2C Computing Joins HP Blade Alliance Program Relationship to Create Industry's First Non-Proprietary Workstation Blade.

Business Editors & High-Tech Writers

HUNTSVILLE, Ala.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 20, 2002

2C Computing(R) today announced their participation in Hewlett-Packard Company's Blade Alliance Program. 2C Computing's Digital Extension Technology(TM) enables the centralization of end user PCs back to the data center without affecting an end user's computing experience or their peripherals. By integrating 2C's technology with HP's server blade architecture, the industry's first open standards workstation blade becomes a reality--along with a distinctive platform for distributed computing. This combination of technology creates a highly cost-effective PC platform for providing company-wide sparing, higher reliability and significantly reduced downtimes.

"2C Computing is pleased to work with HP as one of our blade manufacturing partners to leverage their blade server architecture into the highest growth potential for blade products, the workstation blade market. Integrating our revolutionary Cstation(TM) solution with HP's computing blade creates the industry's first non-proprietary workstation blade," said Don Davidson, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of 2C Computing. "The cPCI and PMC standards embraced by HP are the industry's first open blade architecture, providing 2C Computing a significant competitive advantage. HP's open architecture provided 2C the most cost-effective and quickest time-to-market product launch of any blade architecture available today."

2C Computing's Cstation(TM) family of products with Digital Extension Technology creates a new archetype in distributed computing referred to as Split-Client(TM) computing, that enables centralized maintenance and administration and provides both physical access security and asset protection. Additionally, relocating PC resources back to the data center allows resources to be upgraded, maintained, repaired and replaced from a single location without disrupting users' work routines while significantly reducing both hardware and software auditing costs. At the desktop, users continue to interface as usual with their keyboard, monitor, mouse, and any other peripherals that are connected to the Cstation. The Cstation then connects back to the remote PC at speeds exceeding one Gigabit per second using cabling already installed in most facilities (Category 5 UTP).

2C Computing Joins HP Blade Alliance Program

Meanwhile, HP has developed the first non-proprietary blade that allows IT departments to centralize maintenance as well as improve the use of space and power requirements. Installing, servicing, and removing blades is also much easier than working with chassis-enclosed servers because sharing power supplies, cabling, and fans eliminates redundancy and reduces the number of single point-of-failure components compared to typical systems. 2C's technology also prolongs the useful life of HP's blade servers. For example, today's blade server can be easily reassigned to an end-user as a workstation blade in the future when higher performance blade servers become available for upgrading the current server.

"HP is excited to welcome 2C Computing as an HP Blade Server Alliance member," said Mark Hudson, worldwide marketing manager for HP's Business Systems and Technology Organization. "Our leadership in this emerging market is truly enhanced by the addition of 2C Computing's products to our range of blade products."

About 2C Computing(R)

2C Computing(R) Inc. brings Digital Extension Technology(TM) to the market through its Cstation(TM) line of products. 2C Computing is the pioneer in digital bus extension technology; a new archetype in distributed computing called Split-Client(TM) that provides the most powerful transport method between a PC and a remote desktop. The Cstation shatters the PCI and USB length limitations, providing IT managers the ability to backrack PCs to a central environment and drastically reduce maintenance at the desktop. IT administrators enjoy ease of maintenance, reduced asset auditing and rapid deployment of new networking technologies, while end-users retain full PC functionality and peripherals but with reduced heat, noise, clutter, and with downtimes minimized to minutes. For more information about 2C Computing, visit www.2Ccomputing.com.

Copyright (c) 2002 2C Computing. 2C Computing, Digital Extension Technology, and Split-Client are trademarks of 2C Computing, Inc. Other company and/or product names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective firms.