AXENT and BMC Software Enhance Strategic Relationship With Integrated Solutions to Securely Manage E-business Applications.

Business/Technology Editors

ROCKVILLE, Md. and HOUSTON, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 21, 2000

Partnership Provides Customers with Integrated Products for

Single Sign-On and Centralized User Administration

AXENT Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:AXNT), one of the world's leading e-security solution providers for e-business, and BMC Software, Inc. (NASDAQ:BMCS), the leading developer of software solutions that ensure the availability of business-critical applications, today announced plans to expand their long-term relationship to include integrated solutions for single sign-on (SSO) and centralized user administration. By combining the strengths of AXENT(R) PassGo(TM) solutions and services and BMC Software's CONTROL-SA(R) product family, customers will have a comprehensive and integrated package to solve the user administration business problem common with e-business initiatives.

The combined AXENT and BMC Software solutions provide customers with tightened control of user access rights while granting employees throughout the organization simplified access to e-business applications. With CONTROL-SA/Agents for the AXENT PassGo solutions and services, security administrators can use CONTROL-SA to view and manage their entire security environment from one location. Additionally, the solutions provide for a central repository of user information, allowing any changes to be reflected throughout the enterprise.

E-business requirements dictate that more systems and applications be accessible. Therefore, security administrators face the challenge of an increased and unpredictable workload. The combined solutions from the companies provide effective access without compromising security policies. Key integrated features include:

-- a complete and effective security management solution that can be managed from a central point, regardless of the platform or application

-- fully automated user setup including the assignment of roles according to an employee's business function

-- a single point of access to employees for critical e-business applications.

This integration enables customers to reap the benefits of having a comprehensive solution for securing their e-business environment.

"Assuring business availability includes assuring authorized access to business critical systems by the appropriate employees," said Jerry Periolat, director of channel operations for BMC Software's IT Process Automation business unit. "Application Service Assurance(TM) is not only a factor of uptime and availability but also of access. Our combined solutions will enable our customers to enhance their e-business initiatives and be competitive in the new Internet economy."

"With this integration in place, AXENT and BMC Software provide customers an extra level of security and flexibility over traditional SSO and administration solutions, ensuring enhanced user authentication and secure e-business communication," said Sanjay Mehta, director of business development at AXENT. "AXENT's integration of SSO and central user administration technology highlights our commitment to offer customers the most advanced administration management solution that will allow organizations to easily and safely authenticate users and protect critical e-business transactions worldwide."

The CONTROL-SA and PassGo SSO integration is a key part of AXENT's Smart Security Architecture, which provides the "right" level of security for customers, by providing organizations deploying e-business applications tools to help ensure compliance with corporate security policies. The integrated AXENT and BMC Software solutions further solidify the two companies' strategic relationship, which began with AXENT's Knowledge Modules(TM) for PATROL(R). This brought security management into the PATROL infrastructure, offering customers a more secure and integrated environment with AXENT's Enterprise Security Manager(TM) and Intruder Alert(TM).

The additional integration between AXENT and BMC Software's INCONTROL for Security Management products is the first step towards a fully integrated solution. Plans are underway to further integrate CONTROL-SA with other AXENT products such as AXENT's Enterprise Security Manager and Intruder Alert. With these solutions customers reap the benefit of being able to have a comprehensive solution for securing their e-business environment.

In addition to the planned joint development of products, the expanded partnership will allow all parties to leverage each company's sales and marketing organizations. AXENT and BMC Software will also cooperate on joint business opportunities and cross selling into their respective customer bases.

About AXENT(R)

AXENT Technologies, Inc., a global leader in information security, provides e-security solutions that maximize our customers' business advantage. AXENT delivers integrated products and expert services to assess, protect, enable and manage business processes and information assets. Through its unique Lifecycle Security(TM) methodology combined with Smart Security Architecture, AXENT delivers the "right" level of security for customers. Award-winning solutions offer assessment and policy compliance, firewall, intrusion detection, authentication, VPN, Web-access, single sign-on and user administration for the entire enterprise.

Headquartered in Rockville, MD, AXENT's customer-proven information security solutions are used by 45 of the Fortune 50, one-third of the Fortune e-50 and governments worldwide. Contact AXENT via e-mail at [e-mail], or visit AXENT's World Wide Web site at http://www.axent.com.

About BMC Software

BMC Software is the leading provider of management solutions that enhance the availability, performance and recovery of companies' business-critical applications. This application service assurance strategy combines superior products with BMC Software Professional Services and outstanding customer support to assure the e-business applications companies and their customers rely on most, stay up and running around the clock. For more than 19 years, the world's leading companies have relied on BMC Software.

BMC Software is among the world's largest independent software vendors, a Forbes 500 company and is a member of the S&P 500, with fiscal year 1999 revenues exceeding $1.6 billion. The company is headquartered in Houston, Texas, with offices worldwide. For more information please visit BMC Software's Web site at www.bmc.com, or please call 800-841-2031 or 713-918-8800.

AXENT, AXENT Technologies, the AXENT logo, PassGo, Enterprise Security Manager, Intruder Alert, and Lifecycle Security are trademarks or registered trademarks, in the United States and certain other countries, of AXENT Technologies, Inc. or its subsidiaries. BMC Software, the BMC Software logos, and all other BMC Software product or service names are registered trademarks or trademarks of BMC Software, Inc. (c) 2000, BMC Software, Inc. All rights reserved. Other product names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners.