Homepage Bowes Communications newsroom

Perisher Ski Resort Enhances Business Performance and Accommodates More Skiers Using Blue Coat Appliances

Announcement posted by Bowes Communications 18 Feb 2010

Blue Coat WAN Optimisation Solutions Accelerate the Speed of Customer Transactions and Other Business Processes
SYDNEY, Aust., February 17, 2010 -- Blue Coat Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: BCSI), the technology leader in Application Delivery Networking, today announced that Perisher, the southern hemisphere's largest ski resort, has deployed Blue Coat ProxySG appliances and ProxyClient software to improve the performance of its business applications, particularly its point of sale transaction systems, enabling the company to serve more customers more quickly. Using Blue Coat WAN optimisation solutions, Perisher can boost customer service and enable more skiers to get on the ski lifts more swiftly.

"With Blue Coat we have seen a significant performance improvement," said Wayne Grixti, Senior Network and Systems Administrator, Perisher Blue Ptv Limited. "Before installing Blue Coat appliances, our employees would experience long customer ticketing transactions times or even experience situations where a transaction would time-out altogether and not be completed. Now we have fast and consistent system response times and can provide exceptional customer service at all times."

Perisher [www.perisher.com.au] is located in Australia's Snowy Mountains, where broadband connectivity options are limited. While Perisher has deployed high-speed fibre-optic network links between mountain sites, it is limited to 512Kbps ADSL connections in villages such as Jindabyne, where Perisher operates The Station, a 1200-bed hotel. The low-bandwidth connection caused slow application responsiveness, particularly when issuing tickets to ski facilities with their RTP|ONE application. These performance problems limited the number of tickets that could be processed and sold at The Station and at 9 independent ticketing agencies in the surrounding area during periods of peak demand.

By using Blue Coat ProxySG appliances at the links between Perisher and The Station and by installing Blue Coat ProxyClient software at the external ticketing agencies, applications ran considerably faster, making them much more responsive and increasing overall transaction throughput.

A key reason Perisher chose Blue Coat was because its ProxyClient software could be deployed at no additional cost to the 9 external ticketing agencies. While Perisher initially acquired ProxySG appliances for WAN optimisation, the solution's ability to also provide Web security was another key advantage.

"In a number of situations, WAN optimisation technologies can provide dramatic application performance even over short distances," said Marc Jolly, Director for Priority 1, Blue Coat's reseller partner for Perisher. "Because we had insight right down to the application level in the Perisher network, we could understand how to optimise the most important business applications. Blue Coat appliances combine visibility with acceleration and security to give us a robust solution to solve customer challenges."

"The Blue Coat Application Delivery Network infrastructure brings strategic value to companies like Perisher and helps them gain efficiencies, enhance responsiveness and fuel a sustainable competitive advantage," said Wayne Neich, Country Manager, Australia and New Zealand for Blue Coat. "By accelerating key business processes, Perisher generates higher ticket sales during critical peak times, accommodates more skiers at its resort and delivers a superior customer experience."

About Blue Coat Systems
===================
Blue Coat Systems is the technology leader in Application Delivery Networking. Blue Coat offers an Application Delivery Network Infrastructure that provides the visibility, acceleration and security required to optimise and secure the flow of information to any user, on any network, anywhere. This application intelligence enables enterprises to tightly align network investments with business requirements, speed decision making and secure business applications for long-term competitive advantage. For additional information, please visit www.bluecoat.com.

# # #

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS: The statements contained in this press release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements, including statements regarding Blue Coat Systems' expectations, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future, and including statements regarding the capabilities and expected performance of Blue Coat Systems' products. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are based upon information available to Blue Coat Systems as of the date hereof, and Blue Coat Systems assumes no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. These and other risks relating to Blue Coat Systems' business are set forth in the Securities and Exchange Commission reports filed by Blue Coat Systems, including but not limited to the risks described in the most recent reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q, particularly under the heading "Risk Factors."

Blue Coat, ProxySG, ProxyClient and the Blue Coat logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of Blue Coat 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.

Media Contact:
===========
David Sanday
Bowes Communications
david.sanday@bowespr.com
+61 (0)2 9387 2333

# # #