Cognet Corp's Version 3.5 Delivers Key Windows 2000 Support, Increased Scalability and Improved Support for Mobile and Remote Users.

Business/High-Tech Editors

VALHALLA, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 23, 2001

Automated Software Management and Distribution Solution

Helps IT Departments Better Manage Software Assets, Control Costs

Cognet Corp, a rapidly growing developer of software management and distribution technologies for corporate computing environments and government agencies, today announced that it will begin shipping version 3.5 of its flagship product in February, 2001. The new release features several key enhancements for managing and distributing software applications to users across local and wide-area networks.

According to Cognet CEO Dov Goldman, version 3.5 builds on Cognet's award-winning ability to automatically deploy, install, monitor and maintain software applications on Windows-based computing devices without the need for costly and time-consuming programming scripts. "With version 3.5, Cognet now supports software management and distribution of the most widely used Windows(R) and Office 2000(R) applications and utilities, including productivity programs, Internet Explorer and Windows(R) Installer.

"And, as companies and government agencies move through the migration process this year to the Windows(R) 2000 platform, Cognet will fully support the management and distribution of native 2000 applications to users connected to local- (LAN) and wide-area (WAN) networks," said Goldman. The company expects to further extend support for the Windows(R) 2000 platform with the release of version 4.0 in the third quarter of 2001.

In addition, Goldman said that Cognet version 3.5 provides IT departments and administrators with additional enhancements to help them automatically and rapidly deploy and install applications to their local desktop, remote desktop and mobile device clients, including:

- Increased scalability that allows for the automated deployment and
installation of applications on networked devices supporting as few as 25 users
or more than hundreds of thousands of users;

- Improved support for remote desktop and mobile device users, including remote
"agent" installation and automatic software updates regardless of where the
remote or mobile user is located; and

- Newly added application distribution support and management for the
Windows(R) server platform and server farms typically found in large
organizations.

Research Report Stresses Need for Additional Windows(R) 2000 Distribution Tools

Goldman cited a June 2000 META Group research report that examined Microsoft's introduction of two Windows(R) 2000 software distribution features -- IntelliMirror and Microsoft Installer -- that add software distribution streamlining capabilities, but still benefit from third-party electronic software distribution (ESD) tools that fully automate and manage the software deployment and distribution process.

"The META study indicates that the successful deployment and installation of Windows(R) 2000 rests on implementation of a complete ESD process, including ownership, asset discovery/recognition, packaging, distribution, client-side installation and reporting," noted Goldman. "We're confident our latest release affords network administrators a complete ESD process solution for automating the software distribution and management process."

Goldman believes the version 3.5 product enhancements will deliver a number of advantages over competing technologies. "Our customers tell us their return on investment is significant since they don't have to write special programs to deploy and install applications, they can mass customize installations at the click of a mouse, and training can be accomplished in as little as two days," said Goldman. "That not only saves them money, but frees up their IT staff to do more value-added tasks."

Cognet version 3.5 is priced from $75 per seat for workgroup configurations, to $95 for three-tier configurations. Qualifying government agencies buying under General Services Administration (GSA) schedules are eligible for purchase. Cognet will begin shipping version 3.5 to customers in February.

Headquartered in Valhalla, NY, Cognet Corp. is a rapidly growing developer of software management and distribution technologies for corporate computing environments and government agencies. Its flagship product, Cognet 3.5, is a highly customized electronic software distribution solution that allows network administrators to automatically distribute, monitor and maintain applications for a range of networked desktop, remote and mobile devices. For further information on version 3.5, or its hardware and software asset management solution, myITware 4.0, visit Cognet Corp.'s Web site at www.cognet.com or call 914-747-0770.