ODS Networks Chooses Red Hat Services for Help With New Linux-Based SecureCom Offer

Red Hat Services to Provide Assistance with Product Development, Certification, Customer Support and Training

RALEIGH, Caroline du Nord et RICHARDSON, Texas -

Red Hat®, Inc. (NASDAQ:RHAT), the market leader in open source solutions, and ODS Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ:ODSI) a global provider of security management solutions for enterprise security products, today announced that they will work together to complete Red Hat certification and the design of a hardened Linux operating system for use with ODS' SecureCom family of Internet Security products. Under the agreement, Red Hat will provide ODS with on-site software consulting, engineering services, training and support.

"Red Hat's unmatched services and support organization instills confidence in our customers, who demand a dependable, multi-function security platform for their Internet and e-commerce applications," said Eric Gore, Vice President of Strategic Business for ODS Networks. "Red Hat Linux is the ideal solution for SecureCom because Red Hat Services offers ODS the support necessary to develop, deploy and support a reliable and fully secured Linux-based solution."

Red Hat Services provides an unequaled suite of offerings for enterprise businesses and solution providers to leverage the freedom and power of Linux in business-critical environments. Customers such as ODS Networks benefit from the open source expertise of Red Hat's hundreds of consultants, who support and build solutions that can be modified and scaled to meet a customer's needs in a manner unlike any other operating system.

"Security services are extremely complex offerings," said Teresa Spangler, Business Unit Leader, Sales, Red Hat, Inc. "ODS Networks turned to Red Hat Support Services to assist in the engineering and support of its SecureCom products to ensure their customers would benefit from a highly secure appliance solution that can take full advantage of the freedom, reliability and scalability of Linux."

SecureCom offers one of the most integrated and secure methods of Internet access, routing, Virtual Private Networking (VPN) and LAN/WAN connectivity. The platform is designed to incorporate security applications and network management strategies, providing scalable and secure integration within a customer's existing environment. In addition to a high-speed interconnect fabric and LAN switching modules, SecureCom currently supports Intel, Hewlett-Packard and Sun SPARC processor modules.

"This services agreement with Red Hat clearly demonstrates ODS is moving SecureCom into position to offer our customers the best combination of high performance security, ease of use and lowest total cost of ownership," said Billy Austin, ODS Networks Vice President of Marketing.

About Red Hat Services

Red Hat's on-site consulting sets a new standard for enterprise-level support for Linux-based operating systems. With more than 350 expert consultants, Red Hat and its partners offer Red Hat Linux consulting services, including: on-site consulting; strategy formation; planning; evaluation; classification and organization; training; implementation; recurring operations and audit. Red Hat Linux-based enterprise IT operations can choose anything from initial installation help up to full, ongoing outsourced management of their complete Linux-based information management operation. Red Hat offers all the services needed to successfully install, integrate, manage and support open source solutions in today's rapidly growing enterprises. In recent months, Red Hat has greatly expanded its support offerings, including international training and certification for Red Hat Linux. In addition, Red Hat announced recently that AutoZone (NYSE:AZO) and Burlington Coat Factory Warehouse Corporation (NYSE:BCF) purchased support services from Red Hat for nationwide Linux deployments.

Open Source and Internet Momentum

International Data Corp. (IDC) research states that Linux paid shipments grew faster than any other server operating system over the past two years. IDC preliminary figures for 1999 show Linux shipments hold 24.6 percent of the server operating system market, up from 15.8 in 1998.

According to research firm NetCraft, Inc. (www.netcraft.com), 29 percent of all public Web servers run on Linux, making Linux the most popular operating system for public Web sites. Finally, IDC predicts that by 2002, there will be more than 55 million handheld and notebook-style information appliance devices and that by 2005, shipments of these appliances will exceed shipments of PCs.

Red Hat's numerous alliances with industry leaders and the demand for Linux-based applications has created open source support from many of the industry's leading software and hardware manufacturers, including Compaq, Computer Associates, Corel, Dell, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Intel, Netscape, Novell, Oracle and SAP.

About ODS Networks, Inc.

ODS Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ:ODSI) is a leading worldwide provider of enterprise data security and networking solutions. The company's security solutions include their recently announced 'Best-of-breed' integrated security appliance, SecureCom, the widely-deployed intrusion detection and vulnerability assessment tools, Kane Security Analyst and Kane Security Monitor, and the state-of-the-art behavioral modeling and intrusion detection security solution, CMDS (Computer Misuse Detection System). ODS Networks' wide array of security solutions enable customers to provide thorough and customized information protection for corporate and government networks, intranets, extranets and electronic commerce environments. More information about ODS Networks is available at www.ods.com.

  • About Red Hat
  • Red Hat is the world’s leading provider of open source software solutions, using a community-powered approach to reliable and high-performing cloud, Linux, middleware, storage and virtualization technologies. Red Hat also offers award-winning support, training, and consulting services. As the connective hub in a global network of enterprises, partners, and open source communities, Red Hat helps create relevant, innovative technologies that liberate resources for growth and prepare customers for the future of IT. Learn more at http://www.redhat.com.



  • Forward-Looking Statements
  • Certain statements contained in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements provide current expectations of future events based on certain assumptions and include any statement that does not directly relate to any historical or current fact. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including: risks related to delays or reductions in information technology spending; the effects of industry consolidation; the ability of the Company to compete effectively; the integration of acquisitions and the ability to market successfully acquired technologies and products; uncertainty and adverse results in litigation and related settlements; the inability to adequately protect Company intellectual property and the potential for infringement or breach of license claims of or relating to third party intellectual property; the ability to deliver and stimulate demand for new products and technological innovations on a timely basis; risks related to data and information security vulnerabilities; ineffective management of, and control over, the Company’s growth and international operations; fluctuations in exchange rates; and changes in and a dependence on key personnel, as well as other factors contained in our most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (copies of which may be accessed through the Securities and Exchange Commission’s website at http://www.sec.gov), including those found therein under the captions "Risk Factors" and "Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations". In addition to these factors, actual future performance, outcomes, and results may differ materially because of more general factors including (without limitation) general industry and market conditions and growth rates, economic and political conditions, governmental and public policy changes and the impact of natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods. The forward-looking statements included in this press release represent the Company’s views as of the date of this press release and these views could change. However, while the Company may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company’s views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release.