SITARA NETWORKS INC
S-1, EX-1.1, 2000-11-17
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<PAGE>   1
                                                                     Exhibit 1.1


                             _______________ Shares

                              SITARA NETWORKS, INC.

                                  Common Stock

                              ($0.00001 Par Value)

                          EQUITY UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT


                                                           _______________, 2000




Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.
Chase Securities Inc.
Thomas Weisel Partners LLC
As Representatives of the
    Several Underwriters
c/o Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.
One South Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21202

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         Sitara Networks, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), proposes
to sell to the several underwriters (the "Underwriters") named in Schedule I
hereto for whom you are acting as representatives (the "Representatives") an
aggregate of __________ shares of the Company's Common Stock, $0.00001 par value
(the "Firm Shares"). The respective amounts of the Firm Shares to be so
purchased by the several Underwriters are set forth opposite their names in
Schedule I hereto. The Company also proposes to sell at the Underwriters' option
an aggregate of up to __________ additional shares of the Company's Common Stock
(the "Option Shares") as set forth below.

         As the Representatives, you have advised the Company (a) that you are
authorized to enter into this Agreement on behalf of the several Underwriters,
and (b) that the several Underwriters are willing, acting severally and not
jointly, to purchase the numbers of Firm Shares set forth opposite their
respective names in Schedule I, plus their pro rata portion of the Option Shares
if you elect to exercise the over-allotment option in whole or in part for the
accounts of the several Underwriters. The Firm Shares and the Option Shares (to
the extent the aforementioned option is exercised) are herein collectively
called the "Shares."

         Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. ("DBSI") has agreed to reserve up to
_________ of the Shares to be purchased by it under this Agreement for sale to
the Company's directors, officers,


                                      -1-
<PAGE>   2
employees and business associates and other parties related to the Company
(collectively, "Participants"), as set forth in the Prospectus under the heading
"Underwriting" (the "Directed Share Program"). The Shares to be sold by DBSI and
its affiliates pursuant to the Directed Share Program are referred to
hereinafter as the "Directed Shares." Any Directed Shares not orally confirmed
for purchase by any Participants by the end of the business day on which this
Agreement is executed will be offered to the public by the Underwriters as set
forth in the Prospectus.

         In consideration of the mutual agreements contained herein and of the
interests of the parties in the transactions contemplated hereby, the parties
hereto agree as follows:

         1.   Representations and Warranties of the Company.

         The Company represents and warrants to each of the Underwriters as
follows:

              (a) A registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-______)
with respect to the Shares has been prepared by the Company in conformity with
the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), and the
Rules and Regulations (the "Rules and Regulations") of the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "Commission") thereunder and has been filed with the
Commission. Copies of such registration statement, including any amendments
thereto, the preliminary prospectuses (meeting the requirements of the Rules and
Regulations) contained therein and the exhibits, financial statements and
schedules, as finally amended and revised, have heretofore been delivered by the
Company to you. Such registration statement, together with any registration
statement filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the Act, herein
referred to as the "Registration Statement," which shall be deemed to include
all information omitted therefrom in reliance upon Rule 430A of the Act and
contained in the Prospectus referred to below, has been declared effective by
the Commission under the Act and no post-effective amendment to the Registration
Statement has been filed as of the date of this Agreement. "Prospectus" means
the form of prospectus first filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b)
of the Act. Each preliminary prospectus included in the Registration Statement
prior to the time it becomes effective is herein referred to as a "Preliminary
Prospectus." Any reference herein to any Prospectus shall be deemed to include
any supplements or amendments thereto, filed with the Commission after the date
of filing of the Prospectus under Rules 424(b) or 430A of the Act, and prior to
the termination of the offering of the Shares by the Underwriters.

              (b) The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as
a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with
corporate power and authority to own or lease its properties and conduct its
business as described in the Registration Statement. Each of the subsidiaries of
the Company as listed in Exhibit 21 to Item 16(a) of the Registration Statement
(collectively, the "Subsidiaries") has been duly organized and is validly
existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of
its incorporation, with corporate power and authority to own or lease its
properties and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement.
The Subsidiaries are the only subsidiaries, direct or indirect, of the Company.
The Company and each of the Subsidiaries are duly qualified to transact business
in all jurisdictions in which the conduct of their business requires such


                                      -2-
<PAGE>   3
qualification. The outstanding shares of capital stock of each of the
Subsidiaries have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and
non-assessable and are owned by the Company free and clear of all liens,
encumbrances and equities and claims; and no options, warrants or other rights
to purchase, agreements or other obligations to issue or other rights to convert
any obligations into shares of capital stock or ownership interests in the
Subsidiaries are outstanding.

              (c) The outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company have
been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable;
the Shares to be issued and sold by the Company have been duly authorized and
when issued and paid for as contemplated herein will be validly issued, fully
paid and non-assessable; and no preemptive rights of stockholders exist with
respect to any of the Shares or the issue and sale thereof. Neither the filing
of the Registration Statement nor the offering or sale of the Shares as
contemplated by this Agreement gives rise to any rights, other than those which
have been waived or satisfied, for or relating to the registration of any shares
of Common Stock.

              (d) The information set forth under the caption "Capitalization"
in the Prospectus is true and correct. All of the Shares conform to the
description thereof contained in the Registration Statement. The form of
certificates for the Shares conforms to the corporate law of the jurisdiction of
the Company's incorporation.

              (e) The Commission has not issued an order preventing or
suspending the use of any Prospectus relating to the proposed offering of the
Shares nor instituted proceedings for that purpose. The Registration Statement
contains, and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto will
contain, all statements which are required to be stated therein by, and will
conform, to the requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations. The
Registration Statement and any amendment thereto do not contain, and will not
contain, any untrue statement of a material fact and do not omit, and will not
omit, to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements therein not misleading. The Prospectus and any amendments
and supplements thereto do not contain, and will not contain, any untrue
statement of material fact; and do not omit, and will not omit, to state any
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading; provided, however, that the Company makes no representations or
warranties as to information contained in or omitted from the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus, or any such amendment or supplement, in reliance
upon, and in conformity with, written information furnished to the Company by or
on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives, specifically for use
in the preparation thereof.

              (f) The consolidated financial statements of the Company and the
Subsidiaries, together with related notes and schedules as set forth in the
Registration Statement, present fairly the financial position and the results of
operations and cash flows of the Company and the consolidated Subsidiaries, at
the indicated dates and for the indicated periods. Such financial statements and
related schedules have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles, consistently applied throughout the periods involved,
except as disclosed therein, and all adjustments necessary for a fair
presentation of results for such periods have been made. The summary financial
and statistical data included in the Registration Statement presents fairly the
information shown therein and such data has been compiled on a


                                      -3-
<PAGE>   4
basis consistent with the financial statements presented therein and the books
and records of the Company and the Subsidiaries. The pro forma financial
information included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus present
fairly the information shown therein, have been prepared in accordance with the
Commission's rules and guidelines with respect to pro forma financial
statements, have been properly compiled on the pro forma bases described
therein, and, in the opinion of the Company, the assumptions used in the
preparation thereof are reasonable and the adjustments used therein are
appropriate to give effect to the transactions or circumstances referred to
therein.

              (g) PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, who have certified certain of the
financial statements filed with the Commission as part of the Registration
Statement, are independent public accountants as required by the Act and the
Rules and Regulations.

              (h) Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, there is no
action, suit, claim or proceeding pending or, to the knowledge of the Company,
threatened or contemplated against the Company or any of the Subsidiaries before
any court or administrative agency or otherwise which if determined adversely to
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries might result in any material adverse
change in the earnings, business, management, properties, assets, rights,
operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company and
of the Subsidiaries taken as a whole or prevent the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby.

              (i) The Company and the Subsidiaries have good and marketable
title to all real property and good and marketable title to all of the other
property and assets reflected in the financial statements (or as described in
the Registration Statement) hereinabove described as owned by them, in each case
free and clear of liens, mortgages, pledges, charges, defects or encumbrances of
any kind except those reflected in such financial statements (or as described in
the Registration Statement) or which are not material in amount. The Company and
the Subsidiaries occupy their leased properties under valid and binding leases
conforming to the description thereof set forth in the Registration Statement.

              (j) The Company and the Subsidiaries have filed all Federal,
State, local and foreign tax returns which have been required to be filed and
have paid all taxes indicated by said returns and all assessments received by
them or any of them to the extent that such taxes have become due. All tax
liabilities have been adequately provided for in the financial statements of the
Company, and the Company does not know of any actual or proposed additional
material tax assessments.

              (k) Since the respective dates as of which information is given in
the Registration Statement, as it may be amended or supplemented, there has not
been any material adverse change or any development involving a prospective
material adverse change in or affecting the earnings, business, management,
properties, assets, rights, operations, condition (financial or otherwise), or
prospects of the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole, whether or not
occurring in the ordinary course of business, and there has not been any
material transaction entered into or any material transaction that is reasonably
likely to be entered into by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, other than
transactions in the ordinary course of business


                                      -4-
<PAGE>   5
and changes and transactions described in the Registration Statement, as it may
be amended or supplemented. The Company and the Subsidiaries have no material
contingent obligations which are not disclosed in the Company's financial
statements which are included in the Registration Statement.

              (l) Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is or, with
the giving of notice or lapse of time or both, will be, in violation of or in
default under its Certificate of Incorporation or similar instrument (each a
"Charter") or By-Laws or under any agreement, lease, contract, indenture or
other instrument or obligation to which it is a party or by which it, or any of
its properties, is bound and which default is of material significance in
respect of the condition, financial or otherwise of the Company and its
Subsidiaries taken as a whole or the business, management, properties, assets,
rights, operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the
Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole. The execution and delivery of
this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated and
the fulfillment of the terms hereof will not conflict with or result in a breach
of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any
indenture, mortgage, deed of trust or other agreement or instrument to which the
Company or any Subsidiary is a party, or of the Charter or By-Laws of the
Company or any of the Subsidiaries or any order, rule or regulation applicable
to the Company or any of the Subsidiaries of any court or of any regulatory body
or administrative agency or other governmental body having jurisdiction over the
Company or any of the Subsidiaries.

              (m) Each approval, consent, order, authorization, designation,
declaration or filing by or with any regulatory, administrative or other
governmental body necessary in connection with the execution and delivery by the
Company of this Agreement and the consummation by the Company of the
transactions herein contemplated (except such additional steps as may be
required by the Commission, the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
(the "NASD") or such additional steps as may be necessary to qualify the Shares
for public offering by the Underwriters under state securities or Blue Sky laws)
has been obtained or made and is in full force and effect.

              (n) The Company and each of the Subsidiaries holds all material
licenses, certificates and permits from governmental authorities which are
necessary to the conduct of their businesses; the Company or one of the
Subsidiaries own or possess adequate licenses or other rights to use all
patents, patent rights, patent applications, trademarks, trademark applications,
trade names, service marks, service mark applications, service names,
copyrights, know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and
unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures) and
other intellectual property rights (collectively, "Intellectual Property")
necessary to carry on their business in all material respects; neither the
Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has infringed, and none of the Company or
the Subsidiaries have received notice of conflict with, any Intellectual
Property of any other person or entity. There are no outstanding options,
licenses or agreements of any kind relating to the Intellectual Property of the
Company that are required to be described in the Prospectus and are not
described in all material respects. The Company is not a party to or bound by
any options, licenses or agreements with respect to the Intellectual Property of
any other person or entity that are required to be set forth in the Prospectus
and are not described in all material respects. None


                                      -5-
<PAGE>   6
of the technology employed by the Company has been obtained or is being used by
the Company in violation of any contractual obligation binding on the Company or
any of its officers, directors or employees or otherwise in violation of the
rights of any persons; the Company has not received any written or oral
communications alleging that the Company has violated, infringed or conflicted
with, or, by conducting its business as set forth in the Prospectus, would
violate, infringe or conflict with, any of the Intellectual Property of any
other person or entity. The Company knows of no infringement by others of
Intellectual Property owned by or licensed to the Company.

              (o) Neither the Company, nor to the Company's knowledge, any of
its affiliates, has taken or may take, directly or indirectly, any action
designed to cause or result in, or which has constituted or which might
reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the
price of the shares of Common Stock to facilitate the sale or resale of the
Shares.

              (p) Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is, or after giving
effect to the issuance of the Shares hereunder will be, an "investment company"
within the meaning of such term under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended (the "1940 Act"), and the rules and regulations of the Commission
thereunder.

              (q) The Company maintains a system of internal accounting controls
sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (i) transactions are executed
in accordance with management's general or specific authorization; (ii)
transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial
statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to
maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in
accordance with management's general or specific authorization; and (iv) the
recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at
reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any
differences.

              (r) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries carry, or are covered
by, insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as is adequate for the
conduct of their respective businesses and the value of their respective
properties and as is customary for companies engaged in similar industries.

              (s) Each of the Company and the Subsidiaries is in compliance in
all material respects with all presently applicable provisions of the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, including the regulations
and published interpretations thereunder ("ERISA"); no "reportable event" (as
defined in ERISA) has occurred with respect to any "pension plan" (as defined in
ERISA) for which the Company or any Subsidiary would have any liability; neither
the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has incurred or expects to incur
liability under (i) Title IV of ERISA with respect to termination of, or
withdrawal from, any "pension plan" or (ii) Sections 412 or 4971 of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, including the regulations and published
interpretations thereunder (the "Code"); and each "pension plan" for which the
Company or any Subsidiary would have any liability that is intended to be
qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified in all material
respects


                                      -6-
<PAGE>   7
and nothing has occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, which would
cause the loss of such qualification.

              (t) To the Company's knowledge, there are no affiliations or
associations between any member of the NASD and any of the Company's officers,
directors or securityholders, except as set forth in the Registration Statement
or disclosed to the NASD.

              (u) No contract or document required to be described in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement is not so described or filed as required.

              (v) Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has violated any
foreign, federal, state or local law or regulation relating to the protection of
human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances,
wastes, pollutants or contaminants ("Environmental Laws") or the rules and
regulations thereunder, except for such violations which, singly or in the
aggregate, would not have a material adverse effect on the business or financial
condition of the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole.

              (w) There are no costs or liabilities associated with
Environmental Laws (including without limitation any capital or operating
expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with
Environmental Laws or any permits, licenses, consents, exemptions,
authorizations or other approvals, any related constraints on operating
activities and any potential liabilities to third parties) which would, singly
or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the business or financial
condition of the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole.

              (x) No consent, approval, authorization or order of, or
qualification with, any governmental body or agency, other than those obtained,
is required in connection with the offering of the Directed Shares in any
jurisdiction where the Directed Shares are being offered.

              (y) The Company has not offered, or caused DBSI or its affiliates
to offer, Shares to any person pursuant to the Directed Share Program with the
specific intent to unlawfully influence (i) a customer or supplier of the
Company to alter the customer's or supplier's level or type of business with the
Company, or (ii) a trade journalist or publication to write or publish favorable
information about the Company or its products.

         2.   Purchase, Sale and Delivery of the Firm Shares.

              (a) On the basis of the representations, warranties and covenants
herein contained, and subject to the conditions herein set forth, (i) the
Company agrees to issue and sell to the several Underwriters the Firm Shares and
(ii) each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase the number
of Firm Shares set forth opposite the name of each Underwriter in Schedule I
hereof, subject to adjustments in accordance with Section 9 hereof. The
Underwriters agree to offer the Shares to the public as set forth in the
Prospectus. The purchase price to be paid to the Company for the First Shares
shall be $__________ per share (the "Share Price").


                                      -7-
<PAGE>   8
              (b) Payment of the Share Price for the Firm Shares to be sold
hereunder is to be made in Federal (same day) funds to an account designated by
the Company for the Firm Shares, against delivery of certificates for the Firm
Shares to the Representatives for the several accounts of the Underwriters. Such
payment and delivery are to be made through the facilities of the Depository
Trust Company, New York, New York at 10:00 a.m., New York time, on the third
business day after the date of this Agreement or at such other time and date not
later than five business days thereafter as you and the Company shall agree
upon, such time and date being herein referred to as the "Closing Date." As used
herein, "business day" means a day on which the New York Stock Exchange is open
for trading and on which banks in New York are open for business and are not
permitted by law or executive order to be closed.

              (c) In addition, on the basis of the representations and
warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set
forth, the Company hereby grants an option to the several Underwriters to
purchase the Option Shares at the price per share as set forth in the first
paragraph of this Section 2. The option granted hereby may be exercised in whole
or in part by giving written notice (i) at any time before the Closing Date and
(ii) only once thereafter within 30 days after the date of this Agreement, by
you, as Representatives of the several Underwriters, to the Company setting
forth the number of Option Shares as to which the several Underwriters are
exercising the option, the names and denominations in which the Option Shares
are to be registered and the time and date at which such certificates are to be
delivered. The time and date at which certificates for Option Shares are to be
delivered shall be determined by the Representatives but shall not be earlier
than three nor later than 10 full business days after the exercise of such
option, nor in any event prior to the Closing Date (such time and date being
herein referred to as the "Option Closing Date"). If the date of exercise of the
option is three or more days before the Closing Date, the notice of exercise
shall set the Closing Date as the Option Closing Date. The number of Option
Shares to be purchased by each Underwriter shall be in the same proportion to
the total number of Option Shares being purchased as the number of Firm Shares
being purchased by such Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Shares,
adjusted by you in such manner as to avoid fractional shares. The option with
respect to the Option Shares granted hereunder may be exercised only to cover
over-allotments in the sale of the Firm Shares by the Underwriters. You, as
Representatives of the several Underwriters, may cancel such option at any time
prior to its expiration by giving written notice of such cancellation to the
Company. To the extent, if any, that the option is exercised, payment for the
Option Shares shall be made on the Option Closing Date in Federal (same day)
funds through the facilities of the Depository Trust Company in New York, New
York drawn to the order of the Company.

         3.   Offering by the Underwriters.

         It is understood that the several Underwriters are to make a public
offering of the Firm Shares as soon as the Representatives deem it advisable to
do so. The Firm Shares are to be initially offered to the public at the initial
public offering price set forth in the Prospectus. The Representatives may from
time to time thereafter change the public offering price and other selling
terms. To the extent, if at all, that any Option Shares are purchased pursuant
to Section 2 hereof, the Underwriters will offer them to the public on the
foregoing terms.


                                      -8-
<PAGE>   9
         It is further understood that you will act as the Representatives for
the Underwriters in the offering and sale of the Shares in accordance with a
Master Agreement Among Underwriters entered into by you and the several other
Underwriters.

         4.   Covenants of the Company.

         The Company covenants and agrees with the several Underwriters that:

              (a) The Company will (i) use its best efforts to cause the
Registration Statement to become effective or, if the procedure in Rule 430A of
the Rules and Regulations is followed, to prepare and timely file with the
Commission under Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations a Prospectus in a form
approved by the Representatives containing information previously omitted at the
time of effectiveness of the Registration Statement in reliance on Rule 430A of
the Rules and Regulations, and (ii) not file any amendment to the Registration
Statement or supplement to the Prospectus of which the Representatives shall not
previously have been advised and furnished with a copy or to which the
Representatives shall have reasonably objected in writing or which is not in
compliance with the Rules and Regulations.

              (b) The Company will advise the Representatives promptly (i) when
the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto shall have
become effective, (ii) of receipt of any comments from the Commission, (iii) of
any request of the Commission for amendment of the Registration Statement or for
supplement to the Prospectus or for any additional information, and (iv) of the
issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement or the use of the Prospectus or of the institution of any
proceedings for that purpose. The Company will use its best efforts to prevent
the issuance of any such stop order preventing or suspending the use of the
Prospectus and to obtain as soon as possible the lifting thereof, if issued.

              (c) The Company will cooperate with the Representatives in
endeavoring to qualify the Shares for sale under the securities laws of such
jurisdictions as the Representatives may reasonably have designated in writing
and will make such applications, file such documents, and furnish such
information as may be reasonably required for that purpose, provided the Company
shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to file a general
consent to service of process in any jurisdiction where it is not now so
qualified or required to file such a consent. The Company will, from time to
time, prepare and file such statements, reports, and other documents, as are or
may be required to continue such qualifications in effect for so long a period
as the Representatives may reasonably request for distribution of the Shares.

              (d) The Company will deliver to, or upon the order of, the
Representatives, from time to time, as many copies of any Preliminary Prospectus
as the Representatives may reasonably request. The Company will deliver to, or
upon the order of, the Representatives during the period when delivery of a
Prospectus is required under the Act, as many copies of the Prospectus in final
form, or as thereafter amended or supplemented, as the Representatives may
reasonably request. The Company will deliver to the Representatives at or before
the Closing Date, four signed copies of the Registration Statement and all
amendments thereto including all exhibits filed therewith, and will deliver to
the Representatives such number of copies of the


                                      -9-
<PAGE>   10
Registration Statement (including such number of copies of the exhibits filed
therewith that may reasonably be requested), and of all amendments thereto, as
the Representatives may reasonably request.

              (e) The Company will comply with the Act and the Rules and
Regulations, and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange
Act"), and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, so as to
permit the completion of the distribution of the Shares as contemplated in this
Agreement and the Prospectus. If during the period in which a prospectus is
required by law to be delivered by an Underwriter or dealer, any event shall
occur as a result of which, in the judgment of the Company or in the reasonable
opinion of the Underwriters, it becomes necessary to amend or supplement the
Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances existing at the time the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser,
not misleading, or, if it is necessary at any time to amend or supplement the
Prospectus to comply with any law, the Company promptly will either (i) prepare
and file with the Commission an appropriate amendment to the Registration
Statement or supplement to the Prospectus, or (ii) prepare and file with the
Commission an appropriate filing under the Exchange Act which shall be
incorporated by reference in the Prospectus so that the Prospectus as so amended
or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when it is so
delivered, be misleading, or so that the Prospectus will comply with the law.

              (f) The Company will make generally available to its security
holders, as soon as it is practicable to do so, but in any event not later than
15 months after the effective date of the Registration Statement, an earnings
statement (which need not be audited) in reasonable detail, covering a period of
at least 12 consecutive months beginning after the effective date of the
Registration Statement, which earnings statement shall satisfy the requirements
of Section 11(a) of the Act and Rule 158 of the Rules and Regulations and will
advise you in writing when such statement has been so made available.

              (g) Prior to the Closing Date, the Company will furnish to the
Underwriters, as soon as they have been prepared by or are available to the
Company, a copy of any unaudited interim financial statements of the Company for
any period subsequent to the period covered by the most recent financial
statements appearing in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

              (h) No offering, sale, short sale or other disposition of any
shares of Common Stock of the Company or other securities convertible into or
exchangeable or exercisable for shares of Common Stock or derivative of Common
Stock (or agreement for such) shall be made for a period of 180 days after the
date of this Agreement (the "Lock-Up Period"), directly or indirectly, by the
Company otherwise than hereunder or with the prior written consent of DBSI,
except that the Company may, without such consent, (i) issue shares upon the
exercise of options issued prior to the date hereof pursuant to its Amended and
Restated 1996 Stock Incentive Program and 2000 Employee Stock Purchase Plan,
(ii) issue shares in respect of the acquisition by the Company of the assets or
the capital stock of another person or entity, and (iii) grant options and offer
to sell shares of Common Stock to its employees, consultants and directors
pursuant to the plans described in clause (i), provided that (A) any shares so
issued by the Company to any person party to a Lock-Up Agreement (as defined
below) shall be subject to the terms and conditions of such Lock-Up Agreement
and (B) no shares issued in connection with


                                      -10-
<PAGE>   11
any such option exercise, acquisition or sale of shares shall be transferable
during the Lock-Up Period. The Company shall not file with the Commission any
registration statements (including without limitation any registration
statements on Form S-8 or any successor form) with respect to any stock option,
stock purchase, restricted stock or other similar plans until at least 90 days
following the date of this Agreement.

              (i) The Company will use its best efforts to list, subject to
notice of issuance, the Shares on the Nasdaq National Market.

              (j) The Company has caused each officer and director and the
stockholders of the Company listed on Schedule II to furnish to you, on or prior
to the date of this Agreement, a letter or letters, in form and substance
satisfactory to the Underwriters, pursuant to which each such person shall
agree, subject to the terms and conditions of such letters, not to, without the
prior written consent of Deutsche Bank Securities, Inc., offer, sell, sell short
or otherwise dispose of any shares of Common Stock of the Company or other
capital stock of the Company, or any other securities convertible, exchangeable,
or exercisable for shares of Common Stock or derivative of shares of Common
Stock owned by such person or request the registration for the offer or sale of
any of the foregoing (or as to which such person has the right to direct the
disposition of) for a period of (i) 150 days after the date of this Agreement
with respect to 50% of the shares owned by such person and (ii) 210 days after
the date of this Agreement with respect to 50% of the shares owned by such
person (the "Lockup Agreements").

              (k) The Company shall apply the net proceeds of its sale of the
Shares as set forth in the Prospectus and shall file such reports with the
Commission with respect to the sale of the Shares and the application of the
proceeds therefrom as may be required in accordance with Rule 463 under the Act.

              (l) The Company shall not invest, or otherwise use the proceeds
received by the Company from its sale of the Shares in such a manner as would
require the Company or any of the Subsidiaries to register as an investment
company under the 1940 Act.

              (m) The Company will maintain a transfer agent and, if necessary
under the jurisdiction of incorporation of the Company, a registrar for the
Common Stock.

              (n) The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action
designed to cause or result in, or that has constituted or might reasonably be
expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any
securities of the Company.

              (o) The Company will comply with all applicable securities and
other applicable laws, rules and regulations in each jurisdiction in which the
Directed Shares are offered in connection with the Directed Share Program.

         5.   Costs and Expenses.

         The Company will pay all costs, expenses and fees incident to the
performance of the obligations of the Company under this Agreement, including,
without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the following: accounting fees
of the Company; the fees and disbursements of


                                      -11-
<PAGE>   12
counsel for the Company; the cost of printing and delivering to, or as requested
by, the Underwriters copies of the Registration Statement, Preliminary
Prospectuses, the Prospectus, this Agreement, the Underwriters' Selling
Memorandum, the Underwriters' Invitation Letter, the Listing Application, the
Blue Sky Survey and any supplements or amendments thereto; the filing fees of
the Commission; the filing fees and expenses (including legal fees and
disbursements) incident to securing any required review by the NASD of the terms
of the sale of the Shares; the Listing Fee of the Nasdaq National Market; and
the expenses, including the fees and disbursements of counsel for the
Underwriters, incurred in connection with the qualification of the Shares under
State securities or Blue Sky laws. The Company agrees to pay all costs and
expenses of the Underwriters, including the fees and disbursements of counsel
for the Underwriters, incident to the offer and sale of Directed Shares. The
Company shall not, however, be required to pay for any of the Underwriters
expenses (other than those related to qualification under NASD regulation and
State securities or Blue Sky laws) except that, if this Agreement shall not be
consummated because the conditions in Section 6 hereof are not satisfied, or
because this Agreement is terminated by the Representatives pursuant to Section
11 hereof, or by reason of any failure, refusal or inability on the part of the
Company to perform any undertaking or satisfy any condition of this Agreement or
to comply with any of the terms hereof on its part to be performed, unless such
failure to satisfy said condition or to comply with said terms be due to the
default or omission of any Underwriter, then the Company shall reimburse the
several Underwriters for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, including fees and
disbursements of counsel, reasonably incurred in connection with investigating,
marketing and proposing to market the Shares or in contemplation of performing
their obligations hereunder; but the Company shall not in any event be liable to
any of the several Underwriters for damages on account of loss of anticipated
profits from the sale by them of the Shares.

         6.   Conditions of Obligations of the Underwriters.

         The several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Firm Shares
on the Closing Date and the Option Shares, if any, on the Option Closing Date
are subject to the accuracy, as of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date,
as the case may be, of the representations and warranties of the Company
contained herein, and to the performance by the Company of its covenants and
obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:

              (a) The Registration Statement and all post-effective amendments
thereto shall have become effective and any and all filings required by Rule 424
and Rule 430A of the Rules and Regulations shall have been made, and any request
of the Commission for additional information (to be included in the Registration
Statement or otherwise) shall have been disclosed to the Representatives and
complied with to their reasonable satisfaction. No stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement, as amended from time to time, shall
have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been taken or,
to the knowledge of the Company, shall be contemplated by the Commission and no
injunction, restraining order, or order of any nature by a Federal or state
court of competent jurisdiction shall have been issued as of the Closing Date or
the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, which would prevent the sale of any
of the Shares or the issuance of any Firm Shares or Option Shares, if any.


                                      -12-
<PAGE>   13
              (b) The Representatives shall have received on the Closing Date or
the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, the opinion of McDermott, Will &
Emery, counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date or the Option Closing
Date, as the case may be, addressed to the Underwriters (and stating that it may
be relied upon by counsel to the Underwriters) to the effect that:

                  (i)   The Company has been duly organized and is validly
existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of
Delaware, with corporate power and authority to own or lease its properties and
conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement; each of the
Subsidiaries has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in
good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, with
corporate power and authority to own or lease its properties and conduct its
business as described in the Registration Statement; the Company and each of the
Subsidiaries are duly qualified to transact business in all jurisdictions in
which the conduct of their business requires such qualification, or in which the
failure to qualify would have a materially adverse effect upon the business of
the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole; and the outstanding shares of
capital stock of each of the Subsidiaries have been duly authorized and validly
issued and are fully paid and non-assessable and are owned by the Company or a
Subsidiary; and, to the best of such counsel's knowledge, the outstanding shares
of capital stock of each of the Subsidiaries is owned free and clear of all
liens, encumbrances and equities and claims, and no options, warrants or other
rights to purchase, agreements or other obligations to issue or other rights to
convert any obligations into any shares of capital stock or of ownership
interests in the Subsidiaries are outstanding.

                   (ii)  The Company has authorized and outstanding capital
stock as set forth under the caption "Capitalization" in the Prospectus; the
authorized shares of the Company's Common Stock have been duly authorized; the
outstanding shares of the Company's Common Stock have been duly authorized and
validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; all of the Shares conform
to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus; the certificates for the
Shares, assuming they are in the form filed with the Commission, are in due and
proper form; the shares of Common Stock, including the Option Shares, if any, to
be sold by the Company pursuant to this Agreement have been duly authorized and
will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable when issued and paid for
as contemplated by this Agreement; and no preemptive rights of stockholders
exist with respect to any of the Shares or the issue or sale thereof.

                   (iii) Except as described in or contemplated by the
Prospectus, to the knowledge of such counsel, there are no outstanding
securities of the Company convertible or exchangeable into or evidencing the
right to purchase or subscribe for any shares of capital stock of the Company
and there are no outstanding or authorized options, warrants or rights of any
character obligating the Company to issue any shares of its capital stock or any
securities convertible or exchangeable into or evidencing the right to purchase
or subscribe for any shares of such stock; and except as described in the
Prospectus, to the knowledge of such counsel, no holder of any securities of the
Company or any other person has the right, contractual or otherwise, which has
not been satisfied or effectively waived, to cause the Company to sell or
otherwise issue to them, or to permit them to underwrite the sale of, any of the
Shares or the right


                                      -13-
<PAGE>   14
to have any shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company included
in the Registration Statement or the right, as a result of the filing of the
Registration Statement, to require registration under the Act of any shares of
Common Stock or other securities of the Company.

                   (iv)   The Registration Statement has become effective under
the Act and, to the best of the knowledge of such counsel, no stop order
proceedings with respect thereto have been instituted or are pending or
threatened under the Act.

                   (v)    The Registration Statement, the Prospectus and each
amendment or supplement thereto comply as to form in all material respects with
the requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations (except that such
counsel need express no opinion as to the financial statements, including the
notes and schedules thereto, or any other financial, statistical or accounting
information).

                   (vi)   The statements under the captions "Risk Factors - Our
charter documents and Delaware law may inhibit a takeover that stockholders may
consider favorable," "Description of Capital Stock" and "Shares Eligible for
Future Sale" in the Prospectus, insofar as such statements constitute a summary
of documents referred to therein, matters of law or legal conclusions, have been
reviewed by such counsel, are correct in all material respects and fairly
summarize in all material respects the information called for by the Act and the
Rules and Regulations with respect to such documents and matters.

                   (vii)  Such counsel does not know of any contracts or
documents required to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or
described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus which are no so filed
or described as required, and such contracts and documents as are summarized in
the Registration Statement or the Prospectus are fairly summarized in all
material respects.

                   (viii) Such counsel knows of no material legal or
governmental proceedings pending or threatened against the Company or any of the
Subsidiaries except as set forth in the Prospectus.

                   (ix)   The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the
consummation of the transactions herein contemplated do not and will not
conflict with or result in a breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or
constitute a default under, the Charter or By-Laws of the Company or any
Subsidiary, or any agreement, instrument or other document known to such counsel
to which the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is a party or by which the
Company or any of the Subsidiaries may be bound.

                   (x)    This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by the Company.

                   (xi)   No approval, consent, order, authorization,
designation, declaration or filing by or with any regulatory, administrative or
other governmental body is necessary in connection with the execution and
delivery of this Agreement and the consummation by the


                                      -14-
<PAGE>   15
Company of the transactions herein contemplated (other than as may be required
by the NASD or as required by State securities and Blue Sky laws as to which
such counsel need express no opinion) except such as have been obtained or made,
specifying the same.

                   (xii)  The Company is not, and will not become, as a result
of the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and
application of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the Prospectus,
required to register as an investment company under the 1940 Act.

         In rendering such opinion McDermott, Will & Emery may rely as to
matters governed by the laws of states other than the State of Delaware, the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts or Federal laws on local counsel in such
jurisdictions, provided that in each case McDermott, Will & Emery shall state
that they believe that they and the Underwriters are justified in relying on
such other counsel, and as to questions of fact upon representations or
certificates of officers of the Company and of government officials. Copies of
any representation or certificate so relied upon shall be delivered to you, as
Representatives of the Underwriters, and to Underwriters' counsel. In addition
to the matters set forth above, such opinion shall also include a statement to
the effect that nothing has come to the attention of such counsel which leads
them to believe that (i) the Registration Statement, at the time it became
effective under the Act (but after giving effect to any modifications
incorporated therein pursuant to Rule 430A under the Act) and as of the Closing
Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, contained an untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and
(ii) the Prospectus, or any supplement thereto, on the date it was filed
pursuant to the Rules and Regulations and as of the Closing Date or the Option
Closing Date, as the case may be, contained an untrue statement of a material
fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements, in the light of the circumstances under which they are made, not
misleading (except that such counsel need express no view as to financial
statements, including the notes and schedules thereto, or any other financial,
statistical or accounting information). With respect to such statement,
McDermott, Will & Emery may state that their belief is based upon the procedures
set forth therein, but is without independent check and verification.

              (c) The Representatives shall have received on the Closing Date or
the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, the opinion of Fish & Richardson
P.C., intellectual property counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date or
the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, addressed to the Underwriters (and
stating that (i) such counsel are familiar with the technology used by the
Company in its business and the manner of its use thereof, (ii) such counsel
have read the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, including particularly
the portions of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus referring to
patents, trade secrets, trademarks, service marks or other proprietary
information or materials, and (iii) such counsel's opinion may be relied upon by
counsel to the Underwriters) to the effect that:

                   (i)   As to the statements under the captions "Risk Factors -
Risks Related to Intellectual Property" and "Business - Intellectual Property,"
nothing has come to the attention of such counsel which caused them to believe
that the above-mentioned sections of the Registration Statement and any
amendment or supplement thereto made available and reviewed


                                      -15-
<PAGE>   16
by such counsel, at the time the Registration Statement became effective and at
all times subsequent thereto up to and on the Closing Date and on any later date
on which Option Shares are to be purchased, contained any untrue statement of a
material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading.

                   (ii)  Such counsel knows of no material action, suit, claim
or proceeding relating to patents, patent rights or licenses, trademarks or
trademark rights, copyrights, collaborative research, licenses or royalty
arrangements or agreements or trade secrets, know-how or proprietary techniques,
including processes and substances, owned by or affecting the business or
operations of the Company which are pending or threatened against the Company or
any of its officers or directors.

                   (iii) The Company is listed in the records of the United
States Patent and Trademark Office as the holder of record of the patents listed
on a schedule to such opinion (the "Patents") and each of the applications
listed on a schedule to such opinion (the "Applications"). To the knowledge of
such counsel, there are no claims of third parties to any ownership interest or
lien with respect to any of the Patents or Applications. Such counsel is not
aware of any material defect in form in the preparation or filing of the
Applications on behalf of the Company. To the knowledge of such counsel, the
Applications are being pursued by the Company. To the knowledge of such counsel,
the Company owns as its sole property the Patents and pending Applications.

                   (iv)  The Company is listed in the records of the appropriate
foreign offices as the sole holder of record of the foreign patents listed on a
schedule to such opinion (the "Foreign Patents") and each of the applications
listed on a schedule to such opinion (the "Foreign Applications"). Such counsel
knows of no claims of third parties to any ownership interest or lien with
respect to the Foreign Patents or Foreign Applications. Such counsel is not
aware of any material defect of form in the preparation or filing of the Foreign
Applications on behalf of the Company. To the knowledge of such counsel, the
Foreign Applications are being pursued by the Company. To the knowledge of such
counsel, the Company owns as its sole property the Foreign Patents and pending
Foreign Applications.

                   (v)   Such counsel knows of no reason why the Patents or
Foreign Patents are not valid as issued. Such counsel has no knowledge of any
reason why any patent to be issued as a result of any Application or Foreign
Application would not be valid or would not afford the Company useful patent
protection with respect thereto.

              (d) The Representatives shall have received from Hale and Dorr
LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, an opinion dated the Closing Date or the
Option Closing Date, as the case may be, in form and substance reasonably
satisfactory to you. In rendering such opinion, Hale and Dorr LLP may rely as to
all matters governed other than by the Delaware General Corporation Law statute,
the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or Federal laws on the opinion of
counsel referred to in Paragraph (b) of this Section 6. In addition to the
matters set forth above, such opinion shall also include a statement to the
effect that nothing has come to the attention of such counsel which leads them
to believe that (i) the Registration Statement, at the


                                      -16-
<PAGE>   17
time it became effective under the Act (but after giving effect to any
modifications incorporated therein pursuant to Rule 430A under the Act) and as
of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, contained an
untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading,
and (ii) the Prospectus, or any supplement thereto, on the date it was filed
pursuant to the Rules and Regulations and as of the Closing Date or the Option
Closing Date, as the case may be, contained an untrue statement of a material
fact or omitted to state a material fact, necessary in order to make the
statements, in the light of the circumstances under which they are made, not
misleading (except that such counsel need express no view as to financial
statements, schedules and other financial and statistical information included
therein). With respect to such statement, Hale and Dorr LLP may state that their
belief is based upon the procedures set forth therein, but is without
independent check and verification.

              (e) You shall have received, on each of the date hereof, the
Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, a letter dated the
date hereof, the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, in
form and substance satisfactory to you, of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP confirming
that they are independent public accountants within the meaning of the Act and
the applicable published Rules and Regulations thereunder and stating that in
their opinion the financial statements and schedules examined by them and
included in the Registration Statement comply in form in all material respects
with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the related published
Rules and Regulations; and containing such other statements and information as
is ordinarily included in accountants' "comfort letters" to Underwriters with
respect to the financial statements and certain financial and statistical
information contained in the Registration Statement and Prospectus.

              (f) The Representatives shall have received on the Closing Date or
the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, a certificate or certificates of
the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer of the Company to
the effect that, as of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case
may be, each of them severally represents as follows:

                   (i)   The Registration Statement has become effective under
the Act and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registrations
Statement has been issued, and no proceedings for such purpose have been taken
or are, to his knowledge, contemplated by the Commission;

                   (ii)  The representations and warranties of the Company
contained in Section 1 hereof are true and correct as of the Closing Date or the
Option Closing Date, as the case may be;

                   (iii) All filings required to have been made pursuant to
Rules 424 or 430A under the Act have been made;

                   (iv)  He has carefully examined the Registration Statement
and the Prospectus and, in his opinion, as of the effective date of the
Registration Statement, the statements contained in the Registration Statement
were true and correct, and such Registration Statement and Prospectus did not
omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or


                                      -17-
<PAGE>   18
necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading, and since the
effective date of the Registration Statement, no event has occurred which should
have been set forth in a supplement to or an amendment of the Prospectus which
has not been so set forth in such supplement or amendment; and

                   (v)   Since the respective dates as of which information is
given in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, there has not been any
material adverse change or any development involving a prospective material
adverse change in or affecting the condition, financial or otherwise, of the
Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole or the earnings, business,
management, properties, assets, rights, operations, condition (financial or
otherwise) or prospects of the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole,
whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business.

              (g) The Company shall have furnished to the Representatives such
further certificates and documents confirming the representations and
warranties, covenants and conditions contained herein and related matters as the
Representatives may reasonably have requested.

              (h) The Shares shall have been approved for designation upon
notice of issuance on the Nasdaq National Market.

              (i) The Lockup Agreements described in Section 4(j) are in full
force and effect.

         The opinions and certificates mentioned in this Agreement shall be
deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in all
material respects satisfactory to the Representatives and to Hale and Dorr LLP,
counsel for the Underwriters.

         If any of the conditions hereinabove provided for in this Section 6
shall not have been fulfilled when and as required by this Agreement to be
fulfilled, the obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be terminated by
the Representatives by notifying the Company of such termination in writing or
by telegram at or prior to the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the
case may be.

         In such event, the Company and the Underwriters shall not be under any
obligation to each other (except to the extent provided in Sections 5 and 8
hereof).

         7.   Conditions of the Obligations of the Company.

         The obligations of the Company to sell and deliver the portion of the
Shares required to be delivered as and when specified in this Agreement are
subject to the conditions that at the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date,
as the case may be, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement shall have been issued and in effect or proceedings
therefor initiated or threatened.

         8.   Indemnification.


                                      -18-
<PAGE>   19
              (a) The Company agrees:

                  (i)   to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter and each
person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of the Act,
against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which such Underwriter or
any such controlling person may become subject under the Act or otherwise,
insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or
proceedings in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon (i) any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in the
Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any
amendment or supplement thereto, (ii) the omission or alleged omission to state
in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading,
(iii) the omission or alleged omission to state in any Preliminary Prospectus,
the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light
of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or (iv) any
alleged act or failure to act by any Underwriter in connection with, or relating
in any manner to the Shares or the offering contemplated hereby, and which is
included as part of or referred to in any loss, claim, damage, liability or
action arising out of or based upon matters covered by clause (i), (ii) or (iii)
above (provided, that the Company shall not be liable under this clause (iv) to
the extent that it is determined in a final judgment by a court of competent
jurisdiction that such loss, claim, damage, liability or action resulted
directly from any such acts or failures to act undertaken or omitted to be taken
by such Underwriter through its gross negligence or willful misconduct);
provided, however, that the Company will not be liable in any such case to the
extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based
upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement, or omission or alleged
omission made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the
Prospectus, or such amendment or supplement, in reliance upon and in conformity
with written information furnished to the Company by or through the
Representatives specifically for use in the preparation thereof.

                  (ii)  to reimburse each Underwriter and each such controlling
person upon demand for any legal or other out-of-pocket expenses reasonably
incurred by such Underwriter or such controlling person in connection with
investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage or liability, action or
proceeding or in responding to a subpoena or governmental inquiry related to the
offering of the Shares, whether or not such Underwriter or controlling person is
a party to any action or proceeding. In the event that it is finally judicially
determined that the Underwriters were not entitled to indemnification under
Section 8(a)(i) or to receive payments for legal and other expenses pursuant to
this subparagraph, the Underwriters will promptly return all sums that had been
advanced pursuant hereto.

              (b) Each Underwriter severally and not jointly will indemnify and
hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who have
signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the
Company within the meaning of the Act, against any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities to which the Company or any such director, officer or controlling
person may become subject under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses,
claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof)
arise out of or are based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of any material fact contained


                                      -19-
<PAGE>   20
in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any
amendment or supplement thereto, or (ii) the omission or alleged omission to
state in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or
supplement thereto a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading; and will reimburse any legal or other expenses
reasonably incurred by the Company or any such director, officer or controlling
person in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim,
damage, liability, action or proceeding or in responding to a subpoena or
government inquiry relating to the offering of the Shares, whether or not the
Company or any such director, officer or controlling person is a party to any
action or proceeding; provided, however, that each Underwriter will be liable in
each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission has been made in the
Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or such
amendment or supplement, in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Company by or through the Representatives
specifically for use in the preparation thereof. This indemnity agreement will
be in addition to any liability which such Underwriter may otherwise have.

              (c) In case any proceeding (including any governmental
investigation) shall be instituted involving any person in respect of which
indemnity may be sought pursuant to this Section 8, such person (the
"indemnified party") shall promptly notify the person against whom such
indemnity may be sought (the "indemnifying party") in writing. No
indemnification provided for in Section 8(a) or (b) shall be available to any
party who shall fail to give notice as provided in this Section 8(c) if the
party to whom notice was not given was unaware of the proceeding to which such
notice would have related and was materially prejudiced by the failure to give
such notice, but the failure to give such notice shall not relieve the
indemnifying party or parties from any liability which it or they may have to
the indemnified party for contribution or otherwise than on account of the
provisions of Section 8(a) or (b). In case any such proceeding shall be brought
against any indemnified party and it shall notify the indemnifying party of the
commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate
therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other
indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with
counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party and shall pay as incurred the
fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding. In any such
proceeding, any indemnified party shall have the right to retain its own counsel
at its own expense. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the indemnifying party shall
pay as incurred (or within 30 days of presentation) the fees and expenses of the
counsel retained by the indemnified party in the event (i) the indemnifying
party and the indemnified party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of
such counsel, (ii) the named parties to any such proceeding (including any
impleaded parties) include both the indemnifying party and the indemnified party
and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate
due to actual or potential differing interests between them or (iii) the
indemnifying party shall have failed to assume the defense and employ counsel
acceptable to the indemnified party within a reasonable period of time after
notice of commencement of the action. It is understood that the indemnifying
party shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the
same jurisdiction, be liable for the reasonable fees and expenses of more than
one separate firm for all such indemnified parties. Such firm shall be
designated in writing by you in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to


                                      -20-
<PAGE>   21
Section 8(a) and by the Company in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to
Section 8(b). The indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement of
any proceeding effected without its written consent but if settled with such
consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying
party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party from and against any loss or
liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. In addition, the
indemnifying party will not, without the prior written consent of the
indemnified party, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment
in any pending or threatened claim, action or proceeding of which
indemnification may be sought hereunder (whether or not any indemnified party is
an actual or potential party to such claim, action or proceeding) unless such
settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of each
indemnified party from all liability arising out of such claim, action or
proceeding. Each indemnified party shall cooperate in good faith with the
indemnifying party in the defense of any such action or claim.

              (d) The Company and each Subsidiary, jointly and severally, agree
to indemnify and hold harmless DBSI and its affiliates and each person, if any,
who controls DBSI or its affiliates within the meaning of either Section 15 of
the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses,
claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or
other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating
any such action or claim) (i) caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in any material prepared by or with the
consent of the Company for distribution to Participants in connection with the
Directed Share Program, or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state
therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading, (ii) caused by the failure of any Participant
to pay for and accept delivery of Directed Shares that the Participant has
agreed to purchase, or (iii) related to, arising out of, or in connection with
the Directed Share Program other than losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or
expenses relating thereto) that are finally judicially determined to have
resulted from the bad faith or gross negligence of DBSI.

              (e) To the extent the indemnification provided for in this Section
8 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under
Section 8(a) or (b) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) referred to therein,
then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by
such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) in such proportion as
is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the
one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Shares. If,
however, the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not
permitted by applicable law, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to
such amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative
fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in
connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses,
claims, damages or liabilities, (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof),
as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits
received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall
be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the
offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total
underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each
case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus. The


                                      -21-
<PAGE>   22
relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether
the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or
alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the
Company on the one hand or the Underwriters on the other and the parties'
relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or
prevent such statement or omission.

         The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and
equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 8(e) were determined by pro
rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such
purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the
equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 8(e). The amount paid
or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) referred to above in
this Section 8(e) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses
reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating
or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this
subsection (e), (i) no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in
excess of the underwriting discounts and commissions applicable to the Shares
purchased by such Underwriter, and (ii) no person guilty of fraudulent
misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be
entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent
misrepresentation. The Underwriters' obligations in this Section 8(e) to
contribute are several in proportion to their respective underwriting
obligations and not joint.

              (f) In any proceeding relating to the Registration Statement, any
Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any supplement or amendment thereto,
each party against whom contribution may be sought under this Section 8 hereby
consents to the jurisdiction of any court having jurisdiction over any other
contributing party, agrees that process issuing from such court may be served
upon it by any other contributing party and consents to the service of such
process and agrees that any other contributing party may join it as an
additional defendant in any such proceeding in which such other contributing
party is a party.

              (g) Any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses for which
an indemnified party is entitled to indemnification or contribution under this
Section 8 shall be paid by the indemnifying party to the indemnified party as
such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses are incurred (or within 30
days of presentation). The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in
this Section 8 and the representations and warranties of the Company set forth
in this Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect,
regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or
any person controlling any Underwriter, the Company, its directors or officers
or any persons controlling the Company, (ii) acceptance of any Shares and
payment therefor hereunder, and (iii) any termination of this Agreement. A
successor to any Underwriter, or to the Company, its directors or officers, or
any person controlling the Company, shall be entitled to the benefits of the
indemnity, contribution and reimbursement agreements contained in this Section
8.

         9.   Default by Underwriters.

         If on the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be,
any Underwriter shall fail to purchase and pay for the portion of the Shares
which such Underwriter has agreed to


                                      -22-
<PAGE>   23
purchase and pay for on such date (otherwise than by reason of any default on
the part of the Company), you, as Representatives of the Underwriters, shall use
your reasonable efforts to procure within 36 hours thereafter one or more of the
other Underwriters, or any others, to purchase from the Company such amounts as
may be agreed upon and upon the terms set forth herein, the Firm Shares or
Option Shares, as the case may be, which the defaulting Underwriter or
Underwriters failed to purchase. If during such 36 hours you, as such
Representatives, shall not have procured such other Underwriters, or any others,
to purchase the Firm Shares or Option Shares, as the case may be, agreed to be
purchased by the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters, then (a) if the
aggregate number of shares with respect to which such default shall occur does
not exceed 10% of the Firm Shares or Option Shares, as the case may be, covered
hereby, the other Underwriters shall be obligated, severally, in proportion to
the respective numbers of Firm Shares or Option Shares, as the case may be,
which they are obligated to purchase hereunder, to purchase the Firm Shares or
Option Shares, as the case may be, which such defaulting Underwriter or
Underwriters failed to purchase, or (b) if the aggregate number of shares of
Firm Shares or Option Shares, as the case may be, with respect to which such
default shall occur exceeds 10% of the Firm Shares or Option Shares, as the case
may be, covered hereby, the Company or you as the Representatives of the
Underwriters will have the right, by written notice given within the next
36-hour period to the parties to this Agreement, to terminate this Agreement
without liability on the part of the non-defaulting Underwriters or of the
Company except to the extent provided in Section 8 hereof. In the event of a
default by any Underwriter or Underwriters, as set forth in this Section 9, the
Closing Date or Option Closing Date, as the case may be, may be postponed for
such period, not exceeding seven days, as you, as Representatives, may determine
in order that the required changes in the Registration Statement or in the
Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. The term
"Underwriter" includes any person substituted for a defaulting Underwriter. Any
action taken under this Section 9 shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter
from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under this
Agreement.

         10.  Notices.

         All communications hereunder shall be in writing and, except as
otherwise provided herein, will be mailed, delivered, telecopied or telegraphed
and confirmed as follows: if to the Underwriters, to Deutsche Bank Securities
Inc., One South Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, Attention: Michael Murray
(telecopier (617) 261-3706); with a copy to Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., 31
West 52nd Street, New York, New York 10019, Attention: General Counsel; and if
to the Company, to Sitara Networks, Inc., 52 Second Avenue, Waltham,
Massachusetts 02451, Attention: President (telecopier (781) 684-8291).

         11.  Termination.

              (a) This Agreement may be terminated by you by notice to the
Company at any time prior to the Closing Date if any of the following has
occurred after the date hereof: (i) since the respective dates as of which
information is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, any
material adverse change or any development involving a prospective material
adverse change in or affecting the condition, financial or otherwise, of the
Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole or the earnings, business,
management, properties, assets, rights,


                                      -23-
<PAGE>   24
operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company and
its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, whether or not arising in the ordinary course
of business, (ii) any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or declaration of
war or national emergency or other national or international calamity or crisis
or change in economic or political conditions or financial markets of the United
States if the effect of such outbreak, escalation, declaration, emergency,
calamity, crisis or change in economic or political conditions or financial
markets of the United States would, in your reasonable judgment, make it
impracticable or inadvisable to market the Shares or to enforce contracts for
the sale of the Shares, or (iii) suspension of trading in securities generally
on the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq
National Market or limitation on prices (other than limitations on hours or
numbers of days of trading) for securities on any such exchange or market, (iv)
the enactment, publication, decree or other promulgation of any statute,
regulation, rule or order of any court or other governmental authority which in
your opinion materially and adversely affects or may materially and adversely
affect the business or operations of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries
taken as a whole, (v) declaration of a banking moratorium by United States or
New York State authorities, (vi) the suspension of trading of the Company's
Common Stock by the Nasdaq National Market, the Commission, or any other
governmental authority, or (vii) the taking of any action by any governmental
body or agency in respect of its monetary or fiscal affairs which in your
reasonable opinion has a material adverse effect on the securities markets in
the United States; or

              (b) as provided in Sections 6 and 9 of this Agreement.

         12.  Successors.

         This Agreement has been and is made solely for the benefit of the
Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors, executors,
administrators, heirs and assigns, and the officers, directors and controlling
persons referred to herein, and no other person will have any right or
obligation hereunder. No purchaser of any of the Shares from any Underwriter
shall be deemed a successor or assign merely because of such purchase.

         13.  Information Provided by Underwriters.

         The Company and the Underwriters acknowledge and agree that the only
information furnished or to be furnished by any Underwriter to the Company for
inclusion in any Preliminary Prospectus, Prospectus or the Registration
Statement consists of the information set forth in the last paragraph on the
front cover page of the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus (insofar as
such information relates to the Underwriters), legends required by Item 502(b)
of Regulation S-K under the Act and certain of the information under the caption
"Underwriting" in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus.

         14.  Miscellaneous.

         The reimbursement, indemnification and contribution agreements
contained in this Agreement and the representations, warranties and covenants in
this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect regardless of (a) any
termination of this Agreement, (b) any investigation made by or on behalf of any
Underwriter or controlling person thereof, or by or on behalf of the


                                      -24-
<PAGE>   25
Company or its directors or officers and (c) delivery of and payment for the
Shares under this Agreement.

         This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of
which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute
one and the same instrument.

         This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with,
the laws of the State of Maryland.


                                      -25-
<PAGE>   26
         If the foregoing letter is in accordance with your understanding of our
agreement, please sign and return to us the enclosed duplicates hereof,
whereupon it will become a binding agreement among the Company and the several
Underwriters in accordance with its terms.

                                            Very truly yours,

                                            SITARA NETWORKS, INC.



                                            By:________________________________
                                               Name:
                                               Title:

The foregoing Underwriting Agreement
is hereby confirmed and accepted as
of the date first above written.

DEUTSCHE BANK SECURITIES INC.
CHASE SECURITIES INC.
THOMAS WEISEL PARTNERS LLC

As Representatives of the several
Underwriters listed on Schedule I


By:  Deutsche Bank Securities, Inc.


By:  ______________________________
     Authorized Officer


                                      -26-
<PAGE>   27
                                   SCHEDULE I



                            SCHEDULE OF UNDERWRITERS


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
         Underwriter                               Number of Firm Shares
                                                      to be Purchased
<S>                                                <C>

Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.
Chase Securities Inc.
Thomas Weisel Partners LLC


                                                        ------------
                       Total
                                                        ------------
</TABLE>





                                      -27-
<PAGE>   28
                                   SCHEDULE II

                       SCHEDULE OF LOCKED UP STOCKHOLDERS










                                      -28-


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