BALTIMORE + SAN JOSE, Calif., November 20, 2002 - Cisco Systems, Inc., (NASDAQ: CSCO) widens its collaboration with the world's leading research and academic institutions to build high-performance networks that drive collaborative use of high-end computers, networks, databases and scientific instruments. Powered by Cisco technology Germany's Deutsches Forschungsnetz (DFN), and SuperSINET, Japan's high-speed Research Network, are deploying high-capacity, sophisticated IP networks that are essential for the sharing of ideas, data and learning. These high performance networks are managed by multiple organizations and support disciplines such as meteorology, radio astronomy and supercomputing applications.

Also today at SuperComputing 2002, Cisco and SURFnet, the Dutch computer network for higher education and research, will showcase the industry's first trans-atlantic transmission of High Definition Television (HDTV) over Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6). This demonstration features the state-of-the-art in IP/MPLS internetworking including IPv6 MPLS functionality, IPv6-IPv4 internetworking and high-performance IP tunnelling technologies. The trans-atlantic link showcases internetworking between SURFnet in Amsterdam and the SuperComputing 2002 demonstration site in Baltimore, using Cisco 12000 Series routers enabled with innovative IP Services Engine (ISE) line cards.

This industry first is just one example of how these research and educational institutions, using Cisco technology, have committed to collectively building out high capacity and high-speed communications networks to help eliminate the barriers of time, bandwidth, and distance that have hampered full-scale collaboration among institutions.

Networks Based on Cisco Technology Improve Research Quality and Collaboration

SuperSINET is Japan's first 10 Gbps optical high-speed research network built to drive the academic research activities in Japan by establishing the strong cooperation between major high-tech research institutes, universities or other academic organizations across the world. "We expanded the SuperSINET network already based on the Cisco 12000 Series routers to provide high speed communications services for our national research network," said Professor Shoichiro Asano, Director at SuperSINET in Japan. "The 12400 routers played a very critical role in developing a sophisticated, high capacity 10 Gbps network to test and develop advanced IP network technologies and real-time applications."

German Research Network, DFN, links scientists to a national communications infrastructure based on manufacturer-independent standards with connections into the public data network and into international science networks. "Cisco Systems and the German Research Network DFN have been successfully working together for years on the technical implementation of the research network," said Klaus Ullman, Chief Scientific Officer at DFN. "Recently the Cisco 12400 router was deployed to build the 10 Gbps platform of the DFN."

National Research Networks (NRNs) depend on networking infrastructures that demand unparallel performance and sophistication that effectively deliver applications such as remote sensing, medical applications and distance learning. Cisco solutions and technology provide NRNs, with a complete 10 Gbps router portfolio, proven high availability with integrated Cisco Nonstop Forwarding (NSF) and Cisco Stateful Switchover (SSO), the most comprehensive quality-of-service (QoS) features and integration of IPv6 with the current IPv4-based functionality available today for real-time service delivery. NRNs can choose from a wide-range of solutions to support their network expansions and restructuring, including the Cisco 12000 Series routers, Cisco 10000 Series routers, Cisco 7000 Series routers, Cisco Catalyst switches and Cisco Complete Optical Multiservice Edge and Transport (COMET) portfolio.

"Cisco recognizes the importance of the NRN community as a proving ground for new applications and network capabilities," said Tony Bates, vice president and general manager, High-End Routing Business Unit at Cisco Systems. "This community is constantly pushing the technology envelope and have helped fuel the networking vision of our customers and the industry. We have enjoyed our collaboration and look forward to many more years of future innovations and teamwork."