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WatchGuard Leads Security Industry with "Green" Network Initiative

Zero Carbon Upgrades, Eco-friendly Business Practices and Low Power Consumption Position Renowned Red Appliances to be Greenest in the Network

Seattle, WA - December 4, 2007. WatchGuard® Technologies, a leading provider of network security solutions, today unveiled its "green" business and technology initiative, firmly positioning WatchGuard's trademark red network security appliances as the greenest in the market. By developing best in class green-conscious security appliances, supported by a range of eco-friendly business practices, such as Zero Carbon Upgrades™, RoHS, China RoHS and WEEE compliance, WatchGuard provides network administrators with the best of both worlds – highly secure networks with environmentally sound devices.

"Best in class network security goes beyond reliable, highly secure and easy to manage appliances," said Eric Aarrestad, vice president of marketing at WatchGuard. "Best in class also includes giving businesses security solutions that use minimal power, exceed stringent environmental regulations, and help reduce carbon footprints on a global scale."

Green Technology Takes Root with IT
As energy costs continue to skyrocket, CIO's are looking for ways to reduce power consumption while maintaining network uptime and reliability. The data center, once the symbol of driving green awareness in IT, is no longer the primary target for reducing power consumption. Today, savvy network administrators are examining energy use across entire organizations, and in doing so, giving rise to consideration of green technology solutions for their networks.

Validating the need to evaluate green network appliances, a recently published enterprise-class Unified Threat Management (UTM) product review showed that WatchGuard soundly surpassed other leading security appliance vendors in the category of power consumption. As tested, two WatchGuard Firebox Peak series appliances drew just 1 amp and 1.1 amps while under load. By comparison, other comparative enterprise systems on average consumed 2-to-5 times as much power under identical scenarios.

In addition to developing extremely energy efficient products, WatchGuard is the first to offer Zero Carbon Upgrades, a unique initiative that allows businesses to upgrade to higher performance Firebox models without having to purchase new hardware. This eliminates the environmental impact of having to transport new appliances to the customer and the subsequent disposal of old appliances, thus further reducing the carbon footprint of every WatchGuard network security appliance.

"WatchGuard can rightly claim strong green credentials – from achieving full RoHS rather than the exemption route taken by some other suppliers to early WEEE accreditation and a green approach to packaging," said Ian Kilpatrick, director at Wick Hill. "In addition, features such as low power consumption and associated low air conditioning load all deliver major green benefits for customers."

As a global network security appliance provider, WatchGuard is sensitive and adheres to international regulations that ban the use of lead, cadmium, mercury and other heavy metals and toxic chemicals in the sale of electronic equipment. As well, WatchGuard conforms to product end of life regulations that help ensure a cleaner environment.

Additionally, WatchGuard employs internal business processes that help promote proactive environmental stewardship, such as widespread use of recycled materials in product packaging and business operations, promotion of telecommuting technologies and even support for employee mass transit use. More information about WatchGuard and its green leadership is available at: www.watchguard.com.

About WatchGuard Technologies, Inc.
Since 1996, WatchGuard® Technologies, Inc. has been the technology leader in network security appliances, providing reliable and easy-to-manage security solutions to hundreds of thousands of businesses worldwide. The WatchGuard Firebox® X family of unified threat management (UTM) solutions provides an unparalleled combination of reliable and multi-layered security with the best ease of use in its class. WatchGuard products are backed by the WatchGuard LiveSecurity® Service, an innovative support, maintenance, and education program. WatchGuard is headquartered in Seattle and has offices throughout North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America. To learn more, please visit www.watchguard.com.

WatchGuard, Firebox, and LiveSecurity are registered trademarks of WatchGuard Technologies, Inc. All other marks are property of their respective owners.