F5 Networks Honored with SiriusDecisions aReturn On Integrationa? Award

SEATTLE--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--[ F5 Networks, Inc. ] (NASDAQ: FFIV), the global leader in Application Delivery Networking, today announced that it has received SiriusDecisionsa� Return On Integration Award for its success in aligning the efforts of the companya�s global sales and marketing teams. The award was presented at the [ SiriusDecisions Summit 2011 ], held May 4a"6 in Scottsdale, Ariz.

"Through alignment efforts at F5, the company was able to improve their collaborative processes and transform sales and marketing activities into a more cohesive whole. F5 has seen real benefits from their new and enhanced sales-focused programs, and wea�re pleased to present them with our esteemed Return on Integration Award."

aAs sales and marketing tools and technologies evolve, integrating complementary business functions poses significant challenges to organizations, which can in turn limit growth,a said SiriusDecisionsa� Managing Director and co-founder, John Neeson. aThrough alignment efforts at F5, the company was able to improve their collaborative processes and transform sales and marketing activities into a more cohesive whole. F5 has seen real benefits from their new and enhanced sales-focused programs, and wea�re pleased to present them with our esteemed Return on Integration Award.a

Details

F5 earned the Return on Integration Award from [ SiriusDecisions ], the worlda�s leading source for business-to-business sales and marketing best-practice research and data, for its demonstrated ability to:

Uniquely integrate sales and marketing processes
Develop an interdependent relationship between sales and marketing
Tightly align the goals of both functions
Strategically use advanced systems to support related functions
Measure results effectively

The award was presented following a keynote address delivered by F5 sales and marketing personnel, including Mark Anderson, SVP of Worldwide Sales; Dan Matte, SVP of Marketing and Business Development; Dave Janssen, VP of Sales Operations; and Kirby Wadsworth, VP of Global Marketing. Both the award announcement and presentation were part of the SiriusDecisions Summit 2011 conference, which focused on helping organizations achieve topline growth through B-to-B sales and marketing alignment.

In the companya�s keynote presentation, F5 Networks outlined its three-year long project to more tightly integrate sales and marketing functions. F5 personnel discussed the key components that drove their success, including the success of specific demand management techniques. The presentation also emphasized the importance of marketing and sales operations within the sales cycle. Attendees were given practical guidance on how to roll out sales and marketing alignment efforts at their own organization, as well as helpful tips and potential pitfalls to beware.

aWith the help of companies like SiriusDecisions, [ Salesforce.com ], and [ Neolane ], wea�ve been able to streamline how our teams identify, qualify, and pursue sales opportunities,a said Dan Matte, SVP of Marketing and Business Development at F5. aBy better understanding the interplay between different departmentsa"including sales, marketing, channel, and services teamsa"we were also able to identify areas where new technologies would benefit the company, making it easier to track teamsa� progress against targeted metrics and add valuable visibility throughout the sales cycle.a

About F5 Networks

F5 Networks, Inc., the global leader in Application Delivery Networking (ADN), helps the worlda�s largest enterprises and service providers realize the full value of virtualization, cloud computing, and on-demand IT. F5^� solutions help integrate disparate technologies to provide greater control of the infrastructure, improve application delivery and data management, and give users seamless, secure, and accelerated access to applications from their corporate desktops and smart devices. An open architectural framework enables F5 customers to apply business policies at astrategic points of controla across the IT infrastructure and into the public cloud. F5 products give customers the agility they need to align IT with changing business conditions, deploy scalable solutions on demand, and manage mobile access to data and services. Enterprises, service and cloud providers, and leading online companies worldwide rely on F5 to optimize their IT investments and drive business forward. For more information, go to [ www.f5.com ].

You can also follow [ @f5networks ] on Twitter or visit us on [ Facebook ] for more information about F5, its partners, and technology. For a complete listing of F5 community sites, please visit [ www.f5.com/news-press-events/web-media/community.html ].

F5, the F5 logo, and F5 Networks are trademarks or service marks of F5 Networks, Inc., in the U.S. and other countries. All other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.

This press release may contain forward-looking statements relating to future events or future financial performance that involve risks and uncertainties. Such statements can be identified by terminology such as "may," "will," "should," "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "predicts," "potential," or "continue," or the negative of such terms or comparable terms. These statements are only predictions and actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these statements based upon a number of factors including those identified in the company's filings with the SEC.

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F5 Networks Honored with SiriusDecisions aReturn On Integrationa? Award