SUNNYVALE, Calif., March 4, 2004 -- Fortinet – the only provider of ASIC-powered, network-based antivirus firewall systems for real-time network protection – today announced that Chris Paisley has been appointed to its board of directors. Mr. Paisley is a renowned industry veteran with a successful track-record of managing high-growth companies. He brings to Fortinet’s board more than 20 years of industry and financial experience, having formerly held management positions at 3Com Corporation and Hewlett-Packard.

Mr. Paisley currently serves as the Dean's Executive Professor of Accounting and Finance at the Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University. The bulk of his career was spent at 3Com Corporation, where he held the position of senior vice
president and chief financial officer and spent fifteen years helping lead the company through its rapid growth as a data communications leader. During his tenure at 3Com, the company’s annual revenues grew from $50 million to nearly $6 billion. Mr. Paisley also served as chief financial officer and vice president of finance at idge Computers, and began his career at Hewlett-Packard.

“I am pleased to welcome Chris to Fortinet’s board of directors," said Ken Xie, Fortinet founder, president and CEO. "His deep and broad business and industry knowledge, coupled with his experience managing companies through high-growth periods will be a valuable asset to Fortinet as we continue to swiftly expand our position in the Internet security arena.”

Mr. Paisley joins Fortinet’s five-member board of directors which includes Chariman David Tsang, the managing member and co-founder of Acorn Campus, and Members John Walecka, a founding partner of edpoint Ventures; George Hara, director, founder and managing partner of DEFTA partners; Ken Xie, Fortinet founder, president and CEO; and Michael Xie, Fortinet founder, CTO, vice president of engineering, and president of Fortinet Canada.

Fortinet is a privately-held company funded by some of Silicon Valley’s most respected venture capitalists. It was recently cited by Dow Jones VentureWire as among the startups most likely to succeed long-term.