Enterasys Delivers Secure Networks for Industrial Automation

ANDOVER, MA--(Marketwire - October 1, 2007) - Enterasys Networks Inc., the Secure Networks Company™, today announced immediate availability of the Secure Networks for Industrial Automation solution -- the first and only connectivity offering built to withstand the harsh environmental conditions of heavy manufacturing and energy industry facilities while simultaneously protecting the confidentiality, integrity and availability of these real-time systems without sacrificing performance. A key component is the new SecureSwitch™ I-Series which delivers advanced policy-based security and priority (QoS) features in a ruggedized industrial Ethernet platform designed for easy serviceability.

"Energy and manufacturing are markets rarely served by enterprise data equipment vendors," said Steven J. Schuchart Jr., Principle Analyst at Current Analysis. "By providing a secure and ruggedized switch for harsh environments, Enterasys is addressing new opportunities to provide the same level of security on the manufacturing floor that is provided in the cubicle today."

The I-Series delivers the industry's most advanced feature set. Enterasys offers business-oriented, policy-based visibility and control of users, sensors and applications; in contrast to competitive approaches which require technology-oriented manual configuration of access control lists (ACLs) on each device for individual ports and VLANs. With Enterasys, each user and networked device (sensor, computer, printer, camera, badge access reader, etc.) is authenticated before being granted access to the network with a specific set of authorized privileges based on time and location. Advanced QoS capabilities deliver deterministic control of the proprietary process control applications found in industrial automation environments.

"Extensive use of Enterasys intelligent Ethernet switches in Invensys' award-winning Mesh Control Network for the Foxboro I/A Series automation system has enabled our global customers to take full advantage of Enterasys' advanced technology to significantly improve process control network performance, security, and availability," commented Betty Naylor-McDevitt, Director of Foxboro Automation marketing at Invensys Process Systems. "We anticipate that -- once they have been fully tested and qualified with the I/A Series system -- the compact size and ruggedized packaging of Enterasys' new SecureSwitch I-Series will allow them to be located in more demanding industrial environments."

The SecureSwitch I-Series is the first enterprise-class Ethernet switch with advanced security built to withstand the hot, dusty and explosive gas conditions of the typical manufacturing plant or energy industry facilities. The I-Series achieves an ANSI/ISA Class-1, Division-2 rating with convection cooling; redundant DC power; industrial-grade components; and self-healing, sub-second, rapid-recovery ring topology protocols -- ensuring continuous reliability under the harshest conditions. Serviceability is enhanced through an optional memory configuration card that allows an unskilled attendant to perform a field replacement of a SecureStack I-Series unit by simply pulling the configuration card out of the old switch and inserting it into the new one. Copper and fiber I/O modules deliver 100Mbps Ethernet performance with dual Gigabit Ethernet uplinks to offer up to 24 ports of 100BaseTX, 16 ports of 100BaseFX, or a combination of fiber and copper connectivity with dual industrial-grade SFP optical uplinks.

The other components of the Secure Networks for Industrial Automation solution include NetSight centralized visibility and control policy management software, Enterasys Network Access Control and the Dragon intrusion/detection prevention system and security information manager.

To learn more about Enterasys Secure Networks for Industrial Automation, please download the whitepaper or schedule a live demonstration at www.enterasys.com/demo.

About Enterasys Networks

Enterasys Networks -- the Secure Networks Company -- is owned by a private investor group led by The Gores Group, LLC and Tennenbaum Capital Partners, LLC. Enterasys' unique Secure Networks solutions secure any network to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, availability and performance of IT services and the business users that rely on them. Thousands of leading companies, government agencies and educational institutions in more than 70 countries rely on Secure Networks solutions to maintain business continuity and protect vital information. The company's culture is centered on the principle "There is nothing more important than our customers." Delivering on that commitment, Secure Networks provides granular, policy-based command and control of individual user, application, device, port and flow performance, and security. Enterasys' architectural 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

Founded in 1987, The Gores Group 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 has become a leading investor, primarily in the technology and telecommunications sectors, having demonstrated over time a reliable track record of creating substantial value in its portfolio companies alongside management. Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, The Gores Group maintains offices in Boulder, Colorado 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 $3.8 billion in assets through 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 its 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 Jackie Abramian BridgeView Marketing +1 617 584 2580 jackie@bridgeviewmarketing.com