Effnet Achieves Breakthrough in Router/Firewall Performance

Effnet Achieves Breakthrough in Router/Firewall Performance Unveils a new product initiative, the Effnet ROC@ (Router On a Card) Las Vegas, NV, May 11, 1999 - Effnet Inc. announced at Networld+Interop today a new product rollout initiative and its first product, the Effnet ROC. With this initiative Effnet is introducing to the U.S. market a range of products based on technology - the Effnet algorithm - that drastically improves the efficiency of functions such as router table lookups and firewall filtering, making it possible for the first time to achieve Gigabit performance via inexpensive, off-the-shelf technology. The product initiative will result in a line of low cost, multifunction devices designed to simplify network growth and management while flattening the cost of ownership. The first product in the series is the Effnet ROC, an intelligent PCI "blade" that can equip PC and web servers with high performance routing and security features, and a range of WAN connectivity options. The Effnet ROC will be sold through OEM channels (see related announcement, SM "Effnet Launches EdgeServerPlus OEM Initiative"). At first Effnet will target server vendors, giving OEMs another way to compete in the increasingly contentious networking equipment market. Effnet President Jim Spoerl said, "We feel that the trend towards having multiple specialized boxes at the edge of networks is actually a step backwards. It can be a nightmare of complexity to set up and manage separate routers, firewalls, web caches, traffic shapers, web servers, application servers, etc. The Effnet ROC is a first step towards simplifying this mess. The technology behind the ROC allows us to do so at unrivaled price/performance parameters." As part of the product series, Effnet will release the technology in a variety of products and form factors throughout the next year, starting with the first version of the Effnet ROC in Q3 1999. Follow-on products will include support for additional types of network connections, such as a four-port Fast Ethernet and LAN/WAN combination card, and a variety of bus interfaces and operating environments. Additional functions, such as high performance firewall capabilities, will also be provided. Product Specifications The Effnet ROC is a PCI blade that uses single or dual StrongARM processors to power the Effnet algorithm. Support will at first be provided for Unix environments, with other operating systems following. The Effnet ROC will work with the popular IP routing protocols, including RIP, BGP4, OSPF, DVMRP, etc. It has a PCI mezzanine connector (PMC) for popular network interface boards. A two port Fast Ethernet connection is part of the initial product offering. Pricing will be in the range of $1,000/port. The Effnet ROC extends the company's technology - the Effnet algorithm and its software implementation - to another important platform. Previously released as standalone systems using dual Pentium processors, the FTC 1000R and FTC 500FR are providing high performance routing and firewall protection for a variety of European customers. Effnet Company Backgrounder Effnet was established in the spring of 1997 based on the revolutionary results of a research project at Luleå University of Technology in Sweden. These results are the foundation of the Effnet algorithm. Effnet now has 40 employees and is expanding rapidly. Research and development is based in Luleå. In 1998, the company opened a sales and marketing office in Boston, Massachusetts and an additional office in Stockholm, Sweden. The company's technology has been field tested and proven via a line of firewall products initially marketed exclusively in Sweden. Products based on the Effnet algorithm will become available in the United States in Q3 of 1999. Effnet's mission is to develop and market networking products and technology that provide optimal efficiency, security, and flexibility. By using highly efficient algorithms and data structures, Effnet technology breaks the conventional performance barrier for table-lookups and filtering operations, providing low cost but high performance networking and telecommunications "accelerators" for PC and web servers. Effnet shares are publicly traded on Stockholm Stock Exchange's New Market (EFFN). Contact: Jim Spoerl Bob Geller Effnet Inc. PR@vantage (781) 235-7485 212-840-5905 spoerl@effnet.com bob@pr-vantage.com ------------------------------------------------------------ Please visit http://www.bit.se for further information The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/1999/05/18/19990519BIT00090/bit0001.pdf http://www.bit.se/bitonline/1999/05/18/19990519BIT00090/bit0002.doc