Cohera Forms Partnership with Nichimen Data Systems; Key Agreement Extends Cohera's Sales Reach to Asia.

HAYWARD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 13, 1999--

Cohera Corporation today announced an agreement with Nichimen Data Systems Corporation (NDS), one of Japan's leading technology and solutions providers. Under terms of the agreement, Nichimen Data Systems will serve as Cohera's exclusive distributor in Japan.

"This agreement is an important next step in Cohera's evolution as a multi-national company," said Michael Laven, Cohera president and chief executive officer. "NDS is widely-respected as a strong provider of enterprise information technologies and will be introducing the Cohera Federation System(TM) to key markets that require the ability to unify data in real-time."

The Cohera Federation System's unique core technology transparently aggregates, integrates and presents enterprise and Web-based information regardless of the data's format, platform or location. Cohera will initially deploy this technology as a platform for dynamic e-catalogs -- a crucial key to delivering a truly real-time electronic commerce and exchange solution.

NDS will be introducing Cohera to its many Japanese customers wishing to bring critical enterprise data into a Web-based environment, develop electronic commerce sites, or construct corporate business portals. NDS has already certified that Cohera works seamlessly with existing information technology solutions they distribute including the Japanese versions of the SilverStream(R) enterprise Application Server and the Informix(R) Universal Server.

"Cohera provides a vital piece of information technology infrastructure for integrating the enterprise with the web," according to Yasuoki Toi, president of Nichimen Data Systems. "Only Cohera enables seamless access to distributed data through a single unified view. As a result, users can analyze data that was difficult to assemble -- and almost impossible to unify electronically -- in an existing distributed environment."

About Nichimen Data Systems

Nichimen Data Systems (NDS) was established in 1984 and has provided leading edge technologies and solutions in the computer field for the Japan market since that time. NDS imports many products, including networking, Internet, security, client/server, database, knowledge management and help desk products from the U.S. or other countries. NDS adds value to these products, such as localization, consulting, technical support and training in the Japan market. Also, NDS provides solutions, integration and system development based upon these information technologies.

About Cohera

Cohera Corporation's Federation System -- developed by a University of California at Berkeley computer sciences team led by industry pioneer and Cohera Founder and CTO Michael Stonebraker -- provides breakthrough technology for aggregating, integrating and presenting enterprise and web-based information regardless of the data's format, platform, location or ownership. The company is focusing initially on providing a platform for live, dynamic e-catalogs for Net markets and exchanges for business-to-business and business-to-consumer web commerce with the Cohera E-Catalog System, a set of software servers and tools. Privately held Cohera is backed by such industry-leading venture firms as Accel Partners, Sequoia Capital, Sippl/MacDonald Ventures, Merrill Lynch Partners, Ignite Ventures and Cambridge Technology Capital. Headquartered in Hayward, Calif., Cohera can be reached on the Web at www.cohera.com or by calling 510/780-1700.