INGATE LAUNCHES WORLD’S FIRST SIP-CAPABLE ENTERPRISE FIREWALL

Ingate Firewall® Brings Advanced Person-to-Person Communications to the Enterprise

STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN, January 23, 2002 – Ingate Systems today announced the release of the company’s SIP-capable firewall, bringing global SIP-based person-to-person IP communication to the users on enterprise networks. SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) is the standardized Internet protocol for IP telephony, presence, instant messaging and audio/video conferencing. However, its rapid establishment and expansion has been limited by SIP not traversing current firewalls. The Ingate firewall is a long awaited remedy for this restriction, allowing SIP-based communication on secure private LANs globally over the Internet for the first time.

In addition to becoming the accepted and global standard for VoIP or IP telephony, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) has been extended to handle presence, instant messaging and video conferencing. The strength and market acceptance has been proven by the launch of Windows® XP by Microsoft®, where Real Time Communication (RTC) functions are SIP-based. The new Messenger for Windows® includes SIP-based telephony, presence, instant messaging and voice/video communication. Within a year, more than 50 million people worldwide are expected to use SIP-based person-to-person IP communication.

However, SIP-communication is unable to traverse current firewalls and NATs, inhibiting users on secure private enterprise networks (LANs) to use realtime person-to-person communication universally over the Internet. This has kept businesses from taking full advantage of the cost and time saving benefits of person-to-person communications.

“It’s no secret that companies such as Microsoft®, AOL, and Yahoo! have been looking for a universal, interoperable protocol for person-to-person IP communications such as presence and instant messaging. Everyone from service providers to industry analysts agree that the new protocol will be the IETF-approved SIP,” said Ingate CEO Olle Westerberg. “The only problem is that SIP is not recognized by existing network firewalls and NATs. With Ingate’s SIP-capable firewall, we are providing something of absolute necessity to enterprises that want to take advantage of the latest in Internet communications.”

Ingate Systems produces the world’s first SIP-capable enterprise firewalls, appropriate for small to midsized businesses. It is a continuation of the Fuego firewall series, sold in the Scandinavian market for three years and highly respected for security, reliability and ease of use. Ingate will be launching a series of SIP-capable firewalls and firewall accessories over the next few months as the company expands in Scandinavia and enters the U.S. marketplace.

About Ingate Systems

Ingate Systems develops and markets the world’s first SIP-capable enterprise firewalls. SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) is the new IETF signaling protocol for global, interoperable presence, messaging, Voice over IP and audio/video conferencing. Driven by the industry’s leading providers, including Microsoft®, AOL and WorldCom, the SIP standard is becoming for realtime person-to-person communications what http is for the Web. Ingate produces a range of easy to use, cost effective SIP-enabled firewalls and firewall accessories that enable enterprises to enjoy the benefits of SIP-based global communications from a secure private LAN.

Based in Stockholm, Sweden, Ingate has additional offices in Linköping, Sweden and Hollis, New Hampshire. Ingate is a joint venture between Intertex Data AB and Cendio Systems AB. For more information on Ingate Systems, visit www.ingate.com.

CONTACT:

Mara Klein, Ingate Systems AB, 011.46.733.583.105, mara.klein@ingate.com