Data Return First to Market With Exchange 2000 Deployment; World Bank Group Selects Data Return to Host Staff Exchange Program.

Business/Technology Editors

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 10, 2000

Data Return Corporation (Nasdaq: DRTN), a leading global provider of managed hosting services for the Microsoft Windows 2000 platform, announced today it has been chosen by World Bank to provide managed services in support of its Staff Exchange Program. This deployment will allow participants in the program to exchange information by utilizing the document management interface in Exchange 2000. Additionally, participants will have the ability to personalize portals to further streamline document management and file sharing.

"Data Return is one of few organizations already hosting and supporting the Exchange 2000 application," said Pauline Ramprasad, manager, Staff Exchange Program of the World Bank Group. "Of the companies we researched, Data Return clearly provided the best support for our application with the most reasonable price. This system will help foster knowledge sharing among program participants and their companies and organizations, and will vastly improve our capacity to keep both active and alumni participants connected in a global virtual community."

Data Return worked jointly with Microsoft to ensure transparent integration of the Staff Exchange Program within Data Return's hosted environment. "Data Return, as one of the first companies to deploy a customer's business solution on hosted Exchange 2000 Servers, is one of the clear leaders in hosting collaborative solutions on Microsoft servers," said Keith McCall, product unit manager for Exchange Solutions, Microsoft. "Many of our largest customers are excited about providing global access to business solutions on hosted Exchange 2000 Servers."

"Exchange 2000 is a next generation messaging and collaboration engine," said Sunny C. Vanderbeck, Data Return chairman and CEO. "Because Exchange 2000 was designed for the Internet, companies can now more effectively outsource the management of their messaging infrastructure, resulting in lower operational costs and improved enterprise-wide communications."

About Data Return

Managing applications for more than 1,000 companies worldwide, Data Return is a leading global provider of advanced managed hosting services based on Microsoft technologies. By specializing exclusively on the Microsoft platform, Data Return provides customers with in-depth technical support and highly redundant, scalable hosting solutions. Data Return customers include Microsoft, Compaq Computer Corporation, RadioShack.com, Texas Instruments, First USA Bank, and many others. In addition to managed hosting services, Data Return also provides managed infrastructure services that enable the rapidly growing market of Application Service Providers (ASPs). Strategic partners and equity shareholders in Data Return include Microsoft, Compaq Computer Corporation, and Level 3 Communications. For more information, visit www.datareturn.com.

About the World Bank Group

Founded in 1944, the World Bank Group consists of five closely associated institutions: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD); the International Development Association (IDA); the International Finance Corporation (IFC); the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA); and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). James D. Wolfensohn is the President of the five institutions.

This press release contains forward-looking information. Actual results may differ materially due to a number of risks, including changes in external competitive market factors, changes in or an inability to execute Data Return's business strategy, unanticipated changes in the hosting industry, the economy in general and changes in the use of the Internet. Data Return cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. The matters discussed in this press release also involve risks and uncertainties summarized under the heading "Risk Factors" in Data Return's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the Year Ended March 31, 2000 and are updated from time to time through the filing of reports and registration statements with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Data Return does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking information contained in this press release.

Data Return is a trademark of Data Return Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders.