SANTA CLARA, Calif. and LAS VEGAS, April 28, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Foundry Networks(r), Inc. (Nasdaq:FDRY), a performance and total solutions leader for end-to-end switching and routing, today announced it will deliver state-of-the art unified communications (UC) solutions that bring enterprise customers real business benefits by integrating technology developed by industry peers Microsoft, Mitel, and Sun Microsystems. From Foundry's open, high-performance infrastructure and Mitel's reliable, vertical-based UC solutions to Sun Microsystems' easy-to-deploy virtual display clients and Microsoft Office Communications Server application delivery solution, this alliance delivers a tested, best-of-breed end-to-end UC solution.
Foundry will demonstrate the complete UC solution developed with its industry collaborators at Interop Las Vegas. A Foundry BigIron RX backbone Layer 2/3 switch, ServerIron application delivery switch, and compact FastIron Power over Ethernet (PoE) Layer 2/3 switch will connect to Sun Microsystems' Sun Ray virtual display client powered by the Mitel Communications Suite, Microsoft's Office Communications Server 2007 and Network Access Protection (NAP) technology. The demonstration will allow visitors to understand how a best-of-breed UC solution can work seamlessly to deliver business-critical performance and value.
Leveraging an IP infrastructure and enterprise communications system simplifies communications by bringing them all into a single network, creating common interfaces, shared tools and single points of contact for customers, employees and others. Often barriers to large-scale UC deployments don't allow enterprises to take advantage of the bottom line and productivity enhancing benefits a single communications infrastructure and unified solution delivers. Ensuring application security, performance and manageability while increasing mobility and delivering a cost-effective and consistent desktop and voice experience wherever users need access to the network can challenge even the most ambitious enterprises.
"Foundry is very pleased to continue its leadership in open standards networking through this important unified communications demonstration with Microsoft, Mitel and Sun," said Amy Mollat-Medeiros, director of Enterprise Alliances, Foundry Networks. "This collaboration between industry leaders brings new opportunities to truly transform enterprise infrastructure. As part of an integrated and best-of-breed solution, enterprise customers gain lower total cost of ownership and increased return on investment with their mission-critical applications."
"Microsoft is pleased to be a part of this development with Interop Vendor Alliance members Foundry, Mitel and Sun. The solution that will be demonstrated at this year's Interop Las Vegas event is a result of increasing collaboration across the IT ecosystem -- and echoes Microsoft's commitment to bringing meeting customers' changing operating and business needs in mixed source environments," said Bruce Burns, senior director, Strategic Relations, Microsoft.
"Mitel has the privilege of having established strategic relationships with each of these industry leaders individually to assure seamless interoperability of our respective offerings," said Stephen Beamish, vice president, Business Development and Strategic Alliances. "Combined, the elements brought together by this group of vendors provide powerful, flexible and robust joint solutions that are capable of meeting the needs of any customer environment."
"Sun is thrilled to work with Foundry, Microsoft and Mitel to demonstrate an exciting solution featuring Sun Ray technology, for enterprises seeking to reduce the complexities of deploying a unified communications system," said Bob Gianni, senior director, Solaris Group for Sun Microsystems. "A collaboration such as this underscores our long-held vision that 'the network is the computer,' and truly demonstrates what's possible in client convergence."
In addition to the UC solution, the presentation, "Ensuring Highly Available, Secure and Responsive Unified Communications Across Heterogeneous Systems and Devices," will take place with Foundry, Microsoft, Mitel and Sun on Wednesday, April 30 from 3:15 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. PDT at Interop in Mandalay Bay L.
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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About Mitel
Mitel(r) delivers flexibility and simplicity in smart unified communications solutions and applications for organizations of all sizes. Mitel is reinventing how successful organizations gain competitive advantage by easily collaborating and communicating over distance and time with customers, colleagues and partners.
About Sun Microsystems
Sun Microsystems develops the technologies that power the global marketplace. Guided by a singular vision -- "The Network is the Computer"(tm) -- Sun drives network participation through shared innovation, community development and open source leadership. Sun can be found in more than 100 countries and on the Web at http://sun.com.