FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
This annual report on Form 10-K, including the following sections, contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, particularly, our expectations regarding results of operations, our ability to expand our market penetration, our ability to expand our distribution channels, customer acceptance of our products, our ability to meet the expectations of our customers, product demand and revenue, cash flows, product gross margins, our expectations to continue to develop new products and enhance existing products, our expectations regarding the amount of our research and development expenses, our expectations relating to our selling, general and administrative expenses, our efforts to achieve additional operating efficiencies and to review and improve our business systems and cost structure, our expectations to continue investing in technology, resources and infrastructure, our expectations concerning the availability of products from suppliers and contract manufacturers, anticipated product costs and sales prices, our expectations that we have sufficient capital to meet our requirements for at least the next twelve months, and our expectations regarding materials and inventory management. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, and the cautionary statements set forth below and those contained in the section entitled “Risk Factors” identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted in any such forward-looking statements. We caution investors that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of certain risk factors identified in this Form 10-K and other filings we have made with the Securities and Exchange Commission. More information about potential factors that could affect our business and financial results is set forth under “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”
Item1. Business
Overview
Extreme Networks, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, (collectively referred to as Extreme and as we, us and our) is a leading provider of network infrastructure equipment and services for enterprises, data centers, and service providers. Our customers include businesses, hospitals, schools, hotels, telecommunications companies and government agencies around the world. Since our founding in 1996, our vision has been a world enabled by a unified network based upon Ethernet that simplifies each element and component of the network, and through simplification, provides services at a lower cost. As networks internal to businesses, between businesses and the Internet itself become more pervasive and critical to a wide variety of business and social communications, the volume and the demands of applications, data, users and devices on networks continue to increase. Our vision focuses on the design and delivery of easily deployable, highly scalable, secure and comprehensively managed networks which are reliable, fast, flexible and cost-effective. We primarily sell our products through an ecosystem of our channel partners who combine our Ethernet products with their offerings to create compelling information technology solutions for end user customers.
Industry Background
The networking industry has undergone significant changes in the last few years. With the mobilization of the workforce, the virtualization of the data center, and the demand for anywhere, anytime connectivity, across any device, Ethernet is the common technology across both enterprises and service providers. Extreme Networks' strategy, product portfolio, and research and development are aligned with the following trends:
The Extreme Networks Strategy
With the proliferation of mobile users and their devices, within a campus or across continents, the challenges of operating and managing a network have changed. IT has rapidly evolved from a world of fixed to a new world of mobility where everything-people, devices, machines, and applications-are in motion. IT now has to support end users with smart phones, tablets, laptops and other wireless peripherals as well as their wired workstations. Users are beginning to define the services that IT must offer as they adopt tablets and their applications, and work on the go. Users know what they need to be productive, and they expect the network to help them achieve productivity.
Extreme Networks provides networks designed for mobility. Customers deploying our technology can know what resources are using the network, what they are requesting and where they are located, and can provide customized access to approved resources and content.
Our networks help enable granular visibility and control, higher performance and resource security.
Extreme Networks strategy is to offer sophisticated, open, and cost effective scalable networks, an alternative to single-sourced, highly proprietary networking equipment from other companies. Our commitment to open standards is manifested by demonstrated interoperability within both enterprise and service provider networks, and the active participation in key industry and standards associations.
Key elements of our strategy include: