Compaq Network-Based Software Tools Reduce Implementation and Support Costs of Distributed Enterprise Networks; New Tools Enable Enterprise-Class Integration, Management and Control for Compaq Systems.

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Editor's Summary

In a worldwide announcement, Compaq today introduced new software tools which reduce the implementation and support costs of distributed enterprise networks:

Compaq SmartStart 3.0: Third-generation intelligent integration tool delivers improved network and life-cycle management capabilities and an open architecture

Compaq Insight Manager 3.0: Third-generation management application, meets enterprise management scalability requirements, delivers significantly enhanced tools

Compaq Remote Insight Board: Remote server management board; provides non-stop remote management for distributed enterprise networks

Compaq Systems Management Partnerships: Brings enterprise systems management capabilities to Compaq products

Compaq Project Starship: UNIX-based Insight Manager application for managing Compaq servers with HP OpenView and Tivoli Systems TME 10 NetView

HOUSTON--June 3, 1996-- Compaq Computer Corporation (NYSE:CPQ) -- the world's leading server vendor -- today announced worldwide powerful, network-based software tools that reduce the implementation and support costs of distributed enterprise networks.

These tools enable enterprise-class integration, management and control for Compaq systems, allowing customers from a single point to manage, control and monitor hundreds or thousands of Compaq servers distributed throughout an enterprise. These new tools also reduce the management complexity of distributed network computing, including Intranet and Internet applications. The new Compaq tools are: Compaq SmartStart 3.0, the cornerstone of today's announcement; Compaq Insight Manager 3.0; Compaq Remote Insight Board; and Project Starship. The company also announced a series of new partnerships with leading enterprise management software vendors. These partnerships, called Compaq Systems Management Partnerships, will give customers the capability to manage enterprise-wide solutions built on Compaq systems using leading enterprise management applications. This new capability will include application, hardware, and operating system management. Companies currently participating in the Compaq Systems Management Partnerships include: BMC Software, Boole & Babbage, Cabletron Systems, Seagate Enterprise Management Software and Tivoli Systems.

"The advantages of using industry-standard products to build distributed enterprise networks are clear. However, when companies install hundreds or thousands of servers throughout a distributed network they face implementation, management and support challenges," said Gary Stimac, senior vice president and general manager, Compaq Systems Division. "I see our job as developing innovative products like SmartStart, Insight Manager and the other tools we announced today so that our customers can take advantage of our powerful servers, like the ProLiant 5000, everywhere they want to. To make sure that's possible, we're going to continue our focus on simplifying the management challenges and reducing the implementation and support costs of distributed network computing. In the end, we plan to provide our customers with the extensive management, integration and control capabilities of much larger and more expensive, proprietary systems at much less cost."

SmartStart 3.0 and Integration Management

Compaq SmartStart 3.0, the software integration tool that optimizes platform configurations and simplifies the installation of tested and reliable servers, is the cornerstone of today's announcement. With SmartStart 3.0 customers will be able to benefit from the Integration Management processes, the Compaq Integration Server and a new open architecture.

Integration Management is a methodology designed to assist an organization in managing system software and configurations on distributed systems. Integration Management enables companies to proactively maintain and reliably implement established system software and configuration standards as components or requirements change. This approach is critical in a distributed enterprise network, especially when new systems are deployed and when existing systems must be updated. Integration Management also allows for tracking and reporting of system configuration changes.

A useful and innovative technology for today's information age, Integration Management is based on functionality delivered through Compaq SmartStart, Compaq Insight Manager and associated utilities and services. Integration Management is valuable to an IS manager whose organization has chosen to implement distributed enterprise management with internal resources, as well as to a service provider for firms who have elected to outsource these management functions.

SmartStart 3.0: Compaq Integration Server

The Compaq Integration Server, which is set up and installed using SmartStart, may act as a dedicated "code server" or as a multifunctional production server on the network. The Integration Server provides a consistent, maintainable source for all tested and approved system software and server configurations. This enables Compaq servers anywhere on the network to be updated with the latest approved configurations supported by network managers and LAN administrators. Targeted servers can be maintained using the Compaq Integration Maintenance Utility, Microsoft Systems Management Server, or Symantec Norton Administrator for Networks. Updates across wide- area networks can be accomplished via the Internet or traditional modem connections. By enabling consistent configurations among servers, and controlled, regular updates of system software, the Integration Server reduces the implementation and support costs of every Compaq server distributed throughout a network.

Systems software on the Integration Server is kept up-to-date through using the Integration Maintenance feature in Insight Manager 3.0. This feature allows customers to update the Integration Server via the Internet, a simple modem connection, or local CD.

SmartStart 3.0: Open Architecture

The new, open architecture of SmartStart 3.0 means software vendors can now easily develop products which take advantage of the configuration, optimization and installation benefits associated with SmartStart. As a result, customers can anticipate an expanded range of enterprise software products which will be integrated on Compaq systems using SmartStart.

"Notes Release 4 is the leading platform for messaging and groupware, and provides very powerful tools for developing and managing Internet applications," said Scott Durgin, Director, Notes Product Management, Lotus Development Corp. "Lotus recognizes the value for mutual customers of integration between Notes and Compaq's widely used server hardware and software management tools, and we are pleased to announce our commitment to provide a SmartStart-enabled version of the Notes server. The SmartStart- enabled version of Notes will give our customers the substantial benefits of installation ease and performance configuration in their Notes deployments on Compaq servers."

In the future, the open architecture of SmartStart 3.0 will allow customers to utilize the benefits of SmartStart for their own internally developed applications.

Insight Manager 3.0

Compaq Insight Manager 3.0 links powerfully with SmartStart 3.0 to provide the Integration Management capabilities required by distributed enterprise networks. Through the Integration Server Maintenance function, Insight Manager 3.0 facilitates and manages regular system software updates of the Compaq Integration Server. In the future, the Integration Server Maintenance function will support operating system and application level updates as well.

To enhance ease-of-use and deliver the scalability and performance required of management consoles in an enterprise environment, Insight Manager 3.0 is now a 32-bit application. This key feature allows network administrators to manage hundreds of desktop PCs and servers from a single Insight Manager console. Windows NT Workstation is the first 32-bit operating system supported by Insight Manager 3.0. Support for Windows 95 will be available in July 1996.

Insight Manager 3.0 also offers significantly enhanced tools for managing distributed networks built on Compaq systems. Server list filtering, which provides network administrators the flexibility to manage hundreds of servers and desktops centrally, or designate to LAN managers only the nodes for which they are responsible, is such a tool. Insight Manager 3.0 also supports the exporting of asset and performance data into external databases for network asset reporting, tracking, and management purposes. Finally, Insight Manager 3.0 and the Compaq Remote Insight Board are well integrated, offering excellent remote management capabilities for Compaq servers.

Building on Compaq's commitment to superior systems management, Insight Manger 3.0 provides network administrators with unparalleled fault, configuration, performance, asset and remote management capabilities for Compaq desktop PCs, servers and networking products.

Compaq Remote Insight Board

For distributed enterprise networks requiring non-stop remote management capabilities, the Compaq Remote Insight Management Board is a hardware and software independent solution that provides uninterruptible server access and alerting functions. Remote Insight's self-contained processor, memory, battery, and modem operate independently from the host hardware and ensure continual access to the server, even in the event of a complete system outage. Remote Insight also supports alphanumeric and numeric paging for system alerts, and stores valuable server information on the board to aid in troubleshooting.

Remote Insight is fully integrated with Insight Manager 3.0 and allows multiple administrators -- each with different access rights -- to remotely view server activity, maintain full control over the server, be automatically notified upon any critical server event, obtain key information for troubleshooting server problems, and setup security features to protect data and applications.

Compaq Systems Management Partnerships

Compaq initiated the Systems Management Partnerships to deliver a broad range of centralized, enterprise management capabilities for Compaq systems within a customer's preferred application. To achieve this goal, Compaq and its new partners will work to ensure that Compaq Insight Manager event, performance, and configuration information is integrated with the partners' systems management solutions. The first development effort in each of these partnerships is focused on meeting a pressing customer need: enterprise event management. Event management ensures that systems continuously operate by providing proactive notification of problems or potential problems. Partner products involved in this first development effort are: PATROL from BMC Software, Ensign and COMMAND/POST from Boole & Babbage, SPECTRUM Enterprise Manager from Cabletron Systems, NerveCenter Pro from Seagate Enterprise Management Software, and TME 10 from Tivoli Systems. Later Compaq plans to expand the focus of the Systems Management Partnerships to include enterprise management products which address performance management, change management, production control, help desk operations and security.

Project Starship

Project Starship will be an integrated solution that allows real-time management of mission-critical Compaq hardware on UNIX-based enterprise management consoles running OpenView for HP-UX or TME 10 NetView. Project Starship will be available in the third quarter 1996.

This SNMP-based hardware fault-management tool will deliver information on the status of Compaq desktop PCs and servers running Insight Management Agents, including hardware alerts, in real-time to the HP OpenView or TME 10 NetView management console.

Project Starship will provide simplified problem identification and resolution through graphical color-coded node and subsystem icons of all Compaq devices. It also will offer subsystem views of SCSI controllers, drive array controllers, system boards, and uninterruptible power supplies (UPS).

Pricing and Availability

Compaq Remote Insight board is available immediately for $1,017(A). Compaq SmartStart 3.0 and Insight Manager 3.0 will ship as standard software with all Compaq servers in the second quarter of 1996. Project Starship will be available in the third quarter of 1996. Pricing will be made available at that time.

Company Background

Compaq Computer Corporation is the world's largest supplier of personal computers, offering desktop PCs, portable PCs, servers and options. The company reported 1995 worldwide sales of $14.8 billion. Compaq products are sold and supported in more than 100 countries through Compaq marketing partners and sold directly to customers through Compaq Direct Plus at 1-800-888- 5858. Compaq provides 24-hour customer support and can be reached through the Compaq forums on America Online, CompuServe, Internet (http://www.compaq.com), and Prodigy, or by calling 1-800-OK-COMPAQ. Product information and reseller locations can be obtained by calling 1- 800-345-1518.

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(A) Estimated Street Price. Reseller pricing may vary.

Compaq, Registered U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Product names mentioned herein may be trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

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New Tools Enable Enterprise-Class Integration, Management and Control for Compaq Systems

Executive Quotes June 3, 1996

BMC Software

"BMC Software is a Systems Management Partner with Compaq and believes that their servers are a compelling platform for the deployment of mission- critical applications. Because of this, we are proud to support this strategic platform with our PATROL suite of application and data management products."

"The combination of impressive performance by the ProLiant 5000, the manageability features of Compaq Insight Manager, together with the industry leading management and monitoring capabilities of PATROL, will enable customers to confidently deploy and manage their applications across a computing enterprise consisting of Compaq ProLiant servers."

Bob Beauchamp

Vice President of Strategic Marketing and Corporate Development BMC Software

Boole & Babbage

"With its powerful Windows NT intelligent agents interacting with COMMAND/POST, Boole & Babbage can immediately plug in Compaq server information in the same customer-distributed systems management infrastructure, and relieve any systems management inhibitor to full NT exploitation,"

Saverio Merlo Senior Vice President , Marketing Boole & Babbage

Cabletron

"Cabletron is proud to bring SPECTRUM's powerful enterprise management capabilities to Compaq's industry-leading computer systems. Compaq is providing very manageable, cost effective systems to the marketplace, giving businesses the server performance and reliability they need with the systems' use of the Pentium Pro chip and operability on both NT and UNIX operating systems."

Patty Chrystycz Director of Systems and Network Management Marketing Cabletron Systems

Seagate

"The Compaq-specific behavior models we are developing will draw on the sophisticated instrumentation of Compaq servers to bring the advanced event correlation capabilities of Seagate NerveCenter Pro to bear in Compaq environments. Network managers will gain early information about the likely causes of problems in their networks, and will be able to take decisive action to correct those problems quickly."

Roselie Buonauro Vice President of Marketing, Seagate Enterprise Management Software - West Seagate Technology, Inc.

Sybase

"The Sybase and Compaq partnership will result in a SmartStart-enabled SQL Server 11 for Windows NT, providing customers an integrated and platform- optimized SQL database server package on Compaq server systems. Recent benchmarks of Sybase SQL Server 11 for Windows NT on Compaq ProLiant systems have already proven the combination to be one of the most powerful and cost effective on the market today and SmartStart integration will make that power even easier for customers to deploy."

Dave Boswell Vice President and General Manager Sybase Workplace Database Division

Tivoli

"In the distributed enterprise, the availability and manageability of system and application resources is critical, and full enterprise management of Compaq client and server platforms is a key component of our customers' system infrastructure. Tivoli's unique solution will simplify the enterprise-wide management of Compaq servers by providing a high level of integration between Compaq Insight Manager and the Tivoli Management Environment, TME 10. Enabling such extensive integration is a cornerstone of Tivoli's strategy to further the growth of an industry of third-party providers around TME 10."

Michael D'Eath Director Tivoli Open Solutions Group

CONTACT: Compaq Computer Corporation

Jerele Neeld

713-514-0484

[e-mail]

Miller/Shandwick Technologies

Marc Gendron

617-536-0470

[e-mail]