Demo capabilities enable testing of F5 Networks' application delivery solutions to promote cloud computing, virtualization, and consolidation

Tarrytown, NY, March 1, 2010 - Westcon Group, Inc., the leading specialty distributor in networking, convergence, security and mobility, today announced the opening of its virtual demonstration lab. This new resource enables customers around the world to test and evaluate hosted solutions in a virtualized network environment before making purchasing decisions. The laboratory, hosted adjacent to Westcon's facility in Montreal, Canada, provides resellers with the ability to test drive Application Delivery Networking (ADN) solutions in real-time and illustrate the value of F5's solutions.

Westcon resellers-and by extension their customers-can access the virtual demonstration lab through any high-speed Internet connection regardless of their geographic location. Accordingly, the lab dramatically reduces both the time and travel expenses typically associated with in-person demonstrations. Access to the demo lab is complimentary for all Westcon customers.

"Westcon is taking a leadership role among distributors focused on cloud-based, hosted services," commented Dean Darwin, vice president worldwide channel sales for F5. "By leveraging Westcon's new virtual demo lab, resellers can demonstrate how F5 products like BIG-IP® Local Traffic Manager™ create efficiencies and increase productivity in customers' Data Center environments, and help optimize application like Microsoft SharePoint. This is a tremendous resource that organizations can take advantage of now-regardless of their physical location."

Anthony Daley, executive vice president, the Americas, Westcon Group, added: "As we move into a new era of data center consolidation, virtualization and cloud computing, Westcon wants to give its customers every opportunity to make the Data Center more efficient, ensuring maximum ROI. F5's ADN solutions play an integral role in optimizing application delivery in a hosted environment and our new international demo lab helps customers evaluate these kinds of solutions easily and without restriction to physical borders."

"'Hands-on' testing is very important for our customers, and perhaps even more so as data centers are evolving," commented David Lesser, president and chief technology officer of Chicago-based Nexum, Inc. "Additionally, the ability for us to sell and support solutions across a wide geography is absolutely critical. Through its hosted virtual lab environment, Westcon is able to help us extend the value of F5 technology to our own customers and make the overall purchasing rationale that much more compelling."

Now through March 31st, Westcon is offering a promotion in which resellers who conduct qualified demo sessions in the virtual demo lab can earn up to $500. To learn more about the Westcon's virtual lab, please contact Heather Allen, director of security product sales, Westcon Group, Inc. at heather.allen@westcon.com (303-222-4730).

About F5 Networks
F5 Networks is the global leader in Application Delivery Networking. F5's flexible solution portfolio enables organizations to enhance IT agility and dynamically deliver application and data services that generate true business value. Global enterprise organizations, service and cloud providers, and Web 2.0 content providers trust F5 to keep their business moving forward. For more information, go to www.f5.com.

F5 and BIG-IP are trademarks or service marks of F5 Networks, Inc., in the U.S. and other countries. All other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.

About Westcon Group
Westcon Group, Inc. is the leading specialty distributor in networking, security, mobility and convergence for leading technology vendors, including Cisco, Nortel, Avaya and Polycom. Through its Westcon, Comstor and Voda One business practices, Westcon Group sells products and services to resellers, systems integrators and service providers. Westcon Group has particular expertise in the convergence of voice, data and video applications and technologies, including voice-over Internet protocol, or VoIP, security for networking and communications systems, remote access, Internet and e-business, virtual private networks, videoconferencing and wireless connectivity. For more information, visit www.westcongroup.com.

Contact:
Jeffrey Touzeau
Hummingbird Media, Inc. for Westcon Group
Tel: (914) 602-2913
jeff@hummingbirdmedia.com

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