15 November 2005

California, USA: Cisco Systems today announced the availability of Cisco Secure Volunteer, a new educational game designed to test Virtual Private Networking (VPN) skills for technical professionals.

As the latest offering in Cisco's series of technology learning games, Cisco Secure Volunteer takes a new approach, combining the promotion of a philanthropic effort with serious learning in a fun, engaging format.

Cisco Secure Volunteer helps networking professionals learn VPN skills in the context of a real-life setting based on NetHope, Inc., a consortium of leading international non-profit organizations that collaborate around technology, specifically connectivity in remote parts of the developing world.

NetHope, which Cisco helped found, is featured in the game as the organization that a player joins as a "volunteer" to enable connectivity and attain a high score. The player sets up VPN connectivity to enable relief workers in the field to securely share environmental, health and medical information with the headquarters. The player moves through virtual rooms in the game and interacts with fictitious characters to configure a Cisco VPN concentrator.

"Cisco Secure Volunteer is a unique offering that combines game play, innovative learning and support for a nonprofit," said Don Field, director of certifications at Cisco. "We're delighted to provide heightened visibility for a fine non-profit organization while helping technical professionals hone their skills."

NetHope is an information technology consortium of 17 leading international non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Through member knowledge sharing, collaboration and by facilitating public benefit collaborations with major corporations, NetHope enables members to extend their communications infrastructure and leverage of internet-based applications as they serve tens of millions of end beneficiaries in 100+ developing countries around the world.