Data General Demonstrates Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 Scalability With Multi-Terabyte Data Warehouse.

LAS VEGAS, Nev.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 16, 1998--

TeraCLIN Clinical Database Highlights Data General's and

Microsoft's Commitment to the Healthcare Market

Data General Corporation, the leader in the Windows NT midrange server market according to IDC(1), unveils today at COMDEX/Fall a powerful demonstration of Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 scalability with a multi-Terabyte data warehouse. The demonstration, developed by Microsoft and Data General, uses a medical data warehouse, called TeraCLIN, running on eight-processor AViiON(R) servers and CLARiiON(R) full Fibre Channel storage subsystems.

"TeraCLIN confirms the enterprise-readiness of SQL Server 7.0 for a wide variety of applications beyond the clinical information we chose for this demonstration," said David Flawn, vice president of NT Marketing at Data General. "TeraCLIN is the one of the first tangible results of the Data General and Microsoft Healthcare Alliance. Its successful completion leveraged expertise from both companies including Data General's Professional Services Data Warehousing Practice and Microsoft Consulting Services, Healthcare Practice."

"TeraCLIN was developed to demonstrate scalability and performance of Microsoft SQL Server 7.0, ActiveX for Healthcare and Data General's enterprise Windows NT Server platform," said John D. Carpenter, Jr., worldwide healthcare industry manager at Microsoft Corp. "Data General's expertise in high-end systems and its ability to deliver innovative solutions has helped drive Microsoft Windows NT Server and BackOffice family of products into the enterprise mission-critical space."

(1) IDC, October, 1998

Commenting on the value of the TeraCLIN to the healthcare market, Rusty Lewis, Chief Technology Executive at HBOC, said, "What Data General and Microsoft have proven with the TeraCLIN project is that SQL 7 does indeed have the enterprise scalability on the proper level of server and storage technology that is required in the healthcare market. Our customers ask us all the time to show them a proof point that has a similar profile. TeraCLIN gives HBOC the ability to refer to a location that has SQL 7 technology deployed in an environment that is representative of what our users are going to require."

Mr. Lewis continued, "Combine that with Data General's 99.9% guaranteed uptime for Windows NT and SQL Server 7.0, and its excellent performance for Windows NT and SQL Server and you have a compelling proposal. Data General and Microsoft are making it easier for HBOC to be able to deploy its enterprise healthcare technology on the Windows NT/SQL Server platforms."

The TeraCLIN Project

The TeraCLIN project was undertaken to demonstrate the scalability and performance of Microsoft SQL Server 7.0, ActiveX, and Data General's enterprise Windows NT platform built on AViiON servers and CLARiiON full Fibre Channel storage systems with a multi-terabyte medical data warehouse system that could store and provide easy access to a wide variety of clinical information.

Designing and Implementing TeraCLIN

The design and implementation of the TeraCLIN data warehouse was achieved with the expertise of Data General's Professional Services' Data Warehousing Practice using the Iterative Data Warehouse Development Methodology. This methodology emphasizes flexibility in both design and implementation to facilitate evolution in core business analysis as needs change. In addition, this approach is designed to provide tangible business benefits in 6-9 months.

TeraCLIN Details

"Making medical diagnoses is often difficult and subjective. Physicians and other healthcare workers have to make timely decisions based on access to a great deal of information, that is rich in content," Mr. Flawn stated. "For example, a medical record may consist of MRI's, X-rays, PET scans, lab results, demographics, reference consultations, dictated reports, and more."

Tracking and utilizing these components and the information they contain is a challenging job. However, new technologies introduced in SQL Server 7.0 can easily handle it. For example, data is stored in its binary mode allowing virtually any type of file to be stored inside the database and referenced by the SQL system. As a result, TeraCLIN can electronically archive images, faxes, MS-Word documents, audio files, streaming video, and a variety of other data formats.

End user Access to TeraCLIN Information

End user access to the powerful data warehouse is provided by Microsoft English Query and OLAP tools, complemented by a custom-developed graphical user interface built from the Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0 development system, ESRI Map Object, and ActiveX components. This custom program, developed by Microsoft Consulting Services, Healthcare Practice, not only interfaces with Microsoft English Query and OLAP tools, but also allows users to easily view medication profiles, encounters, billing, patient demographics, scanned images, scanned reports, and much more. ESRI's software displays query results with respect to geographical locations. For example, for the query "Show me the concentrations of angina in women in the US," a map of the US shows the geographical distribution of angina throughout the US.

Microsoft and Data General Healthcare Alliance

Microsoft Corp. and Data General Corporation have joined efforts to promote healthcare enterprise solutions using Microsoft ActiveX for Healthcare. As part of the relationship, Microsoft and Data General have established a Healthcare Competency Center at Data General's headquarters in Westboro, MA. The Center fosters the development of ActiveX for Healthcare- compliant applications, helps facilitate the development of ActiveX for Healthcare-compliant solutions for independent software vendors, and provides a setting for technology demonstrations, such as TeraCLIN.

About HBOC

HBOC delivers enterprise-wide patient care, clinical, financial, strategic management resource management software solutions, as well as networking technologies, electronic commerce, outsourcing and other services to healthcare organizations throughout the world. For product information, visit HBOC's Web Site at www.hboc.com or call 1-800-981-8601.

About Data General

Data General (NYSE:DGN), based in Westboro, Massachusetts, is a major supplier of storage and enterprise computing solutions for customers worldwide. The company's products include CLARiiON Fibre Channel storage systems, high-end Windows NT and UNIX AViiON servers, and related software and services. The company reported fiscal 1997 revenues of $1.5 billion. Additional information on the company, its products, and services is available on the Internet at www.dg.com.

AViiON and CLARiiON are registered trademarks of Data General Corporation. All other brand names and product names referenced in this press release are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders