (Jim) Granger, Norstan's president and CEO. "I am proud of our Cisco Silver certification achievement, but more importantly Norstan is poised to provide our customers superior solutions and service. It is of primary concern that Norstan maintain our high service levels which distinguishes us in the marketplace."

The Cisco Channel Partner Program offers its certified partners state-of-the-art technical as well as sales training. Silver Certified Partners are recognized and rewarded for having some of the industry's best trained network technicians who are capable of achieving and demonstrating high level of expertise in planning, designing, implementing and supporting Cisco network solutions. This well trained team of network technicians is audited annually to make sure they are consistently delivering industry-leading support and maintaining the rigorous Cisco standards for network expertise and support capabilities.

As a Cisco Silver Certified Partner, Norstan enjoys several benefits, most notably, access to the latest Cisco customer satisfaction tool, PAL (Partner Access On-Line). The new PAL tool is based on the same technology Cisco uses to monitor and improve its own customer satisfaction. Other benefits include, increased access to the Cisco technical support teams as well as access to password protected Web sites with real-time product and training information.

Norstan proudly exceeded the Cisco Silver Certified Partners requirement of providing 8x5 technical service with one-hour call back for problem resolution and 24-hour onsite response capabilities. Norstan provides 24x7x365 technical service. These rigorous support requirements highlight Norstan's commitment to ensuring its customers that its strategic business network is supported.

About NORSTAN

Norstan, Inc. (Nasdaq:NRRD) ...the technology services people who improve the way their customers communicate. A full-service telecommunications solutions company that delivers voice and data technologies and services to select corporate end-users and channel partners. Norstan also offers a full range of technologies for contact center design, messaging, infrastructure, conferencing and mobility. Headquartered in suburban Minneapolis, Norstan, a company small enough to care, yet big enough to serve, has offices located throughout North America. To learn more, visit the Norstan website at www.norstan.com

This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Acts of 1995. A number of factors should be considered in conjunction with the above forward-looking statements, including changes in economic and market conditions, factors related to the development of new technologies, product pricing, industry regulation, management of growth, the integration of regulation, management of growth, the integration of acquisitions, and other factors set forth in cautionary statements included in Norstan's Form 10-K and other documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which reflect management's analysis only as of the date of this release. The company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect events and circumstances that may arise after the date of this release.

Copyright(c) 2002 Cisco Systems, Inc. Cisco, Cisco Systems and the Cisco Systems logo are registered trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. or it's affiliates in the U.S. and certain other countries. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company. (0012R)

Norstan and associated product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of Norstan, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. All other products and services mentioned in this document may be trademarks of the companies with which they are associated.