Coriolis Group Partners With TestOut! Software; New Co-Branded Line Pairs Exam Prep Books and TestOut! Open Simulation CD-ROMs.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 7, 2000

The Coriolis Group, LLC, a leading IT industry publisher and e-learning company, Tuesday announced that it has signed an agreement with TestOut! Corp. to package its Exam Prep(TM) books with TestOut! LabSim(TM) simulation software, for a co-branded line of certification products covering the four core Windows 2000 Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) exam topics.

Coriolis' Exam Prep books are the market leading study preparation guides for IT-industry certification programs. Exam Prep books lead students through key concepts and offer ongoing instruction and practice tests in both printed and closed-system electronic formats.

TestOut!'s exclusive LabSim(TM) product precisely simulates the Windows 2000 interface, allowing users to practice actual Windows 2000 networking tasks on a home computer without a fully operational network infrastructure or additional hardware and software.

Bundling the books and simulation software products in a comprehensive co-branded package significantly expands the content and methods through which tech professionals can study, learn and increase their core proficiencies.

"We're proud to partner with TestOut! for this new co-branded line," said Keith Weiskamp, Coriolis chief executive officer. "Expanding our product offerings to include the LabSim(TM) products will further establish our learning system as the most comprehensive training resource available.

"Students will benefit greatly from being able to study and learn using our Exam Prep guides and practice test software, and then gain hands-on experience working through projects with true open-simulations of the Windows 2000 servers."

"This is a win-win situation for both companies," said TestOut! company President, Noel Vallejo. "The IT certification industry is experiencing a major shift in the way we do business. Test vendors and, more importantly, employers, demand that an IT certification represent true ability to administer a network operating system.

"The combination of TestOut! and Coriolis allows customers to use Exam Prep materials and get the hands-on experience that TestOut! LabSim(TM) offers."

Coriolis will publish hard-copy LabSim(TM) lab manuals that will include grids to correlate content between Coriolis' Exam Prep(TM) and Exam Cram(TM) study guide chapters and the lab simulation projects.

For each of the Core Four MCSE certification topics: Windows 2000 Server; Windows 2000 Professional; Windows 2000 Directory Services; and Windows 2000 Network, the co-branded lab manuals and CDs can be purchased separately or packaged together with the corresponding Exam Prep(TM) book.

Consumers also will be able to purchase all the MCSE Core Four products bundled in one comprehensive package. The complete co-branded line will be available in January 2001 through Coriolis' established distribution channels.

Founded in 1991, TestOut! Corp. (www.testout.com ) is a privately held corporation with headquarters in Pleasant Grove, Utah. TestOut! is a leading provider of self-study, computer certification training for the Information Technology industry. The company develops products for the Microsoft and Novell network certifications, Cisco Solutions and CompTIA's A+ and Network + certification training.

The product line currently includes computer based training for Microsoft's Windows 2000 and NT 4 MCSE, Novell's NetWare 4.11 and NetWare 5 CNE, Cisco's CCNA and CompTIA's A+ and Network + certification.

The Coriolis Group, LLC (http://www.coriolis.com), is a leading e-learning company, publisher, and career advancement organization, providing the most comprehensive and user-friendly educational publications, products and services available.

Coriolis' ExamCram.com is the premier Web destination and e-learning resource center for IT industry certification and training, and its Exam Cram(TM) and Exam Prep(TM) brands and Black Book technical reference series are market leaders for educational materials targeting network, database and software developers, and system administrators.

Coriolis learning systems include print-based and electronic technical training manuals, reference guides and study materials covering more than 25 different technology fields and certification programs.

Coriolis also publishes best selling books for Web designers and computer graphics and animation specialists, covering advanced features and applications of leading creative design software programs. Products are available through consumer-direct channels, specialty stores, e-tailers and mass-market booksellers worldwide.