Boston College Leverages Enterasys Identity-Based Networking

ANDOVER, MA--(Marketwire - September 8, 2008) - Enterasys Networks Inc., the Secure Networks Company™, today announced that Boston College in Chestnut Hill, Mass., has deployed an Enterasys identity-based networking solution to automatically prioritize and secure more than 20,000 networked devices used by over 15,000 students and employees. As one of the nation's oldest Jesuit, Catholic universities, it is fitting that the new Boston College data center is housed in a converted chapel building containing a stained-glass window of St. Isidore of Seville, the patron saint of computers, programmers, and the Internet. The new data center accommodates the increased need for space, security, and modern, reliable facilities.

Enterasys Matrix® N-Series flow-based switches unify and secure three large campus locations in Chestnut Hill, Brighton and Newton, Mass. and five smaller, remote sites. MAC-based authentication for all users and guests is delivered at the edge of the network -- all without the need to manually reconfigure each desktop or laptop computer or install any additional agent technologies. The identity-based edge access policies deliver granular visibility and control over the priority and security of networked users and applications, while providing custom policy based on university affiliation.

"As a leading university, we are committed to centralizing all of our electronic information assets in our data center, where they're protected by both physical and logical security technologies," said Joseph Harrington, Director of Network Services at Boston College. "The Enterasys identity-based edge access policies enable us to black hole users or devices which are infected with malware or violating our acceptable use policy guidelines. Authenticated students, faculty and staff are provisioned automatically with network access throughout the campus based on the automated integration with our student information system and directory infrastructure."

A network systems staff of 10 people has leveraged Enterasys role-based policy management to contain nuisance traffic and threats at the edge of the network. This policy-based approach enables more secure user mobility, as the same connectivity and priority privileges follow the user or device as they move around the network, without requiring continuous manual intervention for every move, add or change.

"Interoperating with other vendors and adhering to a standards-based, open architecture is very important to us in justifying equipment selection decisions," Harrington added. "Enterasys offers seamless integration with all of our current vendor implementations, including Aruba, Cisco, F5, Nortel and TippingPoint. Through our use of the Enterasys NetSight® Console, Inventory Manager and Policy Manager, management of Enterasys' devices is efficient and reliable."

The edge provisioning and security capabilities of the Enterasys solution have enabled Boston College to substantially increase visibility and control over unknown users, guests and systems. Unknown devices are redirected to a registration website and contained until such time as they can be properly authenticated based on role, to then be granted appropriate network access.

"Before, we had an open network where viruses, worms, and other intrusive traffic had the ability to slow down or even bring our network to a halt," continued Harrington. "Now we have a high-quality, reliable and secure network. The ease of installation, use and maintenance along with the responsiveness of the Enterasys technical support team have been exceptional. Thanks to Enterasys, we are in a position to sufficiently address, mitigate and eliminate any potential network threats before they become problematic."

Over the next year, Boston College plans to pilot VoIP technologies along with an IPTV deployment that would provide expanded video-on-demand services over the campus network by using Enterasys solutions to classify, prioritize and secure the voice and video communications. Additionally, a new wireless network infrastructure is being designed to support wireless services to students in residence halls. The Enterasys Enterprise Notification System is being evaluated to deliver unified wired/wireless emergency notifications across the multi-vendor, multi-technology network at Boston College.

"For more than 10 years, as our network has evolved and changed, Enterasys has kept up with our emerging technical and academic needs. Their support will remain critical as we expand our technology initiatives to deliver next-generation access and learning opportunities to students throughout our campuses," Harrington concluded.

About Enterasys Networks

Enterasys is owned by a private investor group led by The Gores Group, LLC and Tennenbaum Capital Partners, LLC. Enterasys delivers Secure Networks™ that ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of IT services and the business users that rely on them -- without sacrificing performance. Thousands of enterprises, government agencies and educational institutions in more than 70 countries worldwide rely on our convergence, compliance and connectivity solutions to deliver business-oriented, identity-based visibility and control of individual user and application priority and security. The company's culture is centered on the principle, "There is nothing more important than our customers." Enterasys' standards-based, open-architecture approach to network security offers a long technology lifecycle and significant operational and business benefits, while reducing total cost of ownership. Information about Enterasys' award winning, policy-enabled switches, routers, wireless products, security software and services is available at www.enterasys.com.

About The Gores Group

Founded in 1987, The Gores Group, LLC is a private equity firm focused on acquiring controlling interests in mature and growing businesses which can benefit from the firm's operating experience and flexible capital base. The firm combines the operational expertise and detailed due diligence capabilities of a strategic buyer with the seasoned M&A team of a traditional financial buyer. The Gores Group, LLC has become a leading investor having demonstrated over time a reliable track record of creating substantial value in its portfolio companies alongside management. The firm's current private equity fund has committed equity capital of $1.3 billion. Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, The Gores Group, LLC maintains offices in Boulder, Colorado and London. For more information, please visit www.gores.com.

About Tennenbaum Capital Partners, LLC

Tennenbaum Capital Partners is a Santa Monica, California-based private investment firm managing over $7.5 billion in committed capital in private funds. The firm's investment strategy is grounded in a long-term, value approach, and it assists -- both financially and operationally -- transitional middle market companies in such industries as technology, healthcare, energy, aerospace, business services, retail and general manufacturing. Tennenbaum's core strengths include in-depth knowledge of equity and debt financing vehicles in the public and private markets, as well as a thorough understanding of special situations. For more information, please visit www.tennenbaumcapital.com.

Contact Information: Contact: Trent Waterhouse Enterasys Networks +1 978 684 1506 trent@enterasys.com Jackie Abramian BridgeView Marketing +1 617 584 2580 Jackie@bridgeviewmarketing.com