American Megatrends' RAID Technology Helps HP Break TPC-C Performance World Records.

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 6, 1998--

Editorial Summary

-- AMI and HP announce that co-developed RAID controller

technology allowed HP to achieve world record TPC 

performance for a 4-way NT server.

American Megatrends, Inc. (AMI) an industry-leading RAID technology provider, in conjunction with Hewlett-Packard Company (NYSE:HWP), announce that the HP NetServer LXr 8000 system, which incorporates a RAID controller technology co-developed by the two companies, set new certified transaction processing performance world-records for a 4-way NT server with two recently published TPC benchmarks.

"This RAID technology not only provides a level of I/O performance commensurate with the processing power produced by four 400MHz Pentium II Xeon processors, but actually augments overall server performance as evidenced by these latest TPC benchmarks," said Steven Paulhus, AMI's director of marketing. "The HP NetRAID-3Si controller technology used in these tests is the latest in a generation of award-winning AMI RAID products specifically designed and co-developed with OEM customers who require the highest levels of I/O performance, high-availability and superior data management capabilities."

HP NetRAID-3Si RAID controller achieved its award-winning performance by surrounding an onboard 66MHz Intel (Nasdaq:INTC-news) 960RD RISC processor with up to three Ultra2 SCSI channels and each offering data throughput up to 80 MB per second across each channel.

Outperforming all other systems in its class in terms of I/O throughput capabilities, the new HP NetServer LXr 8000 database server achieved 19,241.66 tpmC (transactions per minute), a world record (October 1998), at a cost of only $31.32/tpmC on the TPC-C  benchmark. Additionally, the NetServer LXr 8000 system was the first Windows NT-based server to successfully execute the TPC-D benchmark at a scale factor of 300GB (3/4 terabyte database), achieving record-breaking price/performance, a full 30% better than the next competitor. The TPC-D reported results are 1,585.3 QppD, 518.6 QthD, $518 QphD @ 300 Gbyte with an Oracle 8 database on September 8, 1998. The NetServer LXr 8000 system used four Intel Pentium II Xeon processors, four gigabytes of RAM and eight HP NetRAID-3Si disk array controllers to manage the I/O throughput necessary to achieve the above transaction levels on both benchmarks. The system will be available December 1998.

"These benchmarks secure the NetServer LXr 8000 system's spot as the top-performing Intel-based Windows NT enterprise server on the market," said Cathy Fitzgerald, worldwide marketing manager for HP's Enterprise NetServer Division. "Part of the NetServer LXr8000 system's leading performance is a result of a strong RAID technology, delivered by a strong partner, AMI."

The TPC-C and TPC-D tests are rigorous widely known industry standard benchmarks conducted under supervision of the Transaction Processing Performance Council (http://www.tpc.org), and provide an indication of real-world server performance in online transaction processing (OLTP) environments, database and decision support environments.

Founded in 1985, American Megatrends Inc. (AMI) has dedicated its resources to providing OEMs, resellers and systems integrators with leading edge computer technologies. This privately held company, best known for its Basic input/output Systems or BIOS, also supplies its state-of-the-art hardware, software, utilities and RAID controllers to over 55% of today's high-tech manufacturers. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, AMI has locations in the US and throughout the world including Munich, London, Taipei, Madras and Tokyo to better serve our customers. For more information on AMI, its products, services or reseller opportunities call 1-800-U-BUY-AMI or visit our website at www.ami.com.