F5 Intros Application Ready Network

SEATTLE -- F5 Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ: FFIV), the global leader in Application Delivery Networking, today announced the Application Ready Network. Now, enterprise organizations using Microsoft applications have a simplified way to design, deploy, and manage an integrated, optimized network infrastructure from a single vendor. F5's unique application delivery network has been specially architected, integrated, tested, and documented to ensure the successful delivery of Microsoft applications.

F5's Application Ready Network is a holistic application network architecture and infrastructure designed and optimized specifically for the2007 Microsoft Office system, including Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007, Microsoft Exchange Server 2007, and Microsoft Live Communications Server 2005, with plans to support the upcoming Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007. It functions as a simple overlay network built on the strengths and improvements Microsoft has implemented across their entire Office portfolio. F5's Application Ready Network removes the bottlenecks outside the application's control, such as WAN latency, that put application deployments at risk. It improves end-user client performance, creates an even stronger security posture, unifies access control and enforcement, and ensures the superior scalability of the 2007 Office system applications.

"We're impressed with F5's holistic view of the application and network as well as their drive to make the network support Microsoft deployments," said Rob Bernard, general manager of the Worldwide ISV Group at Microsoft Corp."The comprehensive architecture F5 has designed will optimize application performance for Microsoft customers."

F5 Networks Inc.