Comdisco Lauded for Network Recovery; Wins Continuity Services Bid Featured in Network Computing Magazine.

ROSEMONT, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 16, 1999--Comdisco, Inc. (NYSE:CDO) announced today that it won the bid for a hypothetical Request for Proposal (RFP) conducted by Network Computing magazine. Comdisco defeated industry competitors, IBM (NYSE:IBM) and Exodus (Nasdaq:EXDS), in customizing an optimum strategy for end-to-end business continuity.

In its series on RFP scenarios, Network Computing challenged willing vendors to create an innovative continuity solution for a fictitious retail company. The nature of the company's business dictated the necessity for a short recovery time and a low threshold for data loss.

A team of Network Computing technology editors awarded the bid to Comdisco for its technical solution coupled with the most extensive business resumption plan. The magazine further noted that Comdisco's detailed strategy featured a tremendous networking capacity and the ultimate in backup capabilities.

"This is an important accomplishment for Comdisco. Network Computing is widely regarded in the technology industry as an authority on products and services for enterprise networks," said John Jackson, general manager, Comdisco Continuity Services. "The win distinguishes Comdisco as the leader in addressing high availability needs, and in delivering proven network and Internet commerce recovery solutions for organizations that depend on the Internet for customer service and e-commerce transactions."

"The RFP Solution Series offers a real-world approach to evaluating products and services that can help companies solve the most important business problems they're confronting," said Fritz Nelson, Editor in Chief of Network Computing. "Comdisco presented the most realistic, extensive business resumption plan. Not only did they demonstrate an acute understanding of end-to-end continuity, but backed their assessment with substantial network capabilities."

Network Computing required participants to engineer a solution that met strict recovery time and recovery point objectives, employed proven and inventive technology, ensured non-disruptive testing, projected solid pricing performance, and presented a flexible solution that adhered to the level of risk the customer would accept.

Comdisco's strategy proposed redesigning the company's internal architecture to protect the computing utility, data, and network access 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The multi-tier program included dual site redundancy capabilities, advanced recovery services, hot site planning, networking requirements, and non-disruptive testing. Comdisco incorporated scalability and flexibility into its service features in order to support activity without relying on shared or public types of capabilities.

To view the Network Computing article on the business continuity RFP, visit Comdisco's Web page at http://www.comdisco.com.

Although the RFP was created for a hypothetical company, Comdisco's response entailed techniques and technology that Comdisco has designed, deployed, and managed for actual companies. Comdisco currently provides business continuity services for over 3,000 customers.

"We want to emphasize that our RFP response was one of many solutions that could be applied depending on customer requirements," John Jackson said. "We are certainly flexible in finding the most comprehensive, cost-effective options for our customers."

Comdisco pioneered high availability solutions for business continuity in 1988. These solutions include mirroring, electronic vaulting, remote journaling, and database shadowing.

Comdisco has successfully supported over 325 recoveries and over 35,000 customer tests. By leveraging a staff of the industry's most senior, seasoned, and technically proficient professionals, Comdisco has proactively assisted thousands of customers in avoiding disasters.

In addition to the Network Computing honor, Comdisco received accolades from Contingency Planning and Management magazine for providing exceptional recovery services, and was the first continuity services provider inducted into its Hall of Fame.

About Network Computing

Network Computing is the premier technical solutions magazine driving IT purchasing decisions. Network Computing provides technical, lab-based information for designing, building, and managing enterprise-wide networks, delivered twice-monthly to 220,000 readers. For four consecutive years, Network Computing has been ranked as the best-read networking publication by Simmons and IntelliQuest. Network Computing magazine is published by CMP Media, Inc. (Nasdaq:CMPX).

About Comdisco

Comdisco is a technology services company and a leader in providing infrastructure management and optimization services, which are the underlying technological components and services necessary to deliver information and applications anytime, anywhere, without delay or disruption. Comdisco provides the key elements of infrastructure management, including desktop management services, managed network services, business continuity services, leasing and remarketing services, and the software tools to support these areas. Comdisco's revenue for the twelve months ended December 31, 1998, was $3.4 billion. For more information, call 800-272-9792 or visit Comdisco's Web site at www.comdisco.com.

Comdisco is a registered trademark of Comdisco, Inc. Other company names are trademarks of their respective organizations.