Compaq ProLiant Servers Set Record SAP R/3 Benchmark on Windows NT; Strategic Relationships Continue to Yield Key Benefits for Compaq Customers.

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 19, 1996-- Demonstrating the high-end capabilities of the Compaq ProLiant platform and the customer benefits derived from Compaq's strategic relationship with Microsoft and SAP AG, Compaq Computer Corporation (NYSE: CPQ) today announced it had set a new SAP R/3 standard application benchmark record for Windows NT platforms of 350 sales and distribution (SD) benchmark users -- for three-tiered solutions running Microsoft Windows NT 3.51 Server, Microsoft SQL Server 6.0 and SAP R/3 Version 2.2F. Compaq set this new performance standard with fewer application servers than recent competitive benchmarks. The nine ProLiant 4500 servers running SAP R/3 v2.2F recorded an average dialog response time of 1.531 seconds. The SD benchmark is one of the most demanding systems tests available for SAP solutions. Compaq's ProLiant server has emerged as the platform of choice for SAP on Windows NT Server -- holding approximately 50 percent of SAP AG's R/3 market share for Microsoft Windows NT installations worldwide.(a)

"Lyondell Petrochemicals selected the Compaq SAP R/3 solution running Microsoft Windows NT Server and Microsoft SQL Server 6.0 because it offered the best price/performance and the ultimate flexibility of an industry-standard systems environment," said Randy Lewis, Director of IS for Lyondell Petrochemicals. Lewis continued, "We are now in full production with this configuration and are very impressed with its stability and performance. Lyondell values the relationship between Compaq, SAP and Microsoft, and trusts them to continue delivering valuable solutions for our enterprise computing requirements."

"These record-setting results underscore our ability to deliver industry-standard platforms with leading price/performance capable of running high-end, business-critical applications in the distributed enterprise," said Michael Lambert, vice president, Major Account Business Unit for Compaq North America. "This accomplishment also illustrates the benefits our relationship with Microsoft and SAP delivers to organizations looking to base their business future on a Compaq/SAP solution."

"Compaq is a leader in delivering Microsoft BackOffice-based hardware solutions that enable global corporations to run their business-critical applications and computing tasks, once the domain of proprietary mainframes and minicomputers, on industry standard platforms," stated Jim Allchin, senior vice president, Business Systems Division, Microsoft Corporation. "The benchmark results confirm that Compaq and Microsoft create a formidable team delivering a powerful solution for enterprise application environments."

The Benchmark Environment

The hardware configuration for the benchmark consisted of nine total servers: one Compaq ProLiant 4500 5/133 database server with 1 GB of main memory, four Pentium(R) 133 MHz processors and 60 GB of total mirrored disk space. Eight ProLiant 4500 5/133 servers, each with four Pentium 133 MHz processors running Windows NT 3.51, acted as application servers. Of these nine servers, five dialog servers, each with 512 MB of main memory were used to achieve throughput of 108,741 dialog steps per hour. Two ProLiant 4500s, one with 512 MB and one with 1 GB of main memory acted as update servers, one ProLiant 4500 with 512 MB of memory was used as a message and enqueue server. The average CPU utilization on the database and application servers was 80 percent. (Details regarding this benchmark are available upon request from Compaq and SAP AG.)

"We worked closely with Compaq at their North American SAP Competency Center in Houston," said Lori Trippel, President, iXOS Software, Inc. "These joint efforts helped ensure that these benchmark tests and Compaq's record-setting results adhered to the guidelines for SAP benchmarks."

"We are excited about these record-setting benchmarks," said John McNulty, Director, Enterprise Marketing, Intel Corporation. "Compaq ProLiant systems have again set a high watermark for R/3 on Windows NT, and we expect continued performance leadership results with Pentium Pro processor-based systems."

Other Compaq/SAP Benchmark Milestones

In July 1995, Compaq and Sequent announced the first and highest performing SAP R/3 solution that integrates both UNIX and Microsoft Windows NT Server operating systems in an all-Intel-based, enterprise-level architecture. The mixed-environment solution supported 800 benchmark users in a standard SAP SD benchmark test. As one of the most demanding systems tests available for SAP, the SD benchmark results proved that the Compaq-Sequent combination offered the most cost-effective, high-end systems solution for the R/3 marketplace. The benchmark was performed by Intel and was independently conducted by iXOS Software, Inc., an SAP partner and R/3 benchmarking services provider (See July 12, 1995, press release).

In September 1995, SAP America awarded Compaq the SAP Partner Achievement Award for outstanding contributions to the North American SAP R/3 marketplace (See Sept. 21, 1995, press release.) The SAP award is given to those companies that make the most significant first-year contributions towards advancing information technology and related practices for the North American SAP R/3 marketplace.

In January 1995, Compaq and SAP jointly established and staffed the Compaq/SAP Competency Center at SAP AG's corporate headquarters in Walldorf, Germany. The Competency Center was established to address Compaq/SAP customer requirements -- including joint systems engineering, marketing and service & support -- to ensure well- integrated solutions. Compaq is the first SAP partner to have a Competency Center on SAP premises focused solely on Microsoft Windows NT solutions. In addition to Walldorf, Compaq also has Competency Centers established in Munich, Houston and Tokyo.

SAP R/3 customer installations on Compaq and Windows NT Server have been conducted worldwide in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, South Africa, the UK and the US.

Company Background

Compaq Computer Corporation is the world's largest supplier of personal computers, offering desktop PCs, portable PCs, servers and options. Founded in 1982, 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. -0-

Product names mentioned herein may be trademarks and/or registered trade marks of their respective companies.

(a) market share figures from SAP AG

CONTACT: Compaq Computer Corporation

Jerele Neeld,713-514-0484

or

Miller/Shandwick Technologies

Eric Grodziski, 617-536-0470

[e-mail]

or

SAP AG

Gerhard J. Rickes, [phone]