ASG Launches ASG-Zena for Distributed Workload Management; Software Firm Delivers Next Generation Solution to Bridge IT Operations and Applications Development.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

NAPLES, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 16, 2003

ASG, a worldwide enterprise software and professional services provider to Global 5000 companies, today announced the immediate availability of ASG-Zena(TM), a distributed workload management solution that features process automation, integration and scheduling. ASG-Zena extends ASG's Enterprise Workload Management solutions suite, which provides customers with unrivaled coverage in the IT operations management market.

"Job scheduling has undergone a transformation: in addition to date- and time-based methodologies, job scheduling needs to be able to perform event-based scheduling with the capability of automating and integrating business processes across applications," said Milind Govekar, vice president and research director of Gartner. "This capability needs to be supported in a heterogeneous computing environment consisting of traditional platforms such as z/OS, UNIX, Linux and Windows, and also for the relatively new Java and .NET application server platforms and applications. Furthermore, to improve efficiency and lower costs, multiple scheduling points on these diverse platforms need to be managed from a single console."

ASG-Zena provides a robust solution for addressing distributed operations environments that support "event-based" scheduling as well as traditional date- and time-based scheduling methodologies. In addition, ASG-Zena provides non-invasive integration of legacy applications, ERP and newer "message aware" environments that support advanced IT process automation, such as Microsoft .NET and J2EE.

"We have found ASG-Zena to work well for applications requiring a strong distributed scheduling and business automation solution," said Daryl Anderson, program manager for Information Technology Infrastructure at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. "Both our operations management and applications development staff find it very easy to use for scheduling and process automation."

ASG-Zena provides robust functionality such as exception-based management, a highly scalable architecture, fault tolerance and role-based security. A single console enables workload management across multiple operating environments, including Windows NT, 2000 and XP, as well as multiple UNIX operating environments.

ASG-Zena includes scheduling capabilities for emerging technologies. Integration with ASG-Zeke(TM) on the mainframe enables cross-platform triggering capabilities between environments, which extends workload management capabilities across the enterprise.

About ASG

ASG's business is to partner with clients to improve productivity and significantly enhance performance through the intelligent use of technology. Founded in 1986, ASG is a privately-held global enterprise software and professional services firm that provides a full range of software solutions in the Security Management, Applications Management, Operations Management, Information Management, Performance Management and Infrastructure Management arenas -- including business re-engineering, systems integration and systems development. ASG has 900 employees, $175 million in revenues, 7,000 customer sites and 18,000 software licenses worldwide. ASG is headquartered in Naples, Florida, USA, with more than 45 offices serving the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Asia/Pacific. Inc. magazine recognized ASG as one of the fastest growing companies in the United States, with a three-year growth rate of 394 percent. For more information, visit ASG at http://www.asg.com.

To schedule an interview, contact Eric Sommerton at 239/435-2015 or e-mail [e-mail].