Asera Opens Platform and Expands Delivery of Flexible, Integrated eBusiness Solutions; BP's ChemicalsChoice Division & Stinnes Interfer AG Go Live With Asera.

Business Editors and High Tech Writers

BELMONT, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 13, 2000

Asera Inc., the leading provider of adaptive eBusiness solutions(TM), announced today the availability of a new release of its patent-pending eBusiness software platform. The solution has been expanded to include an enhanced platform designed for open integration, expanded personalization portal capabilities and an integrated development and deployment environment.

Unlike traditional eBusiness offerings, Asera is the only adaptive platform open for innovation by third parties that is delivered as a managed service and designed for enterprises and emerging growth companies that demand rapid activation, evolution and change. Asera's adaptive solutions are typically activated within 90 days.

For the first time, Asera will open its platform to certified third-party Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) and Systems Integrators (SIs) to integrate a host of new, industry-leading and legacy applications to the Asera solution.

Asera also announced today that global leaders BP Chemicals, a division of BP (NYSE: BP), one of largest global energy companies in the world, and Stinnes Interfer AG, one of the largest independent steel and raw materials distributors in Germany with over 39 locations, have selected Asera to expand their eBusiness capabilities.

BP Chemicals has completed six successful activations of Asera in the United States and Europe, and has signed a 24- month service agreement with the company. The Asera powered site, ChemicalsChoice, integrates 16 business units and provides a seamless customer interface to BP. ChemicalsChoice is among the leading eBusiness solutions BP is implementing as part of the company's digital business initiative.

Stinnes Interfer AG, a division of Stinnes Logistics AG, will go live this month with Asera. In the first phase of activation, Stinnes Interfer will use Asera to automate and expand both its sales and channels over the Web. In addition, Stinnes Interfer will use the Asera solution to offer customers personalized steel services.

"In direct response to our customers needs, we are very pleased to come to market with a new, open architecture for the Asera offering that will further our lead as the provider of choice for adaptive software solutions delivered as a managed service," said Warren Weiss, president and chief executive officer of Asera. "In addition, customers like BP Chemicals and Stinnes Interfer AG demonstrate our global reach and illustrate the value we are delivering to our customers."

In less than two years, Asera has signed more than 26 customers including enterprise companies like BP, Cadence (NYSE:CDN), Wyse, and Extreme Networks (NASDAQ: EXTR), as well as net market makers like Ajunto, Applications Gateway and SemiSales.com. In August, the company completed a third round of Series C funding totaling $115 million from leading technology companies including Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: CSCO), Intel (NASDAQ: INTC), Nortel Networks (NYSE: NT), SAP (NYSE: SAP), and Siemens as well as blue chip venture capital firms Kleiner Perkins and Bowman Capital.

Patent-Pending eBusiness Platform

The new enhancements to the Asera adaptive platform include the addition of portal elements and deepened functionality to the order management, auction, exchange, community and content management services. These enhanced services join a host of existing best-of-breed applications from Interwoven (NASDAQ: IWOV), Moai and MarketSoft that comprise the Asera offering.

The Asera adaptive platform provides a robust, comprehensive software foundation for eBusiness application development. The platform supports a solid messaging framework for multiple protocols and an integration framework that supports data exchange between trading partners. The platform also serves as an aggregator of disparate sources within an enterprise such as database systems, ERP, CRM, SFA and legacy systems, and external Web sites. With the enhanced open architecture, the platform supports rapid extension and replacement functionality.

"We selected Asera because their offering easily integrates with our existing legacy systems. Asera is also deployed in 90 days delivering value to our business at Internet speed," said Phil Underwood, vice president, administration and field operations, Wyse Technology. "Asera was able to wrap their platform technology and service delivery around our business processes and enable us to better serve our customers and streamline our eBusiness operations. Asera has changed the way we do business."

Further endorsement for Asera came from Eric Yang, sales champion, Cadence Design Systems. "We chose Asera because the Asera business model is a good fit for our technology needs. Moreover, the platform is extremely flexible and we don't have to change the Asera baseline code to customize to what we need."

Technology Solution Provider Program

By further opening the platform, Asera will now enable qualified third-party vendors to integrate their applications to Asera. The open API platform architecture fully supports the integration of third-party solutions to Asera's existing eBusiness applications. The first phase of the Technology Solution Provider Program begins with three initial pilot partners, Channelwave, ExpertCommerce, and iMediation, and will be officially launched in the first quarter of 2001. In this initial phase, the Technology Solution Providers will be provided with a complete Application Development Workbench to integrate their application components to the Asera solution. The development workbench includes an integrated development environment that enables developers to build, configure, customize and efficiently manage change. Asera's Technology Solution Provider program enables partners to integrate their applications to existing applications, adapt the applications to the specific needs of the customer, and evolve their functionality as customer needs change and grow.

System Integration Support

Asera has forged relationships with world-class SIs including Andersen Consulting, Cap Gemini, Syncata and Iconixx. The Asera solution is now deployed to enterprise customers including BP and Cadence. Asera SI partners will utilize the enhanced platform to develop adaptive applications tailored to meet the rapidly changing needs of their customers.

"We are excited to partner with a company offering an open and integrated eBusiness solution to our enterprise clientele," said Benedikt Schroeder, member of the management board, Cap Gemini Telco, Media & Networks Deutschland GmbH. "The Asera solution is of particular importance in the European market due to the need to integrate region-specific technologies to deliver a complete client solution. The latest version of the Asera solution allows us the flexibility we need to continuously deliver value to our enterprise clients in building and implementing successful eBusiness strategies."

"Asera significantly enhances our ability to deliver an open eBusiness solution with the flexibility and functionality our clients demand," said Ujj Nath, president, chief executive officer and co-founder of Syncata. "The new release will also allow us to expand and build our business based on Asera's open architecture, since open APIs provide the increased personalization our clients need. We look forward to continuing and expanding our partnership with Asera."

About Asera, Inc.

Asera provides Global 2000 and emerging-growth companies with adaptive eBusiness solutions(TM). Asera is powered by an adaptable software platform architected for rapid integration, personalized delivery and change. The powerful combination of Asera's platform, best-in-class suite of software applications and service delivery allows companies to customize and activate their eBusiness processes, pay for only what they use, and remain insulated from the cost and complexity of technology change. Based in Silicon Valley, Asera also has offices in the UK and Germany. Asera can be found on the Web at http://www.asera.com.

Asera and adaptive eBusiness solutions are trademarks of Asera, Inc. All other products and names may be trademarks of their respective companies.