Italian Post Office to Use Italtel's Integrated Network Services, Including Infoblox Appliances

SANTA CLARA, CA and MILAN, ITALY--(Marketwire - March 9, 2009) - Italtel, a leading company in the development and integration of products and services for next-generation IP/NGN networks, and Infoblox, a leading company in appliances for reliable and secure delivery of core network services, including domain name resolution (DNS) and IP address assignment (DHCP), will provide Gruppo Poste Italiane with the network infrastructure it needs to enable the company's employees to dynamically connect to the network, navigate it and access services, such as Voice over IP (VoIP), on it.

As part of its plans for the innovation and technological development of customer services, Gruppo Poste Italiane, which guarantees global postal service and offers integrated communications, logistic and financial products and service throughout Italy, plans to gradually develop its communications network to support VoIP technology, in terms of infrastructure, services and terminals used in all its regional offices and in more than 14,000 post offices throughout Italy.

To meet this challenge, Gruppo Poste Italiane has chosen Italtel to develop, integrate and install the basic infrastructure for the supply of specific network services. In particular, Italtel's services -- which leverage Infoblox systems to provide the allocation and automated distribution of IP addresses for accessing various terminals such as personal computers, laptops and VoIP telephones -- will be used.

Further, the dynamic services for configuring IP addresses on network terminals (DHCP -- Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol), will be operational for all interconnected VoIP terminals in Gruppo Poste Italiane's communication network area, managed by Italtel's softswitch (i-SSW) platforms.

Italtel, in its capacity as Gruppo Poste Italiane's system technology partner, will be the System Integrator as well as Global Integrator of the integrated network services infrastructure implemented in the Milan (Rozzano), Rome (Eur Congressi), Pomezia and Bari data centers.

"Integrated network services are essential for companies and local government organizations," commented Claudio Chiarenza, General Manager responsible for planning, marketing and business development at Italtel. "Indeed, quick and reliable access to the network and its applications is only possible if there is a solid infrastructure, including the core network services that best enable connection in terms of protocol management, security, and quick configuration of user terminals. This is even more true for large organizations distributed throughout the country, which have to be able to count on suppliers that are also partners in terms of system technology, and which can ensure maximum efficiency, system and service integration capabilities, and customer support during the start-up of the services themselves."

Vicenzo Musella, Gruppo Poste Italiane's TLC Network Development Manager commented: "The Infoblox service integrated into the scope of network solutions allows us to centralize the fundamental functions for supplying core network services, ensure maximum availability while at the same time contributing to the server consolidation process. The simplification of network service management also allows us to reduce the operational impact and the timescales for the definition and provision of these services."

Infoblox is based on appliance-based platforms, i.e. on all-in-one solutions for which there are no dedicated hardware platforms but rather software applications which are easily updated, and on the grid system, i.e. on the use of a single, centralized, user-friendly graphical interface through which it is possible to manage and control the DNS, DHCP and IP address management services.

There are many advantages to this technology: rapid, full configuration of network terminals (PCs and VoIP telephones); ease of management and prompt control of the operational status of the core network services network; significant reductions in both downtime and the possibility of intrusions into the operating system; higher level of service availability on a geographical scale, allowing the centralised sharing of data/applications on different apparatuses and/or data centres; and greater service capacity.

About Infoblox Appliances and Grid Technology

Infoblox pioneered core network services appliances and delivered a number of industry firsts, including the first appliances to integrate DNS, DHCP, IP address management (IPAM), user name and password authentication (RADIUS), and other services in hardened, easy-to-manage network appliances.

Infoblox grid technology links a group of member appliances into a unified, centrally managed system with unique resilience and automation functions. For example, the software for all appliances in a grid can be updated in a single operation. Parameters for DNS, DHCP, and all network services can be set at a grid-wide level. Data from all members and services can be viewed and managed from a single location. Additionally, advanced functionality, such as automated failover to and from disaster recovery sites, is built in.

For more information about Infoblox products, visit: http://www.infoblox.com/products/.

About Italtel

The Italtel Group designs, develops and implements next-generation multi-service integrated network systems, using state-of-the-art products and a system integration capacity that guarantees reliable infrastructures, open to networking and flexible in terms of technology development. These solutions are intended for telecommunications operators (fixed and mobile), Internet Service Providers, large enterprises and the public sector. Italtel turnover in FY 2007 was 543.4 million euro, and the company currently has around 2,300 staff. The body of shareholders of Italtel Group S.p.A., parent company of Italtel S.p.A., is composed as follows: Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (48.77%), Telecom Italia Group (19.37%), Cisco Systems Group (18.40%), Advent International (8.65%), Brera Capital Partners (2.16%), Cordusio Fiduciaria -- which holds in trust the shares of employees, managers and directors of the Group as well as the Company's own shares -- (2.65%). Website: www.italtel.com

About Infoblox

Infoblox delivers highly reliable and manageable platforms for core network services like domain name resolution (DNS), IP address assignment (DHCP), IP address management (IPAM) and more. Infoblox solutions -- essential for the move from static networks to dynamic infrastructure and applications -- are used by over 2,700 organizations worldwide, including over 100 of the Fortune 500. The company is headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif., and operates in more than 30 countries.

Contact Information: Media Contacts: Jennifer Jasper Infoblox 408.625.4309