CipherOptics Launches Partner Program To Help Meet Customer Demand for Comprehensive Data Protection Solutions

-- Program Enables Partners to Bring Field-Proven Enterprise-wide Data Protection Solutions to a Global Customer Base --

Raleigh, N.C., April 26, 2006 - CipherOptics Inc., the leading innovator of solutions for Protecting Data in Motion™, has announced the debut of its Data Protection Partner Program, to help partners take advantage of the growing market in data protection so that they can grow their business and bring essential data protection solutions to their customers. Customers are trying to protect their businesses from security flaws that have left over 61 million personal records stolen or exposed. With identify theft on the rise; security-conscious companies throughout the world are deploying data protection solutions to protect their customers’ information, proprietary data, and their business and brand.

“CipherOptics fulfills the growing need for data protection that my customers are demanding,” said Katherine Bluma, president, Business Partner Solutions, a San Diego-based reseller and CipherOptics Data Protection Program Partner. “The Data Protection Partner Program provides me with the resources I need to better serve my customer base and strengthen my organization's security portfolio."

Customers are being driven by an increase in compliance mandates and a regulatory environment that necessitates comprehensive data protection solutions. CipherOptics Data Protection Partner Program ensures that CipherOptics’ partners are armed with the tools to deliver the complete set of requirements that customers have from audit and assessment, to design, to implementation and support with the right products for protecting data in motion.

“We’ve designed our program to attract heavy hitters by putting our money where our mouth is. We’re showing them we’re serious about helping them build their businesses with an aggressive program of guaranteed margins and lead generation, as well as giving them the field and customer support they need to close business,” said Chris Metaxas, vice president of sales, CipherOptics. “Judging from the caliber of partners we’re attracting, it’s clear we’ve hit the target.”

It is important to recognize that different partners have different business models. To meet these varying needs, the CipherOptics Partner program supports four types of partners: CipherOptics Authorized Partner, CipherOptics Select Partner, Value Added Distributor and Elite Partner qualifications.

The CipherOptics Partner Program will provide partners with the necessary tools to effectively sell CipherOptics solutions to their customers, including collateral material, demo units at dramatically-reduced prices and product training, as well as the opportunity to partner with CipherOptics to maximize market opportunities around the world with leads, kick-start marketing funds and market development funds. CipherOptics will also provide a high level of support and real-world white papers, working hand-in-hand with our partners to address the challenges in complex implementations. For Select and Elite partners that qualify, CipherOptics offers the additional opportunity for them to leverage assessment and audit methodologies to improve the solution that they deliver to their customers. CipherOptics brings value to partners by helping them deliver security services as well, to help them get their foot in the door or capture new business.

“With security breaches dominating the nightly news and emerging government regulations dictating data security best practices, we’ve seen an increased demand for our data protection solutions worldwide. Our partners are critical to our efforts to meet those needs. We, in turn, recognize the opportunities this growth affords our partners,” said Brandon Hoff, CMO, CipherOptics. “With the CipherOptics Data Protection Program, partners worldwide are benefiting from our innovative approach to protecting data in motion, ensuring they have a sound information security strategy to mitigate external and internal risks, and delivering value to their customers.”

Field proven in some of the most security-conscious organizations in the world, CipherOptics data protection solutions enable robust IPSec encryption on the LAN, WAN, storage extension or broadband wireless network, with zero impact on the network or applications. As a CipherOptics Partner, channel partners can tailor the right network security for their customers with no costly upgrades or prolonged implementation, delivering a total cost of ownership much lower than other encryption solutions available on the market today.

For further information on how to become a CipherOptics Channel Partner please visit www.cipheroptics.com.

About CipherOptics

CipherOptics, the leading innovator of solutions for Protecting Data in Motion, has been providing best-in-breed data security solutions to a growing list of top customers including large enterprises, top financial institutions, Fortune 100 companies, healthcare organizations, and government agencies. CipherOptics security solutions protect data in motion with virtually no impact to network operations or management to: protect data storage in motion, protect data as it traverses third party networks, secure sensitive virtual networks, and secure end-to-end wireless links. CipherOptics solutions leverage robust industry-standard 256 bit AES encryption capabilities and provide the best total cost of ownership, performance, network transparency and ease of implementation in its class of products. The CipherOptics family of security gateways is field-proven in some of the most security-conscious networks in the world, and has received FIPS-140-2 Level 2 validation and Common Criteria certification. For more information please see www.cipheroptics.com.