News Release

IBM and Cisco Launch E-Business Solutions for Small Businesses

Resellers Deliver Integrated Easy-To-Use Networked Solutions Enabling Affordable e-business
cisco_building_corporate_002-jpg-1889882-1-0
Jun 17, 1998

NEW YORK, NY -- June 17, 1998 -- IBM and Cisco Systems, Inc. todayannounced networked business solutions for small and growing businessesthat provide high-performance local area networking capabilities and fastaccess to the Internet. The e-business solutions, which include the IBMNetfinity 3500 or 3000 servers and the Cisco Networked Office stack, arepre-tested for compatibility, affordable, easy to install and configure.The products are backed by world-class service and support and areavailable through flexible leasing programs.

The combination of IBM Netfinity servers and the Cisco NetworkedOffice stack provide customers with a reliable networked foundation forconducting e-business, exchanging information and sharing resources. Thescalable solutions allow customers to securely access information andresources on the Internet.

Capturing the power of the Internet as a competitive advantage can bea complicated, costly process for a business of any size, said LineeneKrasnow, vice president of marketing, IBM Netfinity. The combination ofNetfinity servers and the Cisco Networked Office stack provides customerswith an e-business solution that is pre-tested for compatibility,affordable, reliable, and easy-to-use.

"Access to the Internet is rapidly becoming a requirement forcommunication between prospects, customers and suppliers," said Eugene Lee, vice president of marketing in the Small/Medium Line of Business at CiscoSystems. "With Cisco and IBM working together, customers will be able toorder networked business solutions with a single phone call to their localreseller."

Netfinity Servers

The affordable Netfinity 3000 and 3500 servers deliver easy-to-useInternet and intranet solutions that help growing businesses to communicatequickly and effectively with customers and vendors, track projects andresolve problems. Lotus Domino Intranet Starter Pack is available with IBMNetfinity servers at no additional cost, enabling growing businesses toquickly and cost-effectively deploy an intranet. Installation andconfiguration are fast and easy with ServerGuide Installation software andIBM's 90-day Netfinity Start Up Support. IBM Netfinity servers deliver theperformance, reliability and investment protection necessary to meetcustomers' business-critical requirements. The combination of theNetfinity server and the Cisco Networked Office stack delivers a completenetworked business solution.

The real beauty of the IBM Netfinity server is not just thetechnology, which is very strong from a price/performance standpoint, saidSteve Mull, vice president of operations and CIO for Fonville MoriseyRealty. It's the fact that IBM is working with other equipmentmanufacturers like Cisco to make sure different technologies work smoothlytogether.

Cisco Networked Office Stack

The Cisco Networked Office stack, a suite of stackable desktopproducts, is designed to deliver secure Internet access, flexibility and integration to small and growing businesses. Secure Internet access is assured via the Cisco IOS firewall feature set or via the Cisco Centri firewall for Windows NT. The stack offers unprecedented flexibility in design through support for multiple WAN technologies and a variety of LAN connectivity options including 10/100 autosensing Fast Ethernet hubs and switches. It has been tested under the Netfinity ServerProven program to integrate with the IBM Netfinity 3000 and 3500 servers.

Tested Solutions for Optimized Performance

Small business solutions from IBM and Cisco are pre-tested under theNetfinity ServerProven program so that customers receive smoothinstallation and reliable implementation. Netfinity ServerProven is acompatibility program that enables Independent Software and HardwareVendors to pre-test their products for compatibility with IBM Netfinityservers.

"As a result of the joint efforts between Cisco and IBM, we can nowrecommend with confidence world-class networked business solutions andservices," said John Freres, president of Illinois-based reseller N2NSolutions. "Our first joint solution customer Sayers Computer Source, an $80 million computer reseller based in Mt. Prospect, IL is already lookingat new ways of conducting business."

"Together with N2N we are building and deploying innovative intranetand extranet applications that will quickly eliminate downtime and enhanceour bottom line," said Tim Koers, director of Enterprise Technology atSayers Computer Source.

Flexible Financing

Growing businesses with limited capital available for technologyinvestments can now work directly through their reseller to finance acomplete networked business solution through either Cisco Systems CapitalInc. or IBM Global Financing. Flexible leases can include all hardware,software and service costs.

Availability

IBM/Cisco Internet Access Solutions for small businesses are availablenow in the U.S. and Canada through authorized IBM and Cisco resellers.For more information call 1-800-736-5454.

About IBM Netfinity Products

IBM Netfinity products provides customers using industry-standard technologies with a reliable foundation for their networked businesses by delivering outstanding power, scalability, control and service. The IBM Netfinity family of products helps small, medium and large companies to manage their networked business systems -- from file and print capabilities to the most advanced applications -- virtually anytime, anywhere. Software from industry-leading vendors such as Lotus, Novell, Microsoft, SCO, SAP, Oracle, JD Edwards and Baan are tested on IBM Netfinity systems so that customers are empowered to achieve their highest degree of productivity. In addition, through the worldwide IBM TechConnect program, customers and resellers can train and certify their specialists in various facets of IBM Netfinity technology.

Editors' Note:For information about Lotus products, access http://www.lotus.com.

Cisco Systems

Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet. News and information are available at http://www.cisco.com.

For more information visit Cisco PR Contacts

###

* Trademark or registered trademark of International Business MachineCorporation.
**Centri and Cisco IOS are trademarks, and Cisco, Cisco Systems and theCisco Systems logo are registered trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc.
***Domino and Domino Intranet Starter Pack is a trademark of LotusDevelopment Corp.
All other company/product names and service marks may be trademarks orregistered trademarks of their respective companies.