Citrix and Compaq Benchmark Test Establish Record Performance Levels for Enterprise Application Delivery.

Business Editors/Technology Writers

Citrix iForum 2001

ORLANDO, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 31, 2001

Compaq Named as Citrix Reference Platform for

Windows(R) 2000 Deployments

Citrix Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq:CTXS), a global leader in application serving and portal software and services, and Compaq Computer Corporation (NYSE:CPQ), today announced record performance benchmark test results for Citrix(R) MetaFrame XP(TM) application serving software running on industry-standard Compaq ProLiant(TM) servers. Measurement of key user performance variables support that the solution is designed to scale to more than 1,000 servers in a single server farm and support more than 100,000 concurrent users.

Validated by independent analyst and consulting firm Doculabs, Inc., the results demonstrate the exceptional growth and management capabilities of MetaFrame XP for large-scale application serving implementations on ProLiant servers. MetaFrame XP delivers a comprehensive platform for application deployment and management, and customers benefit by dramatically reducing the cost and effort required to administer a world-class IT system.

"One of the primary design objectives for MetaFrame XP is to provide organizations with unparalleled enterprise manageability and scalability. Based on the results of our benchmark tests with Compaq, we estimate that customers may be able to scale to more than 100,000 concurrent users in a single server farm," said Russ Naples, vice president of product development for Citrix. "The performance levels achieved during these tests demonstrate the strategic technical value that MetaFrame XP brings to large enterprise organizations that need to deploy and manage their Windows-based applications easily and cost-effectively from a single point."

"Compaq is working with vendors like Citrix to provide customers with optimized, business critical solutions for their constantly evolving data center requirements," said Rhonda Rubinstein, acting vice president of Solutions, Compaq Industry Standard Server Group. "With this initiative, Compaq and Citrix continue to provide greater simplification, unprecedented scale-out capabilities and faster time to solution for our customers."

Record Setting Benchmark Test

The benchmark test was performed in the Citrix eLabs. The test configuration consisted of a farm of 500 load-balanced single and dual processor Compaq ProLiant servers all running Citrix MetaFrame XPe with Feature Release 1 on Microsoft(R) Windows(R) 2000, and supported by an 8 processor Compaq ProLiant server data store. The weeklong stress test used a series of exhaustive scenarios designed to reflect the most demanding enterprise deployments. The 500 ProLiant servers running MetaFrame XPe sustained more than 2 million connections with 5,000 concurrent, simulated users exercising the features of Microsoft Office applications and Internet Explorer. Additionally, the test results indicated that in a single 1,000-plus server farm of fully configured Compaq ProLiant DL360 servers, each hosting 100 users, the ProLiant servers could also easily host more than 100,000 concurrent users.(a)

"Providing scalability to the level that Compaq and Citrix have achieved ensures that we can offer our most demanding hosting customers the capacity required to accommodate their anticipated enterprise-wide application deployments," said Keith Langridge VP of Product Management at BT Ignite Content Hosting. "Scalability is essential to our business, and the combination of Citrix MetaFrame XP running on Compaq ProLiant servers will allow us to reliably and cost-effectively deliver the scalable solutions our customers need regardless of the size of their business. This announcement demonstrates that Citrix can scale to every customers need."

Citrix has selected Compaq ProLiant servers as the reference platform for the design, testing and development of best practices documentation for Microsoft(R) Windows NT and Windows 2000 deployments. Citrix and Compaq provide customers, resellers and partners with the most advanced information and tools required for planning, deploying and operating thin-client and server-based computing solutions. Additional information about the Compaq solution with Citrix MetaFrame XP is available at http://www.compaq.com/activeanswers.

(a) The testing assumed moderate automated user load so individual enterprise production performance may vary depending upon specific server scenarios and extrapolations made during the testing. No promise of specific performance is intended or implied in this release.

About Citrix

Citrix Systems, Inc. is a global leader in application serving and portal software and services that provide personalized access to any application or information source -- whether Windows(R), UNIX(R) or Web-based -- through any device, over any connection. Companies worldwide use Citrix technologies to integrate applications, content and business processes into a pervasive digital environment -- a virtual workplace -- offering seamless connectivity and a consistent user experience across the Internet, intranets, extranets, WANs, LANs and wireless networks. Citrix solutions drive cost efficiency, productivity and enhanced e-business opportunities by enabling companies to leverage existing IT resources and extend personalized information access to employees, partners, customers and suppliers.

Citrix products offer rapid, cost-effective deployment and include MetaFrame(R) application serving software, NFuse(TM) application portal software, XPS(TM) portal software, application management products, and Citrix Independent Computing Architecture (ICA(R)), a core application serving technology. The company markets its application serving products through a well-established reseller channel and sells its portal software products directly to customers to provide the level of customization they need. Citrix is traded on the Nasdaq Stock Market(SM) under the symbol CTXS, and is part of the Standard and Poor's 500 Index. Citrix is headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. For more information, please visit the Citrix Web site at http://www.citrix.com.

About Compaq

Founded in 1982, Compaq Computer Corporation ("Compaq") is a leading global provider of enterprise technology and solutions. Compaq designs, develops, manufactures and markets hardware, software, solutions and services, including industry-leading enterprise storage and computing solutions, fault-tolerant business-critical solutions, communication products, and desktop and portable personal computers that are sold in more than 200 countries. Information on Compaq and its products and services is available at http://www.compaq.com.

Compaq, ProLiant and the Compaq logo are trademarks of Compaq Information Technologies Group, L.P. This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements. Risks, uncertainties and assumptions include the possibility that the Hewlett-Packard/Compaq merger does not close or that the companies may be required to modify aspects of the transaction to achieve regulatory approval or that prior to the closing of the proposed merger, the businesses of the companies suffer due to uncertainty; the market for the sale of certain products and services may not develop as expected; that development of these products and services may not proceed as planned; that Compaq and Hewlett-Packard are unable to transition customers, successfully execute their integration strategies, or achieve planned synergies; other risks that are described from time to time in Compaq and Hewlett-Packard's Securities and Exchange Commission reports; and other risks that are described from time to time in Compaq's and HP's Securities and Exchange Commission reports (including but not limited to Compaq's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2000, HP's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended October 31, 2000, and subsequently filed reports). If any of these risks or uncertainties materializes or any of these assumptions proves incorrect, Compaq's results could differ materially from Compaq's expectations in these statements. Compaq assumes no obligation and does not intend to update these forward-looking statements.

For Citrix Investors

This release contains forward-looking statements which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The forward-looking statements in this release do not constitute guarantees of future performance. Investors are cautioned that statements in this press release which are not strictly historical statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding current or future financial performance, management's plans and objectives for future operations, product plans and performance, management's assessment of market factors, as well as statements regarding the strategy and plans of the company and its strategic partners, constitute forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, risks associated with the following: the success of the company's MetaFrame and portal software product line and the acceptance of the company's ICA protocol; the company's ability to develop and commercialize new products and services; the company's success in expanding into new geographic markets; the company's ability to expand its core business in large enterprise accounts; the company's ability to succeed in the transition to an electronic licensing model; the size, timing and recognition of revenue from significant orders; increased competition, including potential competition from Microsoft and other companies; the results of the company's iBusiness and other new licensing programs; the rate of growth of the ASP market, and the company's ability to continue to develop and market products to meet the requirements of this market; the proportion of revenues derived from distributors, OEMs and other channels; changes in the company's pricing policies or those of its competitors, including Microsoft; the costs of developing, acquiring, or integrating new technologies or enhancements to existing products; the risks associated with third party licensing arrangements; the company's ability to successfully integrate and manage merged or acquired companies; the company's reliance upon its strategic relationships with Microsoft and other strategic partners; management of growth; the possibility of undetected software errors; dependence on proprietary technology; as well as risks of downturns in economic conditions generally, and in the software industry specifically, and other risks detailed in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Citrix assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking information contained in this press release or with respect to the announcements described herein.

Citrix(R), ICA(R), MetaFrame(R), NFuse(TM) and XPS(TM) are registered trademarks or trademarks of Citrix Systems, Inc. in the U.S. and other countries. UNIX(R)is a registered trademark of The Open Group in the U.S. and other countries. Microsoft(R), Windows(R), and Windows NT(R) are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are property of their respective owners.