Cisco Systems, Inc., the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet, announced today that it is collaborating with Oracle Corp. to provide optimum security for the newly released Oracle9i Application Server (Oracle9iAS) through Cisco's SAFE blueprint for secure e-Business.

As part of the cooperative effort, Oracle will begin interoperability testing between Oracle9iAS and the market-leading Cisco PIX(TM) Firewall Family as well as Cisco CSS 11000 series Content Services Switches and Cisco Catalyst(R) 6500 switches. Guidelines from Cisco's SAFE blueprint addressing electronic commerce network security design issues will serve as the basis for this testing, which ends in October. Results of the testing will be published in detailed white papers on Cisco's World Wide Web site.

Developed for real-world network deployment, SAFE is a comprehensive blueprint that shows organizations how to safely engage in e-Business today. Built on Cisco AVVID -- the Architecture for Voice, Video and Integrated Data -- SAFE integrates scalable, high performance security and virtual private network (VPN) services throughout the e-Business infrastructure.

"Many enterprise customers have been asking Oracle to identify a security vendor to help secure their corporate infrastructures, and Cisco was the obvious choice because of its long heritage in the enterprise and its success in delivering market leading security solutions," said Rene Bonvanie, vice president of Oracle9i marketing. "With our mutual interest in simplifying Internet business processes and deploying scalable, high performance Internet applications and Web services, it's only natural that Oracle and Cisco are collaborating to apply the SAFE security blueprint to Oracle9i Application Server."

"This collaboration extends a strategic alliance between Cisco and Oracle, which have been working together on a number of fronts to develop easily deployed certified solutions that deliver increased reliability and faster time to market," said Richard Palmer, vice president and general manager of the Cisco VPN and Security Services business unit. "We believe the combination of the SAFE security blueprint and Oracle9iAS will instill more confidence in customers who are deploying e-Business applications for competitive advantage."