SANTA CLARA, CA, Oct 07, 2009 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX News Network) -- Extreme Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ: EXTR) today announced a key addition to its industry-leading BlackDiamond(R) 8800 switching family, an Ethernet network platform for high performance, high value and smart connectivity from the network edge to the core and data center.

The trend for value-based enterprise networking at the edge is driven by organizations that are aiming for high performance and secure networks that can be cost-effectively deployed today, while keeping an eye to the future. Extreme Networks BlackDiamond(R) 8500-series wiring closet modules offer a comprehensive and high-value solution addressing customers' needs for cost-effective, yet feature-rich converged switching capabilities with natural upgrade paths for scalability and growth on demand.

"The BlackDiamond 8500 modules represent a great opportunity to deploy flexible, low cost and high performance modular switches in the wiring closet," said Mike Taylor, chief technology officer for SPS, a leading national integrator. "We partner with Extreme Networks because they have a complete approach with the BlackDiamond 8800 family that is fully upgradeable, without changing the chassis, with choices from Fast Ethernet, to dense Gigabit to 10 Gigabit Ethernet and for integrated PoE. Extreme also provides the consistency of a uniform operating system, ExtremeXOS, across all switches to simplify deployment, driving more value at every level."

Organizations require an end-to-end network with advanced automation features to discover and provision network edge devices, resiliency to handle fiber outages with minimal impact to users and security to identify and mitigate threats. The BlackDiamond 8800 addresses all of these requirements with a comprehensive family of module choices on a single chassis, and a uniform operating system, ExtremeXOS(R). The result is a total modular solution to tackle the most flexible network deployments.

Product Highlights

--  Automated Service Recovery: A redundant MSM for maximum availability,
    and a resilient network operating system for maximum network protection
--  Investment Protection:  Scalability and growth on demand, allowing for
    flexible end-to-end deployment
--  Value:  Cost effective switching with value-add services and Limited
    Lifetime Warranty to lower TCO
--  Automated Configuration: Open architecture to simplify manageability
    and Universal Port software to ease network provisioning
--  Automated Security Embedded security features to help protect
    corporate data at the access edge and dynamic ACLs for faster response to
    threats
--  Warranty: Extreme Networks new Limited Lifetime Warranty is standard
    with BlackDiamond 8500-series modules.

"The BlackDiamond 8800 family addresses voice and data convergence through high resiliency, automation of common tasks through software and secure networking, making it the best value for the wiring closet," said Harpreet Chadha, senior director of product management for Extreme Networks. "This new offering further reinforces our product strategy to offer customers a wide range of cost and performance choices for every part of their network."

Pricing and Availability

The BlackDiamond 8500-series modules will be available this quarter. The Management Switch Module (MSM), the BlackDiamond 8500-MSM24, has a U.S. list price of $4,995. The 24 port Gigabit fiber module, the BlackDiamond 8500-G24X-e, has a U.S. list price of $6,995. The 48 port Gigabit Base-T module, the BlackDiamond 8500-G48T-e, has a U.S. list price of $3,995.

Extreme Networks, Inc.

Extreme Networks provides converged Ethernet networks that support data, voice and video for enterprises and service providers. The company's network solutions feature high performance and high availability switching that deliver insight and control enabling customers to solve their real-world business communications challenges. Operating in more than 50 countries, Extreme Networks provides wired and wireless secure LANs, data center infrastructure and Service Provider Ethernet transport solutions that are complemented by global, 24x7 service and support. For more information, visit: http://www.extremenetworks.com

BlackDiamond, Extreme Networks, and ExtremeXOS are either a trademark or registered trademark of Extreme Networks, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries.

Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this press release, including without limitation statements as to features and performance of the BlackDiamond 8500 products are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date. Because such statements deal with future events, they are subject to risks and uncertainties, including network design and actual results of use of the product in different environments. We undertake no obligation to update the forward-looking information in this release. Other important factors which could cause actual results to differ materially are contained in the Company's 10-Qs and 10-Ks which are on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. http://www.sec.gov.

For more information, contact:
Extreme Networks Public Relations
Greg Cross
408 579 3483
Email Contact

SOURCE: Extreme Networks, Inc.

http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/emailprcntct?id=C0E6FFAC68FCE674

Copyright 2009 Marketwire, Inc., All rights reserved.

News Provided by COMTEX