Compaq Delivers "Instant Intranet" for Corporate Server Customers.

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 11, 1996--Internet World--

Support for Novell IntranetWare, Netscape and Raptor Internet

Software Added to SmartStart Integration Tool for Servers

Going further in its strategy to offer the broadest choice of open intranet solutions on its high-performance ProLiant and ProSignia server platforms at the lowest total cost of ownership, Compaq Computer Corporation (NYSE:CPQ) today announced it will add intranet software support to SmartStart, its integration tool, in January. Companies of all sizes will be able to easily enhance their existing networking and applications infrastructure with a full-service intranet capability.

"It's like having an instant intranet," said John T. Rose, Senior Vice President and Group General Manager of Compaq's Enterprise Computing Group. "Our customers are asking for a way to leverage the cost-effective Internet technologies to build useful intranets so their companies can connect people with people and people with information. But they don't have the time or inclination to spend lots of resources to get these intranet servers up and running. Compaq solves that problem by packing all of our intranet server configuration and optimization expertise into the easy-to-use SmartStart utility."

In the next release of SmartStart, Compaq -- the world's leading server vendor -- will offer the broadest choice of open intranet solutions including Novell IntranetWare, Netscape Enterprise and FastTrack Server for Windows NT, and Raptor Eagle NT. SmartStart will also support integration and optimization of the "off-the-shelf" version of Microsoft Windows NT 4.0, which includes Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS).

SmartStart increases Internet/intranet server performance by optimizing key operating system parameters and ensuring the installation of components optimized for Compaq servers, such as drivers. This results in more efficient utilization of network resources and reduced user response times. SmartStart lowers the cost of installing Internet/intranet servers by simplifying the installation, integration and optimization of the server operating system.

The high level of performance and manageability delivered by Compaq platforms allows customers to increase the productivity of their enterprise and reduce the total cost of ownership of the servers and clients. In performance testing, Compaq's ProLiant 5000 with Microsoft NT 4.0 Server and IIS beat eight other contenders including Digital Alpha Server 1000A, Sun Netra I1/140 and IBM RS/6000 43P Internet Powersolution Workgroup Server(a). Computer Reseller News reported, "The Compaq ProLiant 5000 performed the best, reaching an astounding average of 409 connections per second at a throughput of 62 Mbits per second."

In another test performed by Mindcraft, one of the leading World Wide Web testing services, Compaq's ProLiant servers with Netscape Enterprise Server consistently outperformed Sun's recently announced Internet server platform -- the UltraSparc Enterprise-2 Model 2170 -- running the same application, by delivering up to five times as much performance (connections per second and throughput) on the ProLiant 5000 and up to three times on the ProLiant 2500 at a fraction of the cost of the Sun server(b). The high-level performance of Compaq intranet platforms perfectly complements Compaq's record breaking database performance(c), driving down the cost of accessing corporate databases.

Internet/intranet Partnerships

Compaq has established comprehensive partnerships with leading Internet software vendors like Microsoft, Netscape, Novell, and Raptor. These partnerships incorporate joint marketing programs to provide customer education and reseller training on common platform and technology updates; joint testing and engineering to ensure delivery of tested, reliable, integrated and optimized solutions, as well as technical and performance information.

Compaq's new partner, Raptor, is an innovative vendor of enterprise-wide, integrated security solutions for Internet/intranet communications. As a technical leader, Raptor was first to ship a Windows NT firewall along with comprehensive security offerings, first to deliver Virtual Private Network (VPN) tunneling, and a pacesetter in the early adoption of interoperability standards.

"Security is now one of the value-added technologies companies are mandating for enabling their most critical business processes and protecting their vital corporate information," said Robert A. Steinkrauss, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Raptor Systems, Inc. "Raptor's partnership with Compaq and the inclusion of Eagle NT into SmartStart allows us to provide an elegant, packaged solution for rigorous security to Compaq's large and growing base of server customers."

Compaq has solid partnerships with Microsoft, Novell, and -- more recently -- Netscape, which have enabled the company to continually deliver platforms with superior server configuration and optimized systems.

"Compaq has a unique experience and knowledge of the Windows NT and IntranetWare environments," said Rose. "We have also shipped Microsoft IIS and Novell NetWare Web Server as a standard feature on all Compaq servers since their introduction, and Compaq is the sole company to ship Netscape FastTrack Server as a standard feature on all its servers at no additional cost. Our objective of providing best-of-breed partnerships that give customers seamless server hardware/software solutions is very apparent in our continuing enhancements to SmartStart. SmartStart allows Compaq to offer a wide array of integrated Internet/intranet solutions by being able to combine any Compaq server with one of the numerous products from its Internet software partners," Rose added.

Novell IntranetWare

Through the Compaq/Novell Enterprise Computing Partnership, Compaq has worked very closely with Novell and developed a unique understanding of the Novell NetWare environment. With IntranetWare, the Novell operating system continues the evolution of NetWare into a full-service Internet/intranet solution. NetWare 4.11 is included in IntranetWare to deliver the same distributed networking services, including robust directory services and file/print capability, that have made NetWare a leading network operating system.

Netscape FastTrack Server and Enterprise Server

FastTrack Server, which will be included in the next release of SmartStart at no additional cost, is an easy-to-use web server which particularly fits workgroups and small/medium businesses.

In addition, Enterprise Server, the central component of the SuiteSpot suite of applications, will be included in the next release of SmartStart. Enterprise Server is a high-end Web server with a broad set of management tools suitable for large-scale developments. Compaq plans to support the other SuiteSpot components in future releases.

Raptor Eagle NT

Eagle NT combined with Compaq servers' fault-tolerant features will provide the ideal platform for a firewall server. Eagle NT, a second generation NT firewall, is tightly integrated with Windows NT and supports the NT Domain Controller for user authentication. It also provides protection at all levels of an organization including the Internet, intranet, mobile PCs and remote sites, all manageable through an enterprise security system.

Microsoft Windows NT

Through the Microsoft Frontline partnership, Compaq has gained a high degree of expertise with Windows NT and has recently enhanced SmartStart to work with standard off-the-shelf Microsoft media. Compaq's Windows NT expertise has enabled its server platforms to outperform the competition when running Windows NT 4.0, featuring the latest release of Internet Information Server. Compaq's expertise also comes from its own intensive use of intranet technologies with its recently announced Compaq Inline, the company's global comprehensive intranet resource for Compaq employees. Compaq Inline offers employees a secure communication vehicle for information sharing, collaboration and transaction processing.

Compaq Advantage

By offering tools like SmartStart and outstanding server performance, Compaq platforms provide the lowest overall cost of ownership for deploying intranet solutions allowing enterprises to contain the budget of their MIS departments. In addition, Compaq Insight Manager reduces administrative costs and increases uptime by providing efficient, proactive management of Compaq Internet/intranet servers along with pre-failure alerting allowing administrators to schedule maintenance when users will be least affected.

In addition, Compaq is an industry leader with innovative service and support programs specifically designed to meet the needs of critical applications. Compaq servers also offer a Pre-Failure Warranty to increase uptime and protect critical data.

Company Background

Compaq Computer Corporation, a Fortune 100 company, is the fifth largest computer company in the world and the largest global supplier of personal computers, delivering useful innovation through products that connect people with people and people with information. The company is an industry leader in environmentally friendly programs and business practices. Compaq is strategically organized to meet the current and future needs of its customers, offering Internet and enterprise computing solutions, networking products, commercial PC products and consumer PCs. As the leader in distributed enterprise solutions, Compaq has shipped more than 1 million servers. In 1995, the company reported worldwide sales of $14.8 billion. Compaq products are sold and supported in more than 100 countries through a network of authorized Compaq marketing partners. Customer support and information about Compaq and its products can be found at http://www.compaq.com or by calling 1-800-OK-COMPAQ. Product information and reseller locations can be obtained by calling 1-800-345-1518.

a. Computer Reseller News (CRN) September 16, 1996 awarded ProLiant 5000 "Editor's Choice" with best performance. CRN Test Center used the current industry standard Webstone 2.0.1 benchmark developed by Silicon Graphics, Inc. b. Results from the independent benchmarking company Mindcraft, Inc. (posted on Compaq and Mindcraft's Websites: Compaq ProLiant 5000 outperformed Sun Ultra Enterprise-2 Model 2170 by 300% to 500% for the static HTML tests and 40% to 70% for the dynamic content (NSAPI and CGI) tests with Webstone 2.0.1. The ProLiant 2500 outperformed Sun Ultra Enterprise-2 Model 2170 by 330% for the HTML test and 35% to 55% for the dynamic content tests. c. Fot TPC-C benchmarks see following Compaq press releases: 10/21/96 for ProLiant 2500 and 11/21/96 for ProLiant 5000.

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