Effnet Launches EdgeServerPlusSM OEM Initiative

SM Effnet Launches EdgeServerPlus OEM Initiative Targets Server Vendors with New Gigabit Router/Firewall Combo Las Vegas, NV, May 11, 1999 - Effnet Inc. announced at Networld+Interop today EdgeServerPlus, an OEM initiative designed to support the introduction of their technology to the US market (see related announcement, "Effnet Achieves Breakthrough in Router/Firewall Performance"). The initiative will at first be targeted to vendors of PC and web servers. The first product, the Effnet ROC (Router On a Card, also announced at the show), will give server vendors a new way to compete in the increasingly contentious networking equipment market by enabling easy entry into the high performance routing and firewall filtering space. The Effnet ROC is a PCI "blade" that plugs into PC and web servers, equipping them with "industrial strength" communications capabilities. The program has been launched with marketing and sales activities aimed at key OEM accounts. In addition, technical information and support will be provided to facilitate easy integration of Effnet technology and products. The Effnet ROC is based on technology originally developed in Sweden and marketed in Europe. The technology, called the Effnet algorithm, drastically improves the efficiency of functions such as router table lookups and firewall filtering. This improvement makes it possible for the first time to achieve Gigabit routing performance in server platforms consisting entirely of low cost, off-the-shelf technology. Effnet opened a US office in May 1998. The company launched an IPO on the Swedish market in April 1999, and is now rapidly staffing up marketing, development, and operations in both the United States and Europe. From the outset, the Effnet ROC was designed for easy integration with a variety of server platforms. The first version of the card uses the popular PCI interface. Another industry standard, the PMC (PCI mezzanine connector) interface, allows OEM customers to use one of several different network connections. Additional on-board interfaces are provided to enable the addition of application specific hardware assists such as encryption. Finally drivers will be provided for the popular server operating systems, beginning with Unix and Linux. "The key differentiator is our core technology, the Effnet algorithm," said Effnet President Jim Spoerl recently. "Based on our conversations with the top US server manufacturers, we decided to focus at first on offering a multifunction card that gives them another way to compete while leading to reduced costs and complexity for their customers - managers of enterprise networks". Effnet Company Background 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 Effnet's 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 conventional performance barriers 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). 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/1999/05/18/19990518BIT00430/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/1999/05/18/19990518BIT00430/bit0002.pdf