CrossKeys Joins Micromuse Developers Alliance Program; CrossKeys to Integrate Network and Service Management CrossKeys Resolve Software Into the NETCOOL Suite.

Business Editors & Technology Writers

SAN FRANCISCO & OTTOWA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 21, 2000

Micromuse Inc. (Nasdaq:MUSE), the leading provider of fault and service-level management software, and CrossKeys Systems Corporation (Nasdaq:CKEY) (TSE:CKY), a leading provider of carrier-scale software that guarantees quality of service (QoS), today announced that CrossKeys has joined the Micromuse Developers Alliance(TM) as a Netcool Ready(TM) partner.

CrossKeys will license the Netcool Software Developers Kit(TM) (Netcool SDK), which provides the necessary tools to integrate CrossKeys Resolve(R) software with the Netcool(R) suite. The integration of CrossKeys Resolve software will allow users of the Netcool suite to collect and analyze performance statistics, giving service providers a complete view into what is happening in their network and with their customer's services. The integration will enable network operations to quickly react to realtime network faults and proactively manage service providers' networks to address congestion and optimize network planning.

"Joining the Micromuse Developers Alliance program is a key step in our growth plans and addresses our customers' need to deploy service-assurance products spanning the fault and performance management domains," said Ian McLaren, President & CEO, CrossKeys. "The integration of these products will enable our customers to significantly reduce the risk of service interruption, allowing them to improve the quality of services they offer."

"Managing and guaranteeing service levels requires a business-oriented approach to network and systems management," says Elisabeth Rainge, Analyst, IDC. "Service providers are looking for products that not only simplify the management of their network infrastructure, but interpret events in a manner that is understandable to business managers."

The Micromuse Developers Alliance provides Micromuse and its alliance members with the resources to cooperatively pursue business, technical and marketing opportunities. Already a significant number of vendors have expressed interest in Micromuse's Developers Alliance Program to develop and provide off-the-shelf integrated solutions for mutual customers. Toward that end, Micromuse actively enlists best-in-class solutions providers offering applications complementary to the Netcool suite. Micromuse provides its approved Netcool Ready partners with the Netcool SDK. Provided in CD-ROM format, the Netcool SDK provides the tools necessary to develop Netcool Probes, Gateways and Data Source Adapters.

"As the Netcool suite becomes an increasingly crucial and central part of our customers' businesses, it is essential that we provide integration with other software solutions," said Tim Tokarsky, Micromuse's Senior Vice President, Business Development. "CrossKeys' historical performance information will be complementary to Netcool's realtime fault management and we are delighted that they have joined the Alliance Program."

About CrossKeys Systems Corporation

CrossKeys Systems Corporation (Nasdaq:CKEY) (TSE:CKY) develops software that makes the Internet work for business. The world's largest and fastest growing service providers manage the equipment, traffic, and service on their telecom networks with CrossKeys. The web site is at: www.crosskeys.com.

About Micromuse

Micromuse Inc. (Nasdaq:MUSE) is the leading provider of fault and service-level management software. Micromuse was named one of the Top 25 Best Performers in the Wall Street Journal's Shareholder Scoreboard and has recently been recognized in the Forbes 500, Bloomberg's Top 100 Stocks, the Barron's 500 and San Francisco Chronicle 500. Micromuse customers include AirTouch, AT&T, BT, Cable & Wireless, Cellular One, Charles Schwab, Deutsche Telekom, Digex, EarthLink, GTE, ICG Communications, ITC DeltaCom, MCI Worldcom, NextLink, PSINet and a number of financial investment concerns. Headquarters are located at 139 Townsend Street, San Francisco, CA 94107; 415/538-9090. The Web site is at www.micromuse.com.

Netcool is a registered trademark of Micromuse. All other trademarks and registered trademarks in this document are the properties of their respective owners. Any statements contained in this press release that do not describe historical facts may constitute forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any forward-looking statements contained herein are based on current expectations, but are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties.

The factors that could cause actual future results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements include the following: fluctuations in customer demand, the Company's ability to manage its growth (including the ability to hire sufficient sales and technical personnel), the risks associated with the expansion of the Company's distribution channels, the risk of new product introductions and customer acceptance of new products; the rapid technological change which characterizes the Company's markets, the risks associated with competition, the risks associated with international sales as the Company expands its markets, and the ability of the Company to compete successfully in the future, as well as other risks identified in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission Filings, including but not limited to those appearing under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Company's most recent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and on Form 10-K on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available on the Company's Web site.

CrossKeys Systems Corporation is a public company whose common shares are listed for trading on NASDAQ (CKEY) in the United States and on The Toronto Stock Exchange (CKY) in Canada. CrossKeys, its logo and CrossKeys Resolve are registered trademarks of CrossKeys Systems Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders and are acknowledged by CrossKeys Systems Corporation.