Ranch Networks Announces Channel Partners for US Market; Data Networking Integrators with Security Expertise See Significant Customer Opportunities.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

NetWorld+Interop 2003 Las Vegas 

LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 29, 2003

Ranch Networks, Inc., the only provider of Multi-Zone, Multi-Function security and data networking devices, announced today at the Networld+Interop conference that it has reached agreements with twelve leading channel partners for the U.S. launch of its new product line.

Ranch's products provide Systems Integrators and Value-Added Resellers who specialize in multi-layered network security with critical, previously unavailable security capabilities that can immediately be applied in existing customer networks to increase protection and prevent unauthorized network access.

"We see immediate opportunities for Ranch Networks' products with our existing clients," said Paul Mercandetti, President of PPM Associates, Inc. "With the RN20 we can increase the security of their networks in powerful new ways that have never before been possible." PPM Associates has been providing data security products and integrated security solutions for intermediate and large businesses for over 10 years.

"A major segment of our business is providing data and video services to large multi-tenant properties," said Thomas Kurien, President of Kamputech, Inc. "Ranch's products allow us to cost-effectively provide managed security and other services to these properties. We very much like the remote management capability, and due to the built-in support for bandwidth management and dynamic firewall control, we see it as perfect for supporting future services such as voice and video over IP." Kamputech, Inc. is a global provider of network consulting, broadband data and video services for multi-dwelling units, and hardware, software, and test equipment solutions.

Ranch Networks is committed to building a strong, but selective, channel of partners for the sales, installation and support of its products. Ranch's solutions provide its partners with a number of opportunities. Ranch's unique Split SubNetting feature allows channel partners to offer their current customers new capabilities that provide a significant increase in their network security without having to disrupt their existing networks. Due to Ranch's unique and powerful technology and selective distribution strategy, channel partners can differentiate themselves from the commodity data networking reseller. And winning new customers is easier, since Ranch products contain an unprecedented amount of functionality per dollar. This makes the product component of a bid more competitive while services pricing can be maintained.

Chris Johnson, VP Sales for OASYS - Open Access Systems states "We see a real value to the Ranch approach with our clients today. They are looking for solutions that are less complex to deploy, take up less real estate and deliver a lower cost of ownership. Ranch delivers this and much more and we feel this timely offering will be well received by our clients." OASYS specializes in IT Enterprise infrastructure solutions including test and analysis.

"Telsource serves many Fortune 500 and telecom service provider customers, who we believe will benefit from the innovative segmented network security capabilities that Ranch offers," said Greg Sweeney, VP of Sales and Marketing at Telsource, Inc. Telsource offers a comprehensive portfolio of mission-critical network service solutions and is the nation's leading independent provider of field services for voice and data communications.

Ranch Networks recently introduced the RN20 Integrated Security Switch that features Multipoint-to-Multipoint security capabilities to cost-effectively segment a LAN (Local Area Network) into multiple individually-secured zones utilizing full stateful firewalls and other security functions between each pair of zones. The RN20's Single Pass Packet Scan technology allows the integration of multiple services into a single device - 12 Security Zones, Bandwidth Management for Quality Of Service, Load Balancing, Real Time Server Health Monitoring, IP Multicasting, Auto Discovery, and Layer 2-4 Switching. Additionally, the RN20 provides full manageability and accounting and is affordably priced with no per-user licensing fees.

Today, Ranch also announced the availability of its second product, the RN5, which is targeted at small offices and branch offices.

"We are pleased that Ranch has been able to attract such strong companies to be among our launch partners in the U.S.," said Brian Allain, President of Ranch Networks. "Their intimate knowledge of their specific markets, sophisticated skills in security and data networking, strong customer relationships, and belief that Ranch has the solution their customers need, validates our development efforts. We look forward to making even further inroads in the U.S. market."

About Ranch Networks

Ranch Networks is a venture-backed company focused on security and data networking products for Local Area Networks (LANs). Our innovative approach allows Enterprise Network Managers to increase security and decrease capital and operating expenses. Ranch's products are used to protect sensitive data, limit the spread of viruses and worms, make Wireless LANs, conference rooms, and guest cubicles more secure, meet privacy requirements, assure adequate bandwidth for Voice over IP, and optimize data centers. Our customer commitment and responsiveness and dramatically cost-effective products have made us the choice of Enterprises and Channel Partners worldwide. We can be reached at www.ranchnetworks.com.