Commercial Data Servers Adds 60% More Processing Power to CDS 2000 Family; New CDS 2000e Mainframe Provides Price-Performance Pathway for Customers Seeking System Replacement.

SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 18, 1997--Commercial Data Servers, Inc. said this week that the performance range of its CDS 2000 Enterprise Server family, that are IBM S/390 compatible, will be extended by as much as 60% with the introduction of its newest model, the CDS 2000 Enterprise Server -- CDS 2000e.

With a CDS performance rating of 7-8 MIPS (millions of instructions per second), the CDS 2000e offers greater flexibility and more throughput for use in applications such as replacement of Year 2000 non-compliant S/370 compatible mainframes, Year 2000-compliant code development and verification, or general purpose application-specific servers. An upgrade option is available for current and future customers of the 5-MIPS version of the CDS 2000, which was introduced in July 1997.

The CDS 2000 and CDS 2000e are ideal for customers replacing older S/370 compatible mainframes whose systems were capable of delivering 3 to 8 MIPS. Approximately 95 percent of the 10,000 or so mainframe users who need to replace their existing mainframes because of Year 2000 compliance problems can use either the CDS 2000 or CDS 2000e systems.

"Customers seeking system replacement typically want to purchase additional power and performance to leave room for future growth," said Mike Kahn, Chairman of The Clipper Group, a Wellesley, Mass.-based consulting firm specializing in enterprise computing environments. "The new system offered by CDS hits a sweet spot with customers, providing a cost effective road map for moving from older 4381 IBM mainframes."

The introduction of such a significant performance improvement just months after shipping the first versions of the CDS 2000 system is a testament to the CDS technology integration business model and its commitment to continually increasing the performance and value it brings to its customers," said Kevin Murphy, CDS president.

"CDS challenged the common wisdom," Murphy said. "First we proved that by integrating our own technology, IBM's S/390 Microprocessor Complex Version E (P/390E), and the readily available desktop computer technology, we could bring to market a whole new class of fully IBM S/390 compatible mainframes at an affordable cost. The new, higher performance system was made possible through the speedy integration of the new version of IBM's P/390E processor technology."

The CDS 2000e has reduced processor cycle time and has 21 new S/390 instructions. In addition, CDS has once again improved I/O bandwidth by 40 to 60 percent through an expanded system bus capacity and increased capability. When CDS measured the CDS 2000e and then compared its performance with the CDS 2000, results showed that it can have an increase in total system throughput of greater than 80% in specific cases.

Through its patent-pending fiber-optic bus architecture, CDS has shown an increased I/O throughput by as much as 5 times the rate of other currently available systems using the P/390 technology. CDS' use of multiple processors to handle and process I/O instructions along with an advanced hardware architecture permits significant advances in total system performance.

CDS has shipped fourteen of its CDS 2000 systems and plans to accelerate marketing and sales of the systems to mainframe users whose existing systems will not process Year 2000-compliant code, Year 2000-compliant code development and verification systems, or general purpose application specific servers. CDS will reduce the prices of its existing CDS 2000 to create two distinct price-performance systems within its core product family. The CDS 2000e Enterprise Server is a production ready mainframe system, and it is available now.

The new system, like its counterpart, qualifies for Entry System License (ESL) pricing for IBM's S/390 software. CDS' suggested end-user pricing for the CDS 2000e, which includes the OS/390 operating system, begins at $170,000 for a system with 24 gigabytes of storage and ranges up to $340,000 for a system configured with 200 gigabytes of DASD storage capacity and 1 gigabyte of main memory. In addition, memory options have been increased from 128 MB to 256 MB or 1 GB.

Commercial Data Servers, based in Sunnyvale, develops and markets enterprise servers for the IBM S/390 commercial computing environment. Its flagship product, the CDS 2000 Enterprise Server, provides solutions for companies seeking to evaluate, convert, and test applications and data for Year 2000 compliance as well as providing complete enterprise solutions for departmental, application specific and emerging enterprise companies. Corporate and product information is available by contacting the company at www.CDS2000.com or by calling 408/541-8440. -0-

Note to Editors: CDS, Commercial Data Servers, CDS 2000 Enterprise Server, CDS 2000, CDS 2000e, and Time Machine are trademarks of CDS. IBM, S/370, System/390, S/390, ESCON, OS/390, VM/ESA, and VSE/ESA are trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation.

CONTACT: For Commercial Data Servers, Inc.

David Gould, 800/593-CHIP

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