ADELAIDE, Australia - February 16, 2005 - Australia's largest multisport event, the 2005, 10th Australian Masters Games, will benefit from state-of-the-art communications and security by implementing a Cisco Systems® Internet Protocol (IP) Communications network.

The converged voice and data communications system will cut network operational costs for the Games while providing network flexibility and security.

The network will connect the three Masters Games operational sites: the Games Centre, Games Headquarters and Games Office. It will provide Cisco® IP telephony and wireless-local-area-network (WLAN) access at the three facilities. The network will also support the Master Games' accreditation system, as well as the posting of results in real time to the Games Website at www.amg2005.com.

Lachlan Clark, Australian Masters Games general manager, said; "IP communications allows a single network to provide voice, data and security functions, making it easy to install and cost-effective, as well as giving us the flexibility to meet varying traffic volumes. With Cisco IP communications, we can more flexibly scale call-centre operators to match the call volumes, which is vital when you are coordinating events at more than 94 venues."

By deploying Cisco integrated services routers (ISRs), the Australian Masters Games will also benefit from advanced hardware and software protection because network security features are built in to the communications network.

The Cisco 2800 Series Integrated Services Router provides security services and management capabilities such as hardware encryption acceleration; IP Security (IPSec) virtual private networks (VPNs) supporting Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), Data Encryption Standard (DES), and Triple DES (3DES); firewall protection; in-line intrusion prevention system (IPS); Network Admission Control (NAC); and URL filtering support.

Cisco Australia and New Zealand managing director, Ross Fowler, said; "Cisco is delighted to be continuing our association with the Australian Masters Games. Cisco's unique ability to provide a truly intelligent and integrated security, IP Communications and WLAN solution simplifies the infrastructure required to run events like the Australian Masters Games and provides a far greater resilient and flexible communications platform for the event."

The Cisco solution is based on Cisco Catalyst® 3750 Series switches, Cisco CallManager Express, Cisco Unity® Express, Cisco IP Phone 7940G and IP Phone 7960G devices, Cisco Aironet® 1100 Series wireless access points and a Cisco 2800 Series integrated services router. The solution will provide a complete wide-area network (WAN) for the Masters Games and hotspot wireless internet access.

The Australian Masters Games will take place in Adelaide from 7-16 October 2005, and will feature more than 60 sports and 10,500 participants. The Australian Masters Games is the first large-scale sporting event in Australia in which IP telephony is a central element of the communications infrastructure. The 2005 Games is the second Masters Games to use Cisco IP Communications.

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