Sofor OY Selects Enterasys Networks & Siemens ICN EN for Roll-out of Voice-over-IP Network.

Business/Technology Editors

ROCHESTER, N.H. & NEWBURY, England--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 9, 2001

Finnish Software Company Deploys Secure & Available Converged

Network for VoIP & Unified Messaging Capabilities

Enterasys Networks Inc. (NYSE: ETS), a leader in enterprise networking solutions, today announced that Sofor OY, a specialist Internet and intranet software development company based in Kauhava, Finland, has selected Enterasys to provide a powerful network infrastructure to seamlessly deliver Voice-over-IP (VoIP) services to its users. Enterasys' highly integrated and feature-rich solution provides a high-availability environment for deployment of Siemens' HiPath IP telephony and server technology, providing proof of Enterasys' strategy of joint relationships to deliver converged communications solutions.

Sofor OY, a privately owned Finnish company, specializes in developing Internet, intranet and extranet-based applications for everything from small and medium-sized enterprises to large global corporations. With a reported turnover of $6.24 million in 1999, Sofor's growth rate has been fast, but controlled since its formation in 1991. The organization currently has three sites: its newly opened headquarters in Kauhava in western Finland and offices in the capital, Helsinki, and the town of Vassa.

In expectation of the growth of VoIP, and with a view to leveraging cost-efficiencies associated with convergence deployment, Sofor OY is creating a converged internal business environment providing its staff with powerful IP services. "We want our employees and management to use a communications system based entirely around IP. It's important that we benefit fully from new technology and drive our business with the latest in emerging IP solutions. After all, we create software applications designed to optimize productivity for our customers, so we should be expected to be at the forefront of implementing these in our own organization," explained Jukka-Pekka Sorvisto, Sofor's managing director. "In parallel to this, our own development shows that competitive business solutions will be based, in some part at least, around the concept of unified messaging."

The secure, highly-available IP system, based on Enterasys' leading-edge X-Pedition family, serves as the foundation for Sofor's data and voice applications, ensuring delivery of all internal information and all types of traffic. The unique Quality-of-Service (QoS) capabilities of its X-Pedition 2000 allows Sofor to prioritize and reserve capacity for Siemens VoIP traffic, and also provide quantified space for data generated by other business applications.

"Our business relies on the flawless performance of the network connections, and it was vital for us to ensure that the IP phones could work at every site. We chose Enterasys' switching platform for the Quality-of-Service (QoS) capabilities of its X-Pedition 2000 and as the most cost-effective solution available. The X-Pedition is a highly scalable device. It can be expanded quickly and new terminals can be added easily, while the traffic can be monitored and controlled," says Sorvisto.

The first phase was the installation of VoIP at its headquarters in Kauhava. At each site, an Enterasys-based LAN supporting 100 Megabits-per-second (Mbps) Ethernet passes traffic for the other sites through a gateway, which presents 30 voice channels and H.323 for video presentation to a communications server. At Kauhava, a Siemens IP telephony server with switchboard software has replaced its PBX. Standards-based speech compression, as low as 6 Kbps per channel, supports remote users with narrowband connections from home offices. A 2 Mbps circuit runs between Kauhava and Vassa, and a 1 Mbps circuit links Kauhava and Helsinki.

The current telephony application system consists of Siemens HiPath 5500 IP server software that provides multimedia communication services in the intranet. Different terminals, such as IP telephones or workstations software (Softphone) can be connected to the new system. Third-party H.323-compliant terminals can also be connected, as well as adapters for connections to analogue faxes to the information network.

One-third of Sofor personnel currently utilize the end-to-end Enterasys/Siemens VoIP solution. Sofor expects 90% of its staff to use VoIP by 2002.

"We are already saving time and money through self-configuration rather than relying on the phone company visiting the premises. Adding communications for new locations, additional users and new services can be done with a much lower investment," added Sorvisto.

"Enterasys Networks provides a unique solution for companies such as Sofor who wish to deploy a convergence solution, but need to work in a growing environment where they can implement the solution over a long period of time. Our focus on delivering open convergence allows us to support vendors, such as Siemens, to the highest possible degree, and integrate legacy and future solutions with little or no disruption to the business. Enterasys supports open convergence because we understand that it's what businesses require," said Gerard Vivier, president of Enterasys Networks EMEA.

About Enterasys Networks

Enterasys Networks (NYSE: ETS) is a leading worldwide provider of communications infrastructures for enterprise-class customers. Enterasys' networking hardware and software offerings deliver the innovative security, availability and mobility solutions required by Global 2000 organizations coupled with the industry's strongest service and support. For more information, visit www.enterasys.com.