NetScreen Gets Top Rankings in Latest Infonetics Research Market Share Report; NetScreen Dominates Gigabit Firewall Market with 65% Market Share

Business Wire, March 27, 2001

Business Editors & High Tech Writers

SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 27, 2001

NetScreen Technologies, Inc., a leading developer of ASIC-based Internet security systems and appliances announced today that the latest Infonetics Research report affirms NetScreen's leadership position in the growing firewall/VPN hardware market. The report highlights NetScreen's dominance in the worldwide gigabit firewall market, and its strong performance in the low-end VPN hardware category.

According to the report, spending on security products continues to grow with firewall revenues totaling $330 million for the fourth quarter of 2000 and more than $1 billion for the year. The report tracks NetScreen and other vendors in the field including Cisco Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO), Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ:CHKP), SonicWall Inc. (NASDAQ:SNWL), WatchGuard Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:WGRD).

"Our research indicates that the low-end and high-end segments of the security market are experiencing the fastest growth rates," said Jeff Wilson, senior analyst and executive director of Infonetics Research.

"NetScreen is uniquely positioned to take advantage of these market trends."

The Infonetics Research "VPN and Firewall Products" quarterly (Q4 2000) worldwide market report cited NetScreen as a leader in key categories for VPN hardware based on units shipped. NetScreen was ranked first in the low-end category, defined as VPN hardware solutions supporting 100 or fewer simultaneous VPN tunnels. NetScreen placed second in units shipped for total dedicated VPN hardware market, and third in the high-end category covering devices that support more than 1,000 VPN tunnels. These rankings are a repeat of where NetScreen placed in the previous quarter. Additionally, in the fast-growing gigabit firewall market NetScreen dominated with 65% of all units shipped in 2000.

"As customers move to broadband Internet connections, they are no longer accepting the network choke point created by legacy software-based security solutions," said David Flynn, vice president of marketing for NetScreen Technologies. "The Infonetics market data exemplifies this transition to high-speed hardware-based security required by enterprises and Internet data centers."

About NetScreen Technologies

NetScreen Technologies develops ASIC-based Internet security systems and appliances that deliver high performance firewall, VPN and traffic shaping functionality to Internet data centers, service providers and enterprises. This approach offers customers award-winning wire-speed performance, scalability, and manageability in one comprehensive security solution. NetScreen is located at 350 Oakmead Parkway, Sunnyvale, Calif. 94085. More information on NetScreen's products can be found at http://www.netscreen.com or by calling toll free at 1-800-638-8296.

NetScreen is a trademark of NetScreen Technologies, Inc. Other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.