Castelle Fuels Small Business Growth with Launch of OfficeDirect Family of Email, Fax, Storage and Print Server Appliances.

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 3, 2000

"Plug-&-forget" Devices Provide Affordable Messaging Solutions

for Small Businesses

Castelle Inc. (Nasdaq:CSTL), a pioneer of server appliances, today announced the release of its OfficeDirect family of email, fax, storage, and print server appliances designed for small businesses with 5-50 employees.

Castelle's OfficeDirect targets an underserved segment of the Internet messaging market with an easy-to-use, economical and flexible system that gives small businesses control over their electronic messaging infrastructure. In order to provide Internet and intra-office email and fax to their staff, smaller companies have a choice of deploying an on-premises messaging system or outsourcing these functions to an ISP or Application Service Provider (ASP). The most common way to provide an in-house messaging solution is to deploy a system like Microsoft Exchange or Lotus Notes. Since many small companies do not have a full-time MIS staff, implementing such complex and expensive solutions designed for large enterprises is not a viable option. Using an ISP/ASP also presents a problem to many smaller businesses. The majority of small business managers are not comfortable with outsourcing and prefer to keep their company's confidential communications in-house. OfficeDirect is the messaging solution that small companies can afford to purchase and maintain.

"An email solution for most small businesses is a dial-up account from AOL," said Peter Davidson, unified messaging industry analyst with Davidson Consulting. "But that can get very costly when you want an email address for each employee. The next step is a costly NT server running Microsoft Exchange -- and that also requires expensive IT-level personnel to maintain it. Castelle's OfficeDirect solution gives companies a new alternative - an inexpensive system that can be setup and maintained by a non-IT staff person."

Castelle's OfficeDirect Solutions

Castelle's OfficeDirect family of plug-&-forget server appliances simply and economically provides everyone in a small office with Internet access, email, fax, file/data storage and printer sharing.

OfficeDirect offers a suite of modular hardware devices that are flexible, and allow for future growth. A company's mission critical functions are separated into three separate hardware devices - a messaging appliance, a network attached storage appliance, and an Internet router -- preventing the possibility of a single failure disabling the company's communications system. Companies can select the most appropriate appliance and add others as their needs change - or they can purchase the entire bundle (and recommended ISP services) and be up and running in a matter of minutes.

"For the price point and functionality, the OfficeDirect product family is excellent", said Josh Walton of Night Light Design, of Harrisonburg, VA. "The products are perfect for small businesses that need a networked email solution and would like to retain control over sensitive information."

OfficeDirect Messaging Server.100

The Messaging Server combines an SMTP and POP3 email server with a full-featured fax server that enables companies to send and receive emails and faxes from within Microsoft Outlook. The server uses a single ISP account allowing a company to use its own domain name for email. The server connects to a 10/100 Base T Ethernet network and is also equipped with a built-in fax modem that can handle both incoming and outgoing fax transmissions. The system uses Microsoft Outlook as its client software and Castelle provides necessary extensions to Outlook to enable server management functions. To store messages and its internal files OfficeDirect Messaging Server.100 can use any Windows 98/2000/NT system on the network or the OfficeDirect Storage Server.100.

OfficeDirect Storage Server.100

The OfficeDirect Storage Server.100 is a network attached storage device that provides 20 GB of shared file/data storage. The server also functions as a print server, supporting Microsoft 95/98, NT/2000 and Apple Networks. The Storage Server complements the Messaging Server by storing both email and fax messages as well as general purpose file sharing and printer sharing functions.

OfficeDirect WebSuites

To provide easy-to-implement Internet access for the whole office, Castelle has partnered with Ramp Networks (Nasdaq:RAMP) to offer OfficeDirect WebSuite product bundles that include OfficeDirect servers and a WebRamp solution from Ramp. Two bundles are available -- OfficeDirect WebSuite.200 that includes the WebRamp 200i analog router for dial-up connections, and OfficeDirect WebSuite.700 with the WebRamp 700s security firewall for DSL and high-speed cable Internet connections. For the most demanding connectivity needs, Castelle recommends sDSL service from Zyan Communications. All the components of WebSuites have been tested together to simplify installation and configuration of the system.

Pricing and Availability

OfficeDirect products are available now from Castelle's major distributors such as Ingram Micro, TechData, and major resellers such as CDW, Insight, BUY.COM and FirstSource or from Castelle's online store at www.castelle.com. Suggested pricing is $995 each for OfficeDirect Messaging Server.100 and OfficeDirect Storage Server.100 sold separately. OfficeDirect WebSuite.200 and WebSuite.700 are available only in the USA and have a suggested retail price of $2,289 and $2,469 respectively.

About Castelle, Inc.

Founded in 1987, Castelle is one of the pioneers of server appliances and the developer of the highly successful FaxPress and LANpress families of network fax and print servers. OfficeDirect, Castelle's newest line of server appliances, provides small businesses with Internet and Intra-office messaging and supporting network services. FaxPress fax servers, designed for Microsoft Windows NT/2000, Novell NetWare and Linux-based networks, allow integration of fax into a unified messaging environment. Castelle's LANpress family of multi-protocol print servers allows simple integration of printers into local area networks, and is compatible with industry leading administration software from HP. The ease-of-use, reliability and cost effectiveness of Castelle products appeals to both Enterprise and small companies alike. Castelle products are available through a worldwide network of distributors, value-added resellers, e-commerce retailers, and systems integrators. Castelle is headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif. and can be reached at 408/496-0474, fax 408/496-0502 or http://www.castelle.com.

Note to Editors: Castelle and LANpress are trademarks or registered trademarks of Castelle. All other products and trademarks are the property of their respective owners.