March Networks Selected for Critical Infrastructure Project in Italy

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Jul 26, 2011, 08:30 ET

OTTAWA, July 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ - March Networks^® (TSX: MN), a global provider of intelligent IP video solutions, today announced that it has been selected along with local partner Campus s.r.l to provide its Video Management System (VMS) platform and advanced video analytics for the protection of 50 remote solar farms across southern Italy.

Italy currently represents the second largest market in the world for solar farms. The sites can cost millions or hundreds of millions of dollars to build depending on their size and design, and may operate for years before those costs can be recouped. Most are located in isolated rural areas, making them prime targets for the night-time theft of valuable solar panels and copper materials, which can cause delays in energy production and economic success. In one recent incident, 230 solar panels were stolen from a single site in Italy, at a cost to the operator of EUR 250,000.

The March Networks VMS software was selected for its scalability, and provides the high-performance and efficient video management needed to effectively secure dispersed critical infrastructure sites. The company's PTZ IP cameras and four-channel Edge encoders feature both industry-leading H.264 and MPEG-4 video compression to support flexible video streaming in low bandwidth environments. When combined with the advanced intelligence and event-recognition features in the March Networks' intrusion detection analytics, the system is programmed to only initiate video transmission to central monitoring stations when alarms are triggered. The alerts are confirmed by recorded images or real-time evidence, which allows monitoring staff to assess and quickly determine an optimal solution to the threat. As a result, the monitoring is more focused and fewer resources are needed.

"It is cost-prohibitive to monitor all of the farms on a 24/7 basis, but with solar panels and copper scrap increasing in value, they represent a significant theft risk," said Paolo Matarrese, Sales Representative, Campus s.r.l., "Stolen or damaged equipment must not only be replaced at the operator's cost, but can also disrupt energy production significantly. We selected the March Networks solution for its high reliability, remote video management and integrated analytics, which combine to provide the security intelligence our customers need to guarantee uninterrupted solar energy production."

"Critical infrastructure operations are often very expensive to build, widely-dispersed, and difficult and costly to secure," said Net Payne, Chief Marketing Officer, March Networks. "Our solutions support the centralized monitoring and management of hundreds or thousands of remote sites and provide our customers with the reliability and cost-effectiveness they require."

About March Networks
March Networks^® (TSX:MN) is a leading provider of intelligent IP video solutions. For more than a decade, the company has helped some of the world's largest commercial and government organizations transition from traditional CCTV to advanced surveillance technologies used for security, loss prevention, risk mitigation and operational efficiency. Its highly scalable and easy to use Command^™ video management platform incorporates a web-based client interface to enable rapid system deployment and complete system control. It is complemented by the company's portfolio of high-definition IP cameras, encoders, video analytics and hybrid recorders, as well as outstanding professional and managed services. March Networks systems are delivered through an extensive distribution and partner network in more than 50 countries. For more information, please visit www.marchnetworks.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains certain forward-looking information, including expectations of future business. This information is based on the Company's current expectations and assumptions that are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict and that may be beyond March Networks' control. Actual results could differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements due to factors such as customer demand and timing of purchasing decisions, increased levels of competition, technological changes and the successful development of new products, dependence on third-party manufacturers, risks relating to intellectual property infringement claims, and other risks and factors identified in March Networks' public filings with regulatory authorities in Canada. March Networks assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements as a result of new information or future events.

*MARCH NETWORKS, March Networks Command and the MARCH NETWORKS logo are trademarks of March Networks Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE MARCH NETWORKS CORPORATION