Avaki Inks Expanded Relationship Agreement with IBM.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

BURLINGTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 24, 2003

Expanded Relationship Gives Avaki Broader Addressable Market for Industry's Only Enterprise Information Integration Solution Powered by Data Grid Technology

Avaki Corporation (www.avaki.com), a leading provider of enterprise information integration (EII) software, today announced an expanded strategic and go-to-market relationship with IBM (NYSE:IBM), under which the company will more closely align its grid-based EII solutions with IBM offerings, and engage in a broad range of joint marketing activities to customers and prospects worldwide. Under the terms of the agreement, IBM and Avaki will work together to build and co-market solutions incorporating Avaki Data Grid, the first data grid-based EII software for simplifying the provisioning, access and integration of distributed data across the extended enterprise. The terms of the agreement include plans to integrate Avaki Data Grid with IBM DB2, IBM WebSphere, and Tivoli management tools, as well as offer Avaki Data Grid for Linux.

With today's announcement of the execution of an IBM Master Relationship Agreement (MRA), Avaki underscores its status as a key contributor to IBM's global go-to-market strategies for on demand and grid computing. The company will work with IBM to deliver grid-based data access and integration solutions to a wide range of global customers, especially those within financial services, life sciences, manufacturing and other data-intensive industries. IBM and Avaki will co-market global solutions for Avaki Data Grid, such as research and development collaboration, business performance monitoring, business intelligence and application development. Customers will benefit from data solutions that make it easier to securely use relational and non-relational data from distributed sources over a wide area without extensive integration or managed replicas. Customers also gain the benefit of a whole solution combining Avaki's award winning data integration software with IBM's suite of middleware products, database products, hardware options, vertical markets expertise and services.

The expanded agreement with IBM comes close on the heels of the release of Avaki Data Grid 4.0 - software that reduces the cost and complexity of accessing real-time relational and non-relational data from heterogeneous, distributed data sources. Based on a unique, adaptable data grid foundation, Avaki Data Grid provides enterprises across a broad spectrum of industries the most up-to-date, accurate data to make the best use of information assets, expedite business processes and decision-making, and compete more effectively in a global marketplace. It is the only solution based on grid technology that allows companies to access and integrate data from multiple data sources without the need to use data marts or conduct extensive programming. Avaki has received overwhelming industry support for its ability to dramatically increase efficiency and reduce the cost of provisioning data to applications and resources including research and development, marketing and financial services.

"As our customers move toward becoming on demand enterprises that can respond with complete flexibility to changing market conditions and customer demand, they're looking for proven solutions that help them get there without rebuilding entire infrastructures," said Tim Yeaton, president, Avaki Corporation. "Together, Avaki and IBM can add tremendous value to companies who are struggling with data provisioning, access and integration across the enterprise by enabling them to utilize data from more distributed data resources. In today's competitive business environment, it is critical that technology not only make companies more efficient, but deliver immediate returns. Avaki Data Grid is doing that today and our expanded relationship with IBM will give more customers access than ever before."

Avaki and IBM: On demand and beyond

As customers, partners and suppliers continue to struggle to remain competitive in today's global marketplace, the pervasive business problem of gaining access to the most timely, accurate information has grown exponentially. The speedy delivery and integration of information has become increasingly critical to improvements in productivity, product/service quality, financial performance and innovation. With its on demand computing strategy, IBM has emerged as the leader in helping businesses of all sizes gain more efficiency, increase returns and better service customers. Avaki complements IBM's on demand strategy by providing a solution for virtualizing data resources into an easily accessible data service layer. This service-oriented approach for access to distributed data enables business to be more responsive to rapid changes in their markets and organization while reducing the overall cost of data integration.

The scope of the new agreement also expands Avaki and IBM's collaboration on a number of technology, customer and industry initiatives including the development of grid standards through the Open Grid Service Architecture (OGSA), a set of specifications and standards that combine the benefits of Grid and web services to improve interoperability, and are central to IBM's Grid and Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) strategies for data. As members of the Global Grid Forum (GGF), Avaki and IBM will continue to work together to promote and accelerate the adoption of standards.

About Avaki

Avaki Corporation provides enterprise information integration software, powered by data grid technology that simplifies how businesses provision, access and integrate widely distributed data from many heterogeneous data sources. Avaki enables businesses to use fresher, more accurate data, while reducing the overall cost and complexity of data integration infrastructure, programming and maintenance. Customers such as Pfizer and Aventis are using Avaki software to reduce data integration costs, make fresh data available and improve productivity. Backed by Polaris Venture Partners, General Catalyst, and Sofinnova, Avaki is located in Burlington, MA. For more information, please visit www.avaki.com.