INTERCONNECTS

WASHINGTON, -- Foundry Networks(R), Inc., a leading provider of high- performance enterprise and service provider switching, routing and Web traffic management solutions, today announced the expansion of its intelligent enterprise switch family with two new fixed-configuration Layer 2 edge switches. The new EdgeIron(R) 2402CF and 4802CF switches, extend Foundry's enterprise product offering to deliver aggressively priced Layer 2 switches for cost-sensitive enterprise customers. These new switches offer 24 and 48 10/100 Ethernet ports along with two integrated Gigabit Ethernet combo ports, giving customers the choice of using built-in Gigabit copper or mini-GBIC slots, leading to additional cost savings and media flexibility. Backed by Foundry's world class technical support and customer services, the new EdgeIron products offer corporations a cost-effective Layer 2 workgroup and wiring closet solution. The new switches complement Foundry's complete line of proven enterprise LAN switching offerings including the BigIron(R) Layer 3 backbone switches, the FastIron(R) Layer 2/3 switches, and the FastIron Edge switches. "There is a definite market opportunity based upon the innovation track record of Foundry Networks for a wide variety of high-performance network applications," said Zeus Kerravala, research director of Yankee Group. "The new EdgeIron platforms enable existing Foundry customers to offer intelligent solutions and aggressively-priced products without hindering high-speed performance and high-end feature requirements that enterprise customers demand of their networking vendor," added Kerravala.