LAGER AULENBACH, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 15, 2006--Cisco Systems(R) (NASDAQ:CSCO) announced to...

1. Cisco Provides Core Network Infrastructure for World's
Largest Multinational Military Exercise; IP Leader a Major
Supporter of U.S. European Command's Global
Interoperability Exercise
LAGER AULENBACH, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 15, 2006--Cisco Systems(R)
(NASDAQ:CSCO) announced today that it will provide the core network infrastructure for Combined
Endeavor 2006, a two-week operation designed to test and document the interoperability of vital
communication systems for multinational forces deployed in humanitarian, peacekeeping and
disaster relief efforts. Data gathered from earlier exercises has played a key role in recent
multinational operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia and Kosovo as well as humanitarian operations
in Pakistan and the tsunami-affected areas.
More than 1,000 tests beginning this week will focus mainly on the ability to pass data with a high
level of security over an Internet Protocol (IP) backbone, using voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP),
private mobile radio, high frequency and satellite communications. Information assurance is another
key focus area for the participating nations. In cooperation with the German Ministry of Defense, the
U.S. European Command is sponsoring the communications and information systems interoperability
exercise. Forty-one nations are taking part, including NATO, Partnership for Peace and non-aligned
or strategic partner nations.
"Combined Endeavor 2006 is breaking new ground in many of the network areas that are being
tested such as in multinational information sharing," said Air Force Brig. Gen. Thomas Verbeck, the
director of the International Interoperability, Concepts and Experimentation Directorate (ECJ9).
"Our goal is to tackle these types of challenges long before the call comes to deploy, certainly as part
of Phase Zero operations."
Combined Endeavor officials knew from experience that upgrading its core backbone was crucial in
working to ensure a more realistic test of simulated operational networks. Because the complex
systems of more than 40 nations and organizations are involved, finding a common thread was the
key to success. Since Cisco equipment is common to networking in most nations, the company is
playing a major role in this year's exercise.
"As military units worldwide are being challenged to perform at ever higher levels in conflicts and
disaster recoveries, multinational forces are increasingly driving to an IP standard," said Kevin
MacRitchie, vice president of Global Defense Space and Security for Cisco's Global Government
Services Group. "As the world leader in IP networking, Cisco, through its IP backbone will help
ensure that interoperability testing for all equipment from participating nations will be held to the
highest standards of performance, furthering the information assurance and security enhancement
goals of this exercise."
Cisco technicians will provide real-time video teleconferencing and Web casting as well as the
administrative local area networks (LANs) that will register and transport information and analyze
results.
About Combined Endeavor 2006
Combined Endeavor 2006 (CE 06) is the 12th in the series of U.S. European Command (USEUCOM)

2. sponsored "in-spirit-of" (ISO) Partnership for Peace (PfP) exercises planned and executed to identify,
test, and document command, control, communications, and computer systems (C4) and information
systems (CIS) interoperability between NATO and PfP nations' fielded military strategic and tactical
communications information equipment systems. The overall objective is to develop an integrated
interoperability guide to assist deployment planning within a coalition network. Documentation of
interoperability is a tremendous achievement toward operational readiness and further enhances
theater security cooperation.
News and information are available at http://www.ce.pims.org/.
About Cisco Systems
Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO) is the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet. News
and information are available at http://www.cisco.com. For ongoing news, please go to
http://newsroom.cisco.com
Cisco, Cisco Systems, and the Cisco Systems logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of Cisco
Systems, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and certain other countries. All other
trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners. The use of the
word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company. This
document is Cisco Public Information.