Compaq Performance Benchmark Rates Top Ten Enterprise-Class Results.

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 21, 1996--

Compaq's TPC-C Result Marks the World's First Industry Standard

Server Platform to Place in the Top Ten

Substantiating its drive to reinforce its market leadership in the top-end of enterprise class servers, Compaq Computer Corporation (NYSE:CPQ) -- the world's leading server vendor -- today announced that for the first time an industry-standard based server has placed in the top ten for all single-server audited TPC-C results, rivaling the performance of high end SUN, HP and IBM systems. The Compaq ProLiant 5000 6/200 is also the only platform in the top ten which achieved these performance levels at a price under $1 million.

"While other vendors like HP, Sun, IBM, DEC continue to focus attention on enhancing their proprietary RISC platforms, these latest TPC-C results demonstrate Compaq has delivered on the promise to extend the scalability of the industry-standard ProLiant platform. This scalability enables customers to confidently and cost-effectively deploy large Sybase database environments running with SCO UnixWare," said John T. Rose, Senior Vice President and Group General Manager, Enterprise Computing Group, Compaq Computer Corporation.

The TPC-C result of 8,311.43 tpmC was based on a ProLiant 5000 configured with four 200 MHz Pentium Pro processors each with 512KB cache, 4-GB of memory, using the SCO's UnixWare operating system version 2.1.1, running Sybase's SQL Server 11.0.3 database application. Of all top ten performers, only one other platform was able to achieve this performance level with less than eight processors. In addition, Compaq's raw performance results are enhanced by its price per tpmC result of $95. The next-best price/performance results were nearly double the cost per tpm of Compaq's.

Competitive Comparison Table

Vendor      Configuration           tpmC    $ per tpmC     Total Cost

Compaq      ProLiant 5000, 4P,    8,311.43     $95          $792,738
            Sybase 11 on
            UnixWare 2.1

Digital     Alpha 8400, 8P,      14,176.61    $198        $2,812,287
            Sybase 11
            on Digital
            UNIX V3.2G

SUN         Ultra Enterprise     11,465.93    $188        $2,152,254
            4000, 6P,
            Sybase 11
            on Solaris
            2.5.11

HP          HP9000  Model        12,321.87   $187         $2,294,654
            K460, 4P,
            Sybase 11
            on, HP-UX
            10.20

The HP K460, a close competitive platform, underscores the significance of Compaq's achievement because the K460 is a proprietary PA-RISC platform and it is nearly three times the total cost of the ProLiant 5000 6/200, configured as described.

TPC-C and tpmC results are audited by the Transaction Processing and Performance Council, an independent organization responsible for developing and administering these well-respected benchmark performance tests.

Worldwide, nearly 80 percent of the PC servers and super servers shipped with Pentium Pro processors during the second quarter of 1996 were Compaq ProLiant 5000 models. These market share figures are based on a recent study by research firm International Data Corporation (a). This measurement of the Pentium Pro market illustrates that Compaq is delivering a compelling combination of RISC-level performance and management for distributed enterprise environments.

"Customers have new, compelling options in their decision to implement enterprise-class servers running very large databases under a UNIX operating system. The Compaq choice adds superlative levels of performance and cost-effectiveness in an industry-standard platform. Our continuing progress in providing customers additional scalability, system availability, and ease of configuration and management in this non-proprietary environment puts traditional big iron vendors on notice that the new age of enterprise computing has arrived," said Rose.

World-Class Service and Support

Compaq and Sybase have recently signed an agreement that will provide worldwide enterprise class service and support for their customers. SCO and Compaq also have worldwide service and support arrangements in place.

Compaq delivers its world-class service and support through key Systems Service Providers, ensuring enterprise customers access to enhanced levels of service and support for high availability of business-critical applications.

Compaq's global service and support providers ensure that customers receive service coverage for the ProLiant 5000 when and where they need it -- whether on a local, national, regional or global basis.

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 approximately 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.

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(a) IDC's PC Server and Super Server 2Q96 Market Results-- August 13, 1996

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

CONTACT: Compaq Computer Corporation

John Sweney

713-514-0484

[e-mail]

or

Miller/Shandwick Technologies

Eric Grodziski

617-536-0470

[e-mail]