AT&T And NetOps Corporation Form Agreement to Offer Real-Time, Predictive Network Management Services.

BASKING RIDGE, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 13, 1988--AT&T and the NetOps Corporation said today they have agreed to integrate NetOps' fault-predictive, Web-based network-analysis capabilities into AT&T Solutions' industry-leading management of highly sophisticated global data networks for large businesses.

"The addition of NetOps' capabilities to AT&T Solutions industry-leading networking-management expertise significantly enhances our suite of tools to support global outsourcing contracts as well as our Managed Network Solutions service line," said Rick Roscitt, president and CEO of AT&T Solutions.

"At AT&T Solutions, our platform is not only the leader in proactive network management but now, with NetOps, we take absolute leadership in predictive fault analysis," Roscitt said. "AT&T Solutions is once again pushing networking technology to its leading edge to support the most sophisticated client needs for network uptime and overall performance."

Under the exclusive agreement with NetOps, AT&T Solutions will offer a new service - AT&T Predictive Network Management Solution - expanding capabilities that already offer some of the most powerful networking-management tools available to companies whose global data networks are mission critical to the success of their day-to-day business operations.

The agreement calls for AT&T Solutions to integrate NetOps' Do-It-Yourself(sm) network-analysis product in its line of Managed Network Solutions. Introduced in January, Do-It-Yourself is a fully automated, Internet-based software product that provides network managers with indications of network degradation before failure occurs.

Typically, a network manager would launch a request for analysis of his or her data network. Do-It-Yourself is able to collect data on nearly 10,000 status indicators per second in the typical network, providing broad and deep visibility into the health of a variety of network devices, including routers and data-connection equipment. The data is then correlated and analyzed, and a report is e-mailed in Web format to the network manager with a description of the problems found, and a recommended course of action to avoid network failure.

Customers can obtain predictive fault analysis in either of two

ways:

-- By choosing AT&T Predictive Network Management Solution, customers

will be able to have the Do-It-Yourself data-collection processes

implemented on their networks directly by AT&T Solutions

professionals, who will use their expertise to interpret the

information produced by the tool's analysis of the data.

Professionals from the Managed Network Solutions (MNS) service

line will then be able to guide customers in implementing the

tool's recommendations.

-- A customer's network manager can download Do-It-Yourself from the

Web (http//:www.att.com/data/man_net or http//:www.netops.com/att)

and load it onto one or more network servers. The application will

gather data from network devices. After the data is collected and

analyzed, a comprehensive report is sent to the network manager.

The report will predict potential network problems with specific

recommendations designed to assist the network manager in avoiding

degradation of network performance and outages. NetOps charges for

this option include a setup fee of $500, plus $10 per device per

analysis request for up to one week's worth of data.

"The focus of my career has been the building and managing of networks, with the primary objective being able to always provide high network availability," said Lou Steinberg, president and founder of NetOps. "After closely examining the needs of the industry, we've developed a technology that allows network operators to identify likely areas of network failure and fix them before performance is impacted. Consequently, network availability, and therefore corporate productivity, are measurably increased."

"AT&T Solutions is the acknowledged leader in global networking-management services, and we are very excited about the opportunity to work closely with its professionals on some of the most leading-edge networking platforms in the world," Steinberg added.

AT&T Solutions Vice President Ed Nalbandian, who has responsibility for MNS, said: "AT&T and NetOps are working together to satisfy the global market demand for Web-based, predictive, network-management products and services. Our agreement marries innovative technology from NetOps with AT&T's world-class networking management to satisfy customers who demand improved network availability and performance."

Roscitt said NetOps' capability will be integrated into the capabilities delivered by the AT&T Solutions Global Client Support Center in Durham, N.C., which extend globally through AT&T Solutions networking-management support centers in the Coral Gables, Fla., Toronto, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, India, China and Singapore.

About AT&T Solutions

AT&T Solutions, through its outsourcing, networking integration and call center practices, provides linked professional service and seamless solutions that maximize the competitive advantage of networking-based electronic commerce applications.

The unit, headquartered in Florham Park, N.J., provides clients with customized information technology solutions using state-of-the-art tools to operate and manage voice, data, video and internet / intranet services, including local and wide area networks, PABXs, voice-processing systems and voice and data terminals. AT&T Solutions can be reached on the web at http://www.att.com/solutions

AT&T Solutions clients include Chase Manhattan, Merrill Lynch, J.P. Morgan, MasterCard International, United HealthCare, Textron and The McGraw-Hill Companies. The unit received more than $1 billion in new, long-term networking- management contracts during the first quarter of this year, including the industry's largest global network outsourcing agreement with Citibank, which is worth more than $750 million and reaches locations in more than 90 countries.

About NetOps

Founded in 1994, NetOps, of Pleasantville, N.Y., is a leading innovator in network management, monitoring and analysis services that increase network availability and performance. The company's client base, which crosses several industries, includes corporate end-users, financial institutions, Internet service providers, network manufacturers and vendors. In addition to the firm's suite of software tools, NetOps provides a range of consulting services in network management and configuration, operational processes, and innovative technologies to predict & prevent(sm) network failures.

CONTACT: For further information:

Jim Byrnes, for AT&T Rob Morton, for NetOps

908-221-7876 (office) PAN Communications, Inc.

908-689-6040 (home) 978-474-1900 (office)

[e-mail] [e-mail]