NSCN Netscreen Technologies (MM)

NetScreen Earns Five-Star Rating from VARBusiness Magazine for Partner Programs Vice President of Worldwide Sales Named to Publication's List of Top 100 Channel Industry Executives SUNNYVALE, Calif., March 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- NetScreen Technologies, Inc. today announced it was recognized by VARBusiness magazine as one of North America's top information-technology (IT) vendors in terms of the breadth and depth of channel partner program element offerings that it provides to the value-added resellers (VARs) of its products. Additionally, NetScreen vice president of worldwide sales, Mark Smith, was named by the publication as one of the channel industry's top 100 executives. For its channel partnering efforts, NetScreen received a five-star rating, reflecting the robustness of its programs for IT solution providing firms, resellers and consultants. NetScreen's channel model seeks to minimize partner conflict and maximize partner results. With this model, NetScreen provides its partners numerous tools, resources and direct assistance to help cultivate business opportunities. As evidenced by his inclusion in VARBusiness' Top 100 channel industry executive listing, Mark Smith, who was instrumental in defining NetScreen's channel strategy, actively drives the model and gets involved in directly helping NetScreen's partners achieve business success leveraging NetScreen solutions and services. "I am honored to be named among some of the industry's most reputable and recognized channel industry executives," said Smith. "More importantly, NetScreen has worked hard over the years to define and execute unique channel programs and we are thrilled to be recognized for our efforts. We plan to continue to further develop programs to help increase business opportunities for our partners." To determine the most robust vendor-partner programs and to determine those with a five-star ranking, VARBusiness invited IT vendors to submit their descriptions of their channel partner programs between November 2003 and January 2004. The programs were scored on breadth and depth of program elements within each program. Results were tabulated by Answers Research, a Solana Beach, Calif.-based market research and consulting firm. Robert C. DeMarzo, VARBusiness editorial director, notes that the solution providers through which NetScreen channels its products are critical to providing the proper IT strategies and IT solutions to corporations and institutions. "Through their expertise, solution providers add value to NetScreen's products, ensuring proper, cost-effective implementation of technologies needed to drive business forward," he adds. Of the more than 280 vendor program entries reviewed in six categories, 120 entries (87 individual companies) received the coveted five-star rating in the magazine's tenth annual Partner Programs Guide survey. The Partner Program Guide identifying NetScreen as a five-star vendor, and the "Top 100 Execs" list that included Mark Smith, appeared in the March 15, 2004 issue of VARBusiness. For more information about NetScreen products, visit: http://www.netscreen.com/products/. About VARBusiness magazine For the past 17 years, VARBusiness' has delivered access to the Solution Provider and Integratorcommunity. VARBusiness provides strategic business insight and technology direction for Solution Providers through industry-defining research, in-depth editorial, channel events and innovative Web services, enabling these business and technology integrators to make strategic decisions for their businesses, partnerships and customers. VARBusiness has been the recipient of numerous industry awards for both editorial content and design, including the 2003 Gold Eddie award as best BtoB Computing Publication. For additional information about VARBusiness products, events and services, please visit our Web site at http://www.varbusiness.com/ About NetScreen Technologies NetScreen Technologies, Inc. is a leading developer of network security and accesssolutions for enterprises and carriers worldwide. NetScreen's solutions offer multiple layers of network and application-level protection in purpose-built appliances and systems that meet customers' security, performance and total cost of ownership objectives. NetScreen is located at 805 11th Ave., Sunnyvale, CA, 94089. More information on NetScreen's products can be found at http://www.netscreen.com/ or by calling toll free at 800-638-8296. NOTE: NetScreen and the NetScreen logo are trademarks of NetScreen Technologies, Inc. in the United States and other countries. Other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. This press release contains forward-looking statements about events and circumstances that have not yet occurred. For example, words such as "will," "can," "allowing," "believes," "continue" and "continuing," or other statements in the future tense, are forward-looking statements. Actual outcomes and results may differ materially from expectations in this press release due to a number of risks and uncertainties. Such risks and uncertainties include whether the market for security products will grow as projected, if at all, whether demand for NetScreen products will continue, whether new products, if and when introduced, will be successful and whether products will perform as expected. DATASOURCE: NetScreen Technologies, Inc. CONTACT: Jennifer Jennings, +1-408-543-8243, or , or Heather C. Lowles, +1-(408) 543-4136, or , both of NetScreen Technologies, Inc. Web site: http://www.netscreen.com/

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