Converged Access Unveils Guaranteed Voice, Video, and Data Application Performance for Enterprise Branch Offices

Market Wire, May, 2007

Converged Access Inc . (CAI), the leader in delivering guaranteed application performance control for converged enterprise VoIP, data and video applications, today announced the Branch Services Gateway (BSG) and Converged Provisioning System , an innovative multi-function solution that integrates proven traffic management, WAN optimization, unified policies, survivable telephony, firewall, VPN security, and routing with zero-touch deployment in a single foot print. Ideal for small to medium branch office and remote office environments, it replaces the requirement for multiple devices, offers a simplified management approach that reduces complexity and provides the lowest total cost of ownership available today.

"Converged Access is addressing four key enterprise concerns -- cost, availability, scalability, and performance," said John Bartlett, vice president at NetForecast . "Consolidating branch office functions into one box lowers capital and operating costs. Highly reliable design and survivability features increase availability. A holistic system-level design approach makes the solution highly scalable and further reduces operational costs. And traffic management and acceleration technologies improve and protect application performance."

The BSG all-in-one solution provides the ability for precise user and application performance guarantees. The integrated solution reduces CAPEX by up to 2/3, and with zero-touch provisioning and comprehensive management can reduce OPEX by up to 80% compared to legacy router-based and bandwidth over-provisioning solutions. Its advanced traffic management capabilities enable utilization of 95% of available bandwidth while still maintaining performance of response time or latency-sensitive applications. Features of Converged Access' BSG include:

--  WAN Optimization - Optimize the network infrastructure by using a
    variety of WAN application optimization technologies including traffic
    management, compression, and caching.

--  Integrated Switching and Routing (BGP/RIP 1 & 2)

--  Security - Eliminate the need for multiple point security products.
    The BSG offers business-class security with an integrated firewall, VPN, as
    well as intrusion detection and prevention support.

--  Telephony - The BSG offers toll-quality VoIP as well as a number of
    telephony features including Caller ID, call-on-hold, call transfer and
    three-way calling.

--  Data/Voice Survivability - The BSG ensures survivability in the event
    of loss of the IP network or the central soft-switch.
    

The Converged Provision System (CPS) provides application monitoring and reporting with an easy-to-use interface for centralized, scalable provisioning and device management. Key features include:

--  Zero Touch Provisioning - Once the BSG is powered up it will
    automatically detect the Converged Provisioning System and automatically
    download its configuration file and configure itself.

--  Simplified Change Management - Changes only need to be made once for
    them to propagate throughout the system for simplicity and reduced errors.

--  Integrated Policies - CPS provides a single, integrated interface to
    configure every device parameter from a centralized location.

--  Scalable - The CPS System scales to manage hundreds or thousands of
    devices with minimum costs and disruption.
    

"We partner with CAI as one of our traffic optimization solutions because their comprehensive, application-aware traffic management technology is accurate and the solution is so simple to set up and use with 3Com products," said Anna Dorcey, Vice President of Technology Programs at 3Com. "CAI's products and software add value to 3Com's VoIP and recently announced Open Services Networking (OSN) solutions."

Matt Miller, Director of Systems Engineering for LTI Datacom, a supplier of network systems and services to the Federal Government based in Sterling, VA, said, "After spending quite a bit of time with the new BSG 5000, I can say without any doubt that it is one of the more extraordinary products I've tested. The BSG platform completely redefines the 'invisible' set of rules the network appliance market has been playing by for far too long. Management of the BSG is a beautiful example of how even a feature-rich device can harness every last bit of power through one well-structured interface design. Converged Access has placed many thoughtful touches in the BSG's management interface that make overall administration of the platform painless, allowing users to work with the system, rather than against it."

The Branch Service Gateway and Converged Provision System are available immediately and pricing begins at $2400.

About Converged Access

Converged Access is a leading innovator of WAN optimization solutions. Its unique Intelligent Application Performance Control capabilities enable optimal end-user experience and improved network efficiency for VoIP, business critical applications as well as emerging real-time and collaborative converged applications. Converged Access solutions have won numerous industry awards, including INTERNET TELEPHONY magazine's 2005 Product of the Year. Deployed by hundreds of enterprise and service provider customers around the globe, Converged Access solutions are available worldwide from Converged Access channel partners, OEM partners or directly from Converged Access. The Company is headquartered in Littleton, Massachusetts. www.convergedaccess.com