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Presidio Networked Solutions Helps Oxfam America Win the Battle Against High Networking and Energy Costs

Virtualization Technology Enables Oxfam to Reduce Its Number of Physical Servers by 80%; Cost and Energy Reductions Align With the Nonprofit’s Objectives to Maintain a Small Footprint While Attending to its Core Humanitarian Mission Worldwide

Greenbelt, MD – November 13, 2007 – Presidio Networked Solutions, the nation’s largest independent Value Added Solution Provider (VASP), has completed the first steps in a network rearchitecting program for Oxfam America that will enable the nonprofit firm to link many of its offices in over 100 countries via a converged IP-based voice and data network. In the first phase of a network build-out, Presidio has extended a Cisco IP-based voice system to Oxfam’s Washington DC hub and completed a server virtualization project that has reduced the organization’s 15 physical servers to two servers providing identical functionality.

Server virtualization is part of a major restructuring of Oxfam’s networking and telecommunications systems. Virtualization typically involves building a more efficient network by reducing the number of physical servers required to support operations, often resulting in a much smaller number of servers with ‘virtual server’ functionality.

“Through virtualization we have enabled Oxfam to reduce its server hardware by approximately 80% while retaining the full functionality of its network and improving performance,” said Chris Power, Vice President of Sales for Presidio Networked Solutions. “Virtualization can lower a customer’s total cost of operations by providing immediate savings in hardware and network management costs, reduced network complexity, and power and cooling expenditures.”

Oxfam first commissioned Presidio Networked Solutions to build out a Cisco IP-based voice communications system installed in one Oxfam facility. Having converted Oxfam’s Washington DC office to a state-of-the-art IP-based voice system, Presidio is on target to convert and link other Oxfam offices around the world with a single, integrated IP voice network.

“We commissioned Presidio at a pivotal point in our network upgrade, helping to reinvigorate our architecture build-out with an expansion strategy that our previous vendor lacked the depth to develop,” said Mark Aherrera, IT Director for Oxfam America. “With a strategy approved and Presidio’s 24x7x365 support system in place, Presidio went to work on a system that would prioritize voice traffic and provide the same guaranteed high level of voice service under an IP-based system that would replace our expensive, aging traditional circuit-switched voice system.”

Aherrera explained that the voice network incorporates a quality of service (QoS)-enabled wide area network (WAN) that offers prioritization of voice traffic on the network. The protocol, called Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS), allows a network carrying both voice and data to allocate bandwidth dynamically to voice traffic as required and ensure that voice quality will never degrade due to bandwidth availability.

“With the critical nature of our humanitarian work, we need absolute assurance that our voice network will not fail,” added Aherrera. “With Presidio’s help, we deployed the system in record time, leaving us in position to expand the system to other major offices around the globe. In addition, the server virtualization project undertaken by Presidio has made dramatic reductions in our network complexity and costs, enabling us to maintain our focus on our core mission to overcome poverty and hunger around the world.”

“We’re extremely proud to play a role in Oxfam’s continuing growth,” said Joel Schleicher, CEO of Presidio Networked Solutions. “Oxfam’s mission in the battle against poverty and hunger is truly a noble calling. If Presidio’s support has been instrumental in enabling Oxfam to upgrade its network and maintain reliable, real-time communications with its partner organizations around the world, we’re gratified to have played a role.”

Oxfam America is an international relief and developmental organization that creates lasting solutions to poverty, hunger and injustice. Together with individuals and local groups in more than 120 countries, Oxfam saves lives, helps people overcome poverty, and fights for social justice.

About the Presidio Networked Solutions

Presidio Networked Solutions, the IT infrastructure industry’s leading Value Added Solutions Provider (VASP), addresses the complete technology lifecycle – plan, design, integrate, operate and optimize – for the enterprise, commercial and government markets. Presidio’s comprehensive portfolio comprises Unified Communications, wireless, security, storage, and network infrastructure solutions, and the company represents such vendor partners as Cisco, EMC, IBM, Microsoft, NetApp, Nortel, and Sun. The company holds the highest networking industry certifications from Cisco Systems (Master Unified Communications Specialization and Gold Certified Partner), Nortel (Elite Advantage Partner), and IBM (Premier Partner), as well as a host of other high-level certifications. Presidio Networked Solutions also offers customers an extensive range of financing solutions, including leasing.

The name Presidio Networked Solutions is a trademark of Presidio Networked Solutions. Other trade names used in this document are acknowledged to be the properties of their respective owners.