Aelita Software in Top 100 of Inc. 500; Ohio-Based Company Earns Place in Annual List of Fastest-Growing Private Companies.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

COLUMBUS, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 1, 2003

Thanks to five-year annual sales growth of 1,520 percent, Columbus-based Aelita Software has been named number 97 on the Inc. 500 ranking of the fastest-growing private companies nationwide. This is the magazine's 23rd annual ranking, and Aelita's first appearance on the list. The Inc. 500 Special Issue will appear on newsstands October 14. Aelita solutions help IT professionals better manage their Microsoft Windows environments.

The Inc. 500 ranks privately held companies according to sales growth over the past five years. With 75 percent of all new job creation in the United States coming from small businesses, the Inc. 500 is a prescient indicator of the companies and industries that are driving the economy forward. Over the years, the Inc. 500 has identified the next generation of world-class companies, with Microsoft, Oracle, E* Trade and Intuit all appearing on the list before they became industry powerhouses.

"This recognition is a testament to the commitment and enthusiasm of the entire worldwide Aelita organization," said Ratmir Timashev, Aelita president and CEO. "We have been profitable each year since our founding, and our dedicated focus has been on helping our customers improve the management of their Active Directory and Exchange environments."

To be eligible for this year's Inc. 500, companies had to be independent and privately held through their fiscal year 2002, have had at least $200,000 in sales in the base year of 1998, and their 2002 sales had to exceed 2001 sales. Inc. verifies all information using tax forms and financial statements from certified public accountants and by conducting interviews with company officials.

"The entrepreneurs you'll find on the Inc. 500 have the type of attitude we need to get this economy moving again," said Inc. editor-in-chief John Koten. "For them, a tough market is not an excuse for poor performance, but an opportunity to innovate and rise above the competition."

About Inc. Magazine

Inc., the only business magazine dedicated exclusively to owners and managers of fast-growing private companies, delivers real solutions for today's innovative company builders. It provides hands-on tools and market-tested strategies for managing people, finances, sales, marketing and technology. Inc. is the premier publication that focuses on small-to-medium size businesses, which are responsible for more than half the nation's gross domestic product and 75 percent of its new jobs. And Inc. looks beyond work to address the entrepreneurial lifestyle. Inc., a Gruner + Jahr USA publication, inspires and informs, with cutting-edge coverage that reflects our readers' energy, brashness and imagination.

About Aelita Software

Aelita Software provides systems management solutions to organizations that rely on Microsoft Windows technologies. Aelita's proven expertise with Active Directory and Exchange helps customers improve productivity, system availability and security. IT professionals choose Aelita solutions to administer, migrate, recover and audit these critical systems. The company's customers and partners include Bristol-Myers Squibb, Countrywide Home Loans, HMS Host (formerly known as Host Marriott Services), Kmart Corporation, Pitney Bowes, Textron, Inc., Hewlett-Packard and Microsoft. Aelita is a global organization with headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. Contact Aelita at 800.263.0036 or visit www.aelita.com.