Catalyst 6500 Networks Power DaimlerChrysler's Global IT Infrastructure; Europe's First Catalyst 6500 Customer Helps Cisco Pass Significant Milestone for That Platform

Business Wire, June 21, 2006

LAS VEGAS -- In 1999, necessity drove DaimlerChrysler to take a chance on the Cisco(R) (NASDAQ:CSCO) Catalyst(R) 6500 Series switches, then a brand new networking platform that Cisco was preparing to bring to market.

"DaimlerChrysler was looking to upgrade its network at its corporate headquarters in Stuttgart and I was given the task of choosing the platform," said Hans Wohlfrom, senior manager, ITM IT Infrastructure Group at DaimlerChrysler AG. "We chose the Catalyst 6500 because it was the only product at that time that could fulfill our specific needs. But we did recognize that this was still first-generation product that needed to prove itself in the market."

Project N2K, or Net 2000, the code-name of DaimlerChrysler's initial deployment of the Catalyst 6500 involved about 180 switches consisting of some 50,000 ports designed simply to deliver local area network (LAN) connectivity for the company's Stuttgart facilities. This successful deployment made DaimlerChrysler (then known as Daimler-Benz AG) Europe's very first customer of the Catalyst 6500.

In the seven years or so since, that network has grown larger and far more strategic, surpassing 600,000 plus ports that connect DaimlerChrysler sites worldwide. In addition to LAN connectivity, this network is now capable of supporting nearly all of the company's vast business requirements including production/manufacturing, enterprise applications, financial services and its network of global dealerships to name a few.

Customer successes such as DaimlerChrysler have led to the Catalyst 6500 achieving the distinction as the networking industry's best-selling product ever, surpassing $20 billion in sales since its introduction.

"Looking back, we now know that our decision to go with the Catalyst 6500 was exactly the right one as it is now the key component of each and every network in our global LAN architecture," Wohlfrom said.

Going forward, DaimlerChrysler plans to further evolve its Catalyst 6500-based networks by deploying more hardware and software options. One key technology initiative that the company is evaluating is the addition of advanced integrated services modules, which allow Catalyst 6500 users to deploy a wide range of networking services (security, wireless, application, etc.) all in the same platform. Cisco today announced enhancements for its Catalyst 6500 Advanced Integrated Services Module portfolio (see related announcement at: http://newsroom.cisco.com/dlls/2006/prod_062106.html).

"The Catalyst 6500 is and will continue to be Cisco's core enterprise networking platform," said Jayshree Ullal, senior vice president and general manager of the Data Center, Switching, Security Technologies Group at Cisco. "We are extremely grateful for customers such as DaimlerChrysler who took a chance in committing to the Catalyst 6500. We are proud and pleased that the continued innovation and continuous success of this product has validated our customers' decisions."

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