Cisco Small Business Solutions Focus on Business Essentials

New Products Designed to Meet Small Businesses' Fundamental Needs of Security, Connectivity and Productivity

| Source: Cisco Systems, Inc. Cisco Systems, Inc.

SAN JOSE, CA--(Marketwire - January 26, 2009) - Delivering on its commitment to support small businesses with innovative networking and collaboration solutions, Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) today announced new products designed specifically for small companies.

Facts/Highlights:

  • These new products meet the fundamental business needs of security, connectivity and productivity and add to the already broad portfolio of Cisco solutions for small businesses. The new products include:
    • The Cisco® Spam and Virus Blocker, an easy-to-use security appliance that provides protection for a business's network and critical data from viruses and malicious email attacks while mitigating spam.
    • The Cisco NSS2000 and NSS3000 Network Storage Systems, affordable desktop, network-attached storage devices that provide protection for valuable data and allow employees to effortlessly share information.
    • The Cisco Smart Business Communications System (SBCS) Release 1.4, a complete collaboration and communications system that easily connects offices, employees and customers from anywhere at any time, now with the industry's first wireless desktop Internet Protocol (IP) phone with Bluetooth capabilities.


  • Today's news builds on the November 2008 announcement of Cisco's $100 million global strategic initiative to provide dedicated products, services and support for small businesses, including the formation of the Cisco Small Business technology group (SBTG).


  • The SBTG is focused on developing technologies within six priority areas that meet small businesses' core business needs and help to enable business growth, including the areas of security, connectivity, productivity, remote access, customer interaction and customer support.

Product Highlights

  • Cisco Spam and Virus Blocker
    • The Cisco Spam and Virus Blocker is an easy-to-use and easy-to-manage security appliance that's designed to stop spam, viruses and other email threats before they reach email users. It also features:
      • Incredible accuracy, with only one in 1 million false positives
      • No tuning or ongoing administration, as security updates are automatically sent from the world's largest email and Web traffic monitoring network
      • Simple four-step installation wizard that installs within minutes for most networks
      • All-inclusive product offering that contains the required hardware, software and Cisco Software and Support Subscription


  • Cisco NSS2000 and NSS3000 Network Storage Systems
    • The Cisco NSS2000 and NSS3000, which are part of the Cisco Small Business series, are affordable desktop, network-attached storage devices that provide security and protection of valuable data to prevent disruptions that come from losing crucial business information. The NSS2000 and NSS3000 also allow businesses to:
      • Use Cisco Small Business Continuous Data Protection to automatically back up every version of every file from every PC and server, so that data can be easily restored
      • Store and archive digital files like video from an IP video surveillance camera
      • Encrypt files to help comply with growing regulatory and security requirements for customer and financial information, such as HIPAA and Sarbanes-Oxley
      • Store up to 2 terabytes of data using the NSS2000 2-bay Gigabit Storage System Chassis
      • Store up to 4 terabytes of data using the NSS3000 4-bay Gigabit Storage System Chassis


  • Cisco Smart Business Communications System Release 1.4
    • The Cisco SBCS Release 1.4 is a simple and complete collaboration and communications system that enables small businesses to connect telecommuters, mobile workers and employees in disparate locations to enhance their ability to communicate and collaborate with customers and colleagues.
    • In Release 1.4, the affordable system has enhanced wireless capabilities, including the industry's first wireless desktop IP phone with Bluetooth, the Cisco SPA525G wireless IP phone, which allows businesses to grow cost-effectively by adding phones in places where traditional phone lines or network cables are not present or cannot be added. Additional new features of the SBCS Release 1.4 also include:
      • The Cisco 520 Secure Router to help protect the company's network and give employees secure access to the Internet and important business data whether they're working remotely or from the main office
      • The Cisco Configuration Assistant Version 1.9 to allow partners to simplify the setup and deployment of solutions designed specifically for individual businesses

Helping Small Businesses Invest in Essential Technology

  • Cisco technology for small businesses is appropriately priced for smaller, budget-conscious companies so they can invest in essential technology.
    • The Cisco Spam and Virus Blocker price ranges from $2,599 to $5,399 USD, with regional variations, depending on the number of users (50, 100 or 250) and subscription length (one or three years).
    • The Cisco Network Storage Systems devices start at $595 USD, with regional variations.
    • The Cisco SBCS Release 1.4 can vary in price depending on a business's specific needs. The Cisco SPA525G wireless IP phone is listed at $430 USD, with regional variations.


  • Cisco Capital(SM) offers a wide range of financing services designed specifically for small and medium-sized businesses around the world. Zero percent financing on voice solutions, including the SBCS Release 1.4, is available to qualified businesses in the U.S. and Canada. EasyLease zero percent financing is also available for unified communications and network technologies in Europe.

Product Availability

  • All of the new products are available immediately worldwide to Cisco Certified Partners and available to small businesses via Cisco Partners and Resellers.

Supporting Quotes:

  • Ian Pennell, senior vice president, Small Business technology group, Cisco:
    "At Cisco, we understand that small businesses need to see the immediate business benefits from their technology investment, especially during these tough economic times. That's why we've built these new products to address their essential business needs of security, connectivity and productivity. Our new products combined with our existing broad portfolio of solutions give small businesses the options and flexibility to find technology that's just right for them and their specific needs."


  • Andrew Sage, vice president, worldwide small business sales, Cisco:
    "We're delivering on our promise to help our Cisco channel partners best serve small businesses with purpose-built solutions that meet customers' fundamental business needs of security, connectivity and productivity. Our technology can be easily tailored by our partners so they can create the best solution for a small business's unique business needs."


  • Carl West, director of IT, LeapFrog:
    "With the Cisco Spam and Virus Blocker, I can relax knowing that our network and email system is well protected. Because our company is no longer distracted by spam, everyone is able to focus on core business activities, improving the overall efficiency of our business."


  • Emily Carroll, office manager, LeapFrog:
    "There was a noticeable impact after the implementation of the Cisco Spam and Virus Blocker, which took place without any disruptions to our daily routine. Not having to deal with spam saved me about 30 to 45 minutes a day and gave me peace of mind knowing that I was in control of my inbox."

Supporting Resources:

Videos/Images:

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Contact Information: Cisco Press Contact: Katie Taylor Cisco (408) 525-8289 katitayl@cisco.com Industry Analyst Contact: Laura Irwin Cisco (408) 853-8876 lirwin@cisco.com Investor Relations Contact: Matt Tractenberg Cisco (408) 525-3170 matthew2@cisco.com

Cisco NSS2000 Network Storage Systems Ian Pennell, SVP, Small Business Technology Group, Cisco Cisco Smart Business Communications System Cisco SPA525G wireless IP phone Cisco Spam & Virus Blocker Cisco NSS3000 Network Storage Systems

Mot-clé

Small Business Networking