Data Return to Provide Managed Hosting Services For Supplier Enablement Solution; Solution Offering Provides Electronic Connectivity to Suppliers.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 6, 2001

Data Return (Nasdaq:DRTN), the company that provides a higher standard of managed hosting, today announced it has been selected to provide managed hosting services as part of the Microsoft Solution for Supplier Enablement. Targeting suppliers, this solution will help Microsoft clients increase revenue and customer satisfaction, lower costs by improving operational efficiency and retain their competitive differentiation in the marketplace.

The Microsoft offering provides an end-to-end solution that solves suppliers' needs to electronically connect to their trading partners. As part of its agreement with Microsoft Corp., Data Return will provide managed infrastructure services for customers seeking a Supplier Enablement solution.

"As we worked with customers to develop the Microsoft Solution for Supplier Enablement, they told us they wanted a flexible solution which addressed their unique business needs, helped them reduce their operational costs and would provide increased business efficiencies," said Thomas Rizzo, group solutions manager, Microsoft Corp. "Data Return's managed hosting services for Supplier Enablement applications, offering the Microsoft Solution for Supplier Enablement and running on Microsoft .NET Enterprise Servers, provides an implementation choice for customers interested in utilizing the solution through a hosted configuration running on the reliable and scalable Microsoft server foundation."

Data Return's production-ready configurations for the Microsoft Solution for Supplier Enablement are delivered in 10 business days or less for any number of servers with clustering technologies, an unprecedented delivery time for .NET Enterprise Server technologies.

Many industry-leading companies count on Data Return to competently deploy Microsoft .NET technologies, test applications prior to deployment, shorten implementation timeframes, quickly scale application infrastructures and improve application-monitoring capabilities.

Using the Microsoft Solution for Supplier Enablement, customers can take advantage of Data Return's Scalability Center testing services to ensure their applications will perform as expected in a managed hosting infrastructure. At the Center's lab facilities, customers can test the design and performance of complex electronic connection applications before deploying them on the Internet. By reducing downtime, companies can save millions of dollars in potentially lost revenue, while significantly improving customer loyalty and their reputation with trading partners in a highly competitive landscape.

In addition, the Customer Service Center (CSC) provides Supplier Enablement customers with a powerful online interface to Data Return's tools and products, enabling a more hands-on, interactive approach to managed hosting services. Capabilities enabled by the CSC include performance monitoring, the ability to view event calendars and support tickets, invoice review, customized summary reports and easy access to key application and system information.

"We are excited to be working with Microsoft to deliver a comprehensive Supplier Enablement solution to the market," said Jason A. Lochhead, Data Return CTO. "With Microsoft Solution for Supplier Enablement, we have taken our relationship with Microsoft's .NET Enterprise Server Product Development groups to a greater level of integration, and we look forward to working with the team as we continue to deliver a higher standard of managed hosting to our joint customers."

About Data Return

Recognized as the Microsoft Windows 2000 Global Hosting Partner of the Year 2000, Data Return specializes in providing high-availability managed hosting services for companies whose applications are based on Microsoft technologies. These services are utilized by many leading enterprises including Microsoft, Compaq Computer Corporation, RadioShack.com, Texas Instruments, H&R Block, Fossil and The World Bank. Data Return also provides managed infrastructure services for the rapidly growing market of Application Service Providers (ASPs). Data Return strategic investors and Global Alliance Partners include Microsoft, Compaq Computer Corporation and Level 3 Communications. For more information, visit www.datareturn.com.

This press release contains forward-looking information. Statements made in this press release that state Data Return's or management's intentions, plans, beliefs, expectations or predictions of "future events" are forward-looking statements. 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 Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the Quarter Ended June 30, 2001 and are updated from time to time through the filing of reports and registration statements with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements contained herein represent the judgment of Data Return as of the date of this release, and Data Return disclaims any intent or obligation to update or revise such forward-looking statements to reflect any change in Data Return's expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which such statements are based.

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