Thursday, 4 November 2004 13:18 EST

InfoWorld credits the FirePass product's superior capabilities, including excellent security, broad application support, simple set up, and wide array of client operating system and browser support

SEATTLE, NOVEMBER 4, 2004 - F5 Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ: FFIV), the global leader of Application Traffic Management, today announced that its FirePass® product has received the highest score of any SSL VPN (Secure Sockets Layer Virtual Private Network) product that InfoWorld has tested over the last year, including products from Juniper and Aventail. The FirePass product is the only SSL VPN solution that has received an 'Excellent' rating by the InfoWorld Test Center.

In the InfoWorld review the editor cited that, "Since we reviewed it last December, the FirePass 1000 has boosted functionality, including better presentation of applications, more flexible policies, and more granular management. In addition, it now provides PDA accessibility and has a Citrix MetaFrame portal." The reviewer also highlighted numerous advantages and unique capabilities of the FirePass Controller, including:

* Security is excellent throughout the system.

* Both administration and user/group access is as granular as anyone could wish. One interesting new feature is the ability to create aliases for network resources, something not found in other SSL VPNs.

* Unlike other SSL VPNs, FirePass supports many applications directly, with no additional configuration required. These include Exchange, Citrix clients, Windows terminal services, virtual network computing apps, 3270 and 5250 terminal apps, SSH and telnet apps, and X-Windows apps. Better presentation of applications, more flexible policies and more granular management, accessibility through PDAs and Citrix MetaFrame portal -- make it worth the upgrade.

* FirePass sets a new standard for ease of use in setup and configuration, and for the wide array of client Operating Systems and browsers supported.

* Compared with IPSec or even other SSL VPN solutions, the FirePass will make both users and administrators happy with its ease of setup and administration.

"We're extremely pleased that InfoWorld has recognized how rich, comprehensive and manageable F5's SSL VPN solution really is," said Erik Giesa, Vice-President of Product Management and Marketing at F5 Networks. "Our customers' requirements truly fuel the robustness of F5's FirePass product. For example, to successfully provide secure remote access to users, our customers demand a solution that allows them to easily manage access policies for a large and growing number of resources and users, without requiring complex and time consuming configurations. On top of that, their users need seamless access from any location, any device and from a variety of access modes -- without sacrificing performance. The fact that F5 has bolted to the No. 2 position in market share for the SSL VPN market, is a direct reflection of being customer driven."

To read the InfoWorld review on the FirePass product, go to http://www.f5.com/f5/news/articles/article102204.html. More information on the FirePass Controller can be viewed at http://www.f5.com/f5products/products/FirePass/

Infoworld Test Center Scoring Methodology
For each product category the InfoWorld Test Center evaluates, we first determine which criteria are most critical to the buying decision, then assign a weighted percentage to each criterion based upon its importance. For any shipping product or service we test within that product category, we assign a score for each criterion (on a scale of 1 to 10), multiply each criterion's assigned percentage by its respective score, then add the resulting figures to calculate a total score. Finally, we assign a verbal rating based on that score. Products scoring below 1 are deemed "Unacceptable"; between 1 and 2.9, "Poor"; 3 to 4.9, "Fair"; 5 to 6.9, "Good"; 7 to 8.5, "Very Good"; 8.6 or higher, "Excellent."

About FirePass Controller
F5's FirePass® Controller provides secure remote access to corporate applications and data via standard Web browser technology. It enables companies to extend secure remote access to anyone connected to the Internet using desktops, laptops, PDAs, kiosks and more - while eliminating the need for complex IPSec VPNs. FirePass is the first SSL VPN solution with complete cross-platform support. Extending its support for any IP application to Macintosh, PocketPC and Linux clients and expanding client and application security for Web, email and file application access, FirePass delivers the industry's most ubiquitous solution for secure application access. It also offers the only open API (Application Programming Interface) and SDK (Software Developer's Kit) that enables 3rd party application vendors to build seamless, secure remote access into their client applications.

About F5 Networks
F5 enables organizations to successfully deliver business-critical applications and gives them the greatest level of agility to stay ahead of growing business demands. As the pioneer and global leader in Application Traffic Management, F5 continues to lead the industry by driving more intelligence into the network to deliver advanced application agility. F5 products ensure the secure and optimized delivery of applications to any user - anywhere. Through its flexible and cohesive architecture, F5 delivers unmatched value by dramatically improving the way organizations serve their employees, customers and constituents, while lowering operational costs. Over 6,000 organizations and service providers worldwide trust F5 to keep their businesses running. The company is headquartered in Seattle, Washington with offices worldwide. For more information go to www.f5.com.