SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 20, 2002--NetScreen Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq:NSCN), today announced that Rent-A-Center, Inc., the nation's largest rent-to-own operator, has chosen NetScreen's integrated security solutions to secure mission-critical data and online transactions for its stores and field operations.

Rent-A-Center's deployment includes 225 NetScreen-5XP and NetScreen-5XT devices in its retail stores equipped with high-speed Internet connections to the Plano, Texas, corporate headquarters to establish a secure virtual private network (VPN). The secured broadband connections replace a variety of legacy networks, including dial-up.

"Because NetScreen's security solutions are easy to deploy and provide exceptional VPN functionality, we are able to leverage the public Internet to cost-effectively connect our sites without jeopardizing the security of our transactions," said Roscoe Wasko, chief information officer for Rent-A-Center. "More importantly, the secure VPN architecture has allowed us to add business services that greatly accelerate our ordering, reporting and communications processes, increasing our efficiency."
With a secure distributed-enterprise network in place, Rent-A-Center has been able to implement a number of advanced business applications, including the secure, real-time transfer of point-of-sale, inventory and financial data. Online orders of merchandise can be submitted instantaneously instead of having to be faxed or sent by mail requiring manual re-entry and delays; store inventory can be widely searched and referenced to meet immediate customer demand; and daily transaction data is instantly available to company headquarters, aiding in purchasing and allocation decisions as well as financial reconciliation. Further, with automated HR functions securely available on the network, Rent-A-Center coworkers have easy access to healthcare and tax information.

"Rent-A-Center is using NetScreen's security solutions to build a more secure network that not only protects the company's critical data, but increases efficiency," said David Flynn, vice president of marketing at NetScreen. "The Rent-A-Center installation is a perfect example of how leveraging NetScreen's easy-to-deploy and manageable security solutions can be important to achieving competitive business advantages."

About NetScreen Technologies

NetScreen Technologies, Inc., is a leading developer of integrated network security solutions that offer the security, performance and total cost of ownership required by enterprises and carriers. NetScreen's innovative solutions provide key security technologies, such as virtual private network, denial of service protection, firewall and intrusion prevention, in a line of easy-to-manage security appliances and systems. NetScreen is located at 350 Oakmead Parkway, Sunnyvale, CA, 94085. More information on NetScreen's products can be found at http://www.netscreen.com or by calling toll free at 1-800-638-8296.