Press Release

SAN JOSE, Calif. - September 5, 2006 - Cisco Systems® today announced that Verizon Business is the first U.S.-based provider to utilize the Cisco Wide Area Application Services (WAAS) solution to enhance its Resilient Network Attached Storage (RNAS) offering, a service that helps businesses manage and store data for remote locations. The addition of the Cisco WAAS solution into its RNAS platform will enable Verizon Business to better meet remote users' application performance requirements.

Verizon Business RNAS, originally launched in May, combines network transport and access from Verizon Business, network attached storage platforms and software from EMC Corporation and accelerated file-sharing solutions from Cisco. Verizon Business RNAS is ideal for large organizations with branch offices or other remote locations and is designed to improve the performance of storage applications and wide area networking infrastructure. As one of the few companies to provide an end-to-end approach to file sharing, Verizon Business has engineered this package to provide remote offices with LAN-like response times to applications and access to virtual storage, while centralizing file management, security and business recovery functions. RNAS reduces the resources a company needs to maintain mission-critical data and helps ensure that files are accessible at anytime by staff working outside the main office.

"The ability to store and retrieve critical business information in a timely and efficient manner is important to all customers," said Barry Zipp, vice president, managed business applications, Verizon Business. "The Cisco WAAS capability will enable Verizon Business to enhance our resilient network attached storage service and provide customers with even stronger virtual file storage and business continuity capabilities."

Enterprises face a growing need to centralize data, improve data protection and reduce the cost and complexity of IT management. Cisco WAAS enables businesses to consolidate server, storage and backup infrastructure while maintaining high performance levels for business-critical applications. Cisco WAAS enhances application performance and accelerates file transfers with industry-leading application acceleration, file sharing, and WAN optimization techniques that include compression, redundancy elimination, transport optimization, caching and content distribution.

The Cisco WAAS solution is seamlessly integrated into existing business networks, giving IT managers comprehensive visibility into and control over application performance. Auto-discovery capabilities speed deployment and eliminate the need for a separate overlay network. The Cisco WAAS solution is offered as both an appliance and as a network module that integrates with Cisco's existing routing platforms, including the industry-leading Cisco Integrated Services Routers (ISR).

"Verizon Business has taken a market lead by developing and deploying an integrated service that meets its customers' storage needs while maintaining high levels of application performance," said Jeff Spagnola, vice president of service provider marketing for Cisco. "We are very pleased that Verizon Business will use the Cisco WAAS solution to enhance its RNAS service."

About Verizon Business

Verizon Business, a unit of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ), is a leading provider of advanced communications and information technology (IT) solutions to large business and government customers worldwide. Combining unsurpassed global network reach with advanced technology and professional service capabilities, Verizon Business delivers innovative and seamless business solutions to customers around the world. For more information, visit www.verizonbusiness.com.

About Cisco

Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO), is the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet. Information about Cisco can be found at http://www.cisco.com. For more news, visit http://newsroom.cisco.com.

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