SANTA CLARA, Calif. and OTTAWA, March 12, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Mitel(r), the new force in unified communications for the real world, and Foundry Networks(r), Inc. (Nasdaq:FDRY), a performance and total solutions leader for end-to-end switching and routing, today announced Mitel's inclusion in the Foundry Networks IronPowered Technology Alliance Program as a strategic voice partner. Enabling organizations worldwide to leverage an all-Internet Protocol (IP) infrastructure and innovative communication application solutions to improve their business performance, Foundry and Mitel unite industry-leading network solutions with a broad portfolio of IP-based communication applications, benefiting enterprises with fully interoperable solutions for today's demanding communications environment.
The IronPowered Technology Alliance Program builds on the commercial success that the two companies have established by simplifying the deployment of converged data and Voice over IP (VoIP) networks with the successful completion of interoperability, auto-configuration and security testing between Foundry's unique Power over Ethernet (PoE) upgradeable switches and Mitel's enhanced VoIP handsets. Mitel and Foundry provide a multi-layered converged voice and data security strategy with increased manageability through the adoption of new standards-based specifications. Benefits include improved voice quality with superior reliability for an end-to-end converged network solution that provides network and telecommunications operators with an easy-to-install and manage solution.
"Upgrading our gigabit Ethernet to the desktop network to support Power over Ethernet VoIP phones was not only an easy upgrade but it also allowed us to leverage the productivity and cost-savings benefits of converged networking," said Kevin Clark, director of IT operations for Lucasfilm, Ltd. "With our existing Foundry network infrastructure, we installed a simple update to our Mitel phones to enable PoE VoIP capability throughout our distributed multi-site organization."
Mitel and Foundry have delivered a future-ready unified infrastructure to help protect customers' investments with the performance levels, reliability and security today's converged voice and data applications require to a variety of worldwide customers including:
* A powerful 10 gigabit Ethernet and gigabit to the desktop PoE networking solution that brings voice and data to the desktop of editing industry leader Lucasfilm's Industrial Light and Magic (ILM), with fully redundant Mitel 3300 IP Communications Platforms (ICPs) across multiple buildings, Mitel Mobile Extension, Mitel Your Assistant, Mitel Teleworker Solution, and Mitel Enterprise Manager. * A state-of-the-art converged data, imaging, and VoIP network for Steinberg Diagnostic Medical Imaging (SDMI) using Foundry's switches and Mitel's IP communications platform, contact center solution, and business IP telephones. * A core network infrastructure and secure enterprise-class wireless access within the 15 offices of Residential Mortgage in Alaska, using Mitel's 3300 ICP, IP phones, Enterprise Manager, Mitel Messaging Server and the Teleworker Solution and Foundry networking solutions. * An IP-enabled network to support more than 1,500 end-users at the Grand Hyatt Resorts in Doha, Qatar, with a Mitel 3300 ICP, running across FastIron(tm) SuperX(r) and FastIron Edge Switch PoE-ready systems from Foundry.
"Mitel and Foundry Networks are winning customers together with a proven VoIP and networking solution to multiple customers across multiple verticals," said Stephen Beamish, vice president of business development and strategic partnerships for Mitel. "Our joint market initiatives have provided tangible results that combine our best-of-breed solutions to help enterprise customers in government, health care, education, and financial services realize the benefits of IP communications through superior solutions."
"For many enterprises, the network is the key element maintaining day-to-day business operations," said Benjamin Taft, vice president of corporate marketing and business development for Foundry Networks. "The addition of Mitel to the IronPowered Technology Alliance Program will help continue to drive the innate advantages of an open network architecture to support today's evolving business operations."
Foundry Networks' industry-leading network infrastructure and Mitel's broad portfolio of IP-based communication applications, enable enterprises to benefit from a partnership that provides proven solutions for today's demanding communications environment. Built upon open standards and tested to ensure interoperability, a joint Foundry and Mitel IP communications solution delivers a future-ready convergence infrastructure with the high performance, reliability and security today's critical voice and data applications require.
About Mitel
Mitel delivers flexibility and simplicity in smart unified communications solutions and applications for organizations of all sizes. Combined with a full range of managed services that include voice and data network design and traffic provisioning, custom application development, and attractive financing options, Mitel is reinventing how successful organizations gain competitive advantage by easily collaborating and communicating over distance and time with customers, colleagues and partners. Mitel's (www.mitel.com) U.S. headquarters are in Phoenix, AZ. Global headquarters are in Ottawa, Canada, with offices, partners, and resellers worldwide.
About Foundry Networks
Foundry Networks, Inc. (Nasdaq:FDRY) is a leading provider of high-performance enterprise and service provider switching, routing, security and Web traffic management solutions, including Layer 2/3 LAN switches, Layer 3 Backbone switches, Layer 4-7 application switches, wireless LAN and access points, metro and core routers. Foundry's customers include the world's premier ISPs, metro service providers, and enterprises, including e-commerce sites, universities, entertainment, health and wellness, government, financial and manufacturing companies. For more information about the company and its products, call 1.888.TURBOLAN or visit www.foundrynet.com.
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