Computer Associates and Cabletron Announce "Oot-Of-The Box" Integration of CA-UniCenter and Spectrum.

ISLANDIA, N.Y. and ROCHESTER, N.H.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--November 25, 1996--

Seamless Interoperability Offers Users Unprecedented Flexibility And Scope

Computer Associates International, Inc. and Cabletron Systems today announced that their industry-leading enterprise management solutions have been made fully interoperable. This integration leverages the respective strengths of Cabletron SPECTRUM and CA-Unicenter, allowing users to monitor and manage their distributed systems infrastructure with extraordinary comprehensiveness, precision and ease.

Users of either platform can now gain immediate access to the complementary functionality provided by the other. Specifically, CA-Unicenter clients can incorporate the intelligence and extensive range of third-party applications that SPECTRUM brings to network management into CA-Unicenter's robust, open management infrastructure. The inter-platform integration also enables SPECTRUM clients to seamlessly invoke CA-Unicenter's advanced multiplatform integrated management suite from their existing SPECTRUM consoles.

"IT departments are under intense pressure to effectively manage computing environments that are increasing in size, in complexity, and in their importance to the business," said Reuven Battat, CA senior vice-president of research and development strategy. "By providing 'out-of-the-box' integration of SPECTRUM and the CA-Unicenter infrastructure, Cabletron and CA have delivered a combined management solution of exceptional scope, intelligence and power."

"Large corporate customers know that in order to meet the demands of the business, they can no longer allow resource management disciplines to function independently of each other," said William Tracy, director of advanced application development for Cabletron. "The integration of SPECTRUM and CA-Unicenter provides the technological gateway necessary to achieve this critical management transformation."

The jointly-developed integration facilities between SPECTRUM Enterprise Manager and CA-Unicenter allow all alarms, events, and management actions to be passed automatically between the two platforms. They also provide seamless GUI integration between the two platforms, linking the status of network devices on both consoles and permitting transparent navigation between SPECTRUM and CA-Unicenter functions.

This bi-directional communications allows SPECTRUM's automated alarm and filtering capabilities to be utilized within CA-Unicenter's open enterprise management infrastructure and augmented by CA-Unicenter's operational functions--which include workload management, security and trouble-ticketing. Specific device management, user administration, and/or resource monitoring applications can also be launched from either console, either manually or automatically upon problem detection.

"Pressured IT organizations are looking for the functionality Cabletron and CA are providing," said John McConnell of McConnell Consulting, Boulder, CO. "This level of functional integration addresses key issues such as cross-platform management, scalability and management staff productivity. Their complimentary skills are creating a management infrastructure that will deliver results."

Integration of Cabletron SPECTRUM and CA-Unicenter will be a native feature of all future versions of both products.

Computer Associates International, Inc. (NYSE: CA), with headquarters in Islandia, N.Y., is the world leader in mission-critical business software. The company develops, licenses and supports more than 500 integrated products that include enterprise computing and information management, application development, manufacturing and financial applications. CA has 9,000 people in 130 offices in 40 countries and had revenue of more than $3.5 billion in fiscal year 1996. CA can be reached by visiting http://www.cai.com on the World Wide Web, emailing [e-mail] or calling 1-516-342-5224.

Cabletron Systems is the recognized leader in providing high-performance intranetworking solutions, including LAN and ATM switches and advanced network and systems management software. Under its Synthesis product framework, Cabletron markets products throughout the world for linking and managing enterprise-wide networks. With corporate headquarters in Rochester, NH, Cabletron employs over 6,000 people worldwide. Cabletron's common stock is traded over the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol CS. Over the last four quarters, the company has reported record revenue of $1.2 billion. Cabletron's World Wide Web site can be reached on the Internet at http://www.cabletron.com. -0-

All referenced product names are trademarks of their respective companies.

CONTACT: Bob Gordon, CA,

[phone] or [e-mail]

or

Dennis Drogseth, Cabletron

[phone] or [e-mail]