CedarBridge Academy Selects Enterasys to Establish a Next-Gen Foundation for VoIP, Video and Data

Upgraded Network Provides Students, Faculty and Guests Secure, Always-On Connectivity While Supporting Multimedia Applications and VoIP


ANDOVER, MA--(Marketwire - November 3, 2008) - Enterasys Networks Inc., the Secure Networks Company™, today announced that CedarBridge Academy, one of the two senior high schools located in Bermuda, has selected Enterasys solutions to securely connect more than 625 network devices which service more than 800 students and 200 faculty members across multiple campus buildings. Through its partnership with Enterasys, CedarBridge Academy now has the foundation necessary to implement next-generation applications such as Voice over IP (VoIP), while network users enjoy "always-on" availability without risk of exposure to crippling viruses or other security attacks.

CedarBridge Academy maintains one of the most progressive secondary education curriculums in Bermuda, including Business and IT courses, computer programming and digital graphic design. However, the school's ailing 11-year-old network presented educators and students with challenges. "Prior to deploying Enterasys, our network was falling apart," said Bussie Ible, IS Manager, CedarBridge Academy. "Our legacy switches and ports were constantly failing, and user complaints were at an all-time high. We also had problems with viruses and security intrusions. Teachers would come back from summer break and plug their infected laptops into our network, causing down time. There was no room for growth, and no method for us to support the school's modern multimedia curriculum. We wanted to support VoIP, video and high-speed Internet, but with the outdated, sluggish infrastructure we had, it wasn't an option."

The CedarBridge IT staff and administrators evaluated several top tier networking vendors, ultimately selecting Enterasys based on the ease of use, interoperability and embedded firewall-like security features. "We arguably have the most secure network on the entire island," continued Ible. "I also appreciate that Enterasys proactively calls to check-in and make sure everything is going OK."

Today, Enterasys Matrix® N-series switches power CedarBridge's network core, while the Enterasys® SecureStack™ C-Series switches connect the network edges. Enterasys NetSight® Automated Security Manager oversees the entire network, giving Ible and his staff of four IT administrators unprecedented visibility into all network activity to identify abnormal behavior and automate corrective actions. For unmatched security, the Dragon® distributed intrusion prevention system provides post-connect threat analysis, prevention and containment across every networked connection to eliminate inappropriate usage of the network. Enterasys RoamAbout® unifies wired and wireless priority and security of users and applications.

Ible also plans to implement Enterasys Network Access Control (NAC) for additional security, as well as a campus-wide VoIP system, now that his core network can support it.

"With Enterasys, our network operations have evolved from being reactive to proactive. We can address new challenges with a firmware upgrade rather than a forced hardware replacement or bolt-on additional purchase. The equipment's out of the box functionality is far better than any of the other vendors we evaluated with more value delivered faster at less than half the cost," Ible said. "We have already seen a drastic reduction in the number of help desk calls related to infected laptops; and what's even better is that we can now detect and isolate them, eliminating downtime and further contamination. Network confidence is at an all time high, and for the first time we are able to provide secure networking to campus guests. With this high availability network in place, we finally have the tools we need to support the school's new curriculum which includes elements of voice, video and data applications to better educate our students."

About Enterasys Networks

Enterasys is part of a joint venture with Siemens Enterprise Communications led by The Gores Group, LLC. The joint venture is a multi-billion dollar provider of hardware, software, and services to deliver service-oriented networks that enable service-oriented applications in a mobile and secure manner. Enterasys delivers Secure Networks™ that ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of IT services and the business users that rely on them -- without sacrificing performance. Thousands of enterprises, government agencies and educational institutions in more than 70 countries worldwide rely on our convergence, compliance and connectivity solutions to deliver business-oriented, identity-based visibility and control of individual user and application priority and security. The company's culture is centered on the principle, "There is nothing more important than our customers." Enterasys' standards-based, open-architecture approach to network security offers a long technology lifecycle and significant operational and business benefits, while reducing total cost of ownership. Information about Enterasys' award winning, policy-enabled switches, routers, wireless products, security software and services is available at www.enterasys.com.

About The Gores Group

The Gores Group, LLC, founded in 1987, is a private equity firm focused on acquiring controlling interests in mature and growing businesses which can benefit from the firm's operating experience and flexible capital base. The firm combines the operational expertise and detailed due diligence capabilities of a strategic buyer with the seasoned M&A team of a traditional financial buyer. The Gores Group maintains offices in Los Angeles, Boulder and London. For more information, please visit www.gores.com.

About Tennenbaum Capital Partners, LLC

Tennenbaum Capital Partners is a Santa Monica, California-based private investment firm managing over $7 billion in committed capital in private funds. The firm's investment strategy is grounded in a long-term, value approach, and it assists -- both financially and operationally -- transitional middle market companies in such industries as technology, healthcare, energy, aerospace, business services, retail and general manufacturing. Tennenbaum's core strengths include in-depth knowledge of equity and debt financing vehicles in the public and private markets, as well as a thorough understanding of special situations. For more information, please visit www.tennenbaumcapital.com.

Contact Information: Contact: Trent Waterhouse Enterasys Networks +1 978 684 1506 trent@enterasys.com Michelle Barry BridgeView Marketing +1 603 809 2748 michelle@bridgeviewmarketing.com