Datawatch's New VorteXML Server Speeds Adoption of XML for Web Services, Legacy Transformation and Bill Presentment Applications.

Business Editors and Hi-Tech Writers

LOWELL, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 10, 2002

Datawatch Corporation (NASDAQ: DWCH), a leading provider of enterprise reporting, infrastructure and IT support solutions, today released VorteXML Server, enabling users to easily automate the often laborious and lengthy process of transforming legacy data into valid XML. The product complements VorteXML Designer, which allows users to visually extract, transform and map data from structured text output into valid XML without programming. Together, the combined solution provides the ideal toolset to generate XML for popular e-business applications including bill and statement presentment, B2B interactions, legacy transformation and Web Services.

VorteXML Server offers users the ability to:

-- Convert high-volumes of text data to XML;

-- Automate complex conversions and transformations;

-- Invoke conversion remotely through a web service via Java, .NET

or any other SOAP-enabled client;

-- Run conversions on a recurring basis; and

-- Trigger XML conversions based on file creation.

"XML promises to provide enterprises significant return on investment, but it is critical to realize that the initial investment required to put existing content into XML has been a major barrier to adoption," said ZapThink Senior Analyst Ronald Schmelzer. "Companies must therefore find a way to lower the cost of XML creation. Datawatch's VorteXML lowers this cost and time investment required by providing an automated approach to converting legacy content into XML, thus enabling enterprises to realize the full benefits of solutions across the content lifecycle."

Expert Systems Consulting (ESC) of Canton, OH, a provider of supply chain solutions to the electrical products distribution market, is using VorteXML as the basis of its new ESC DOCS web-based customer statements and invoices service. "VorteXML will automatically transform our customers' invoice and statement output into valid XML documents for immediate display on the Web - all with no user interaction," said John Kroah, president of ESC. "This service just isn't feasible without VorteXML."

"By automating the XML conversion process with VorteXML Server, businesses can dramatically reduce the time and cost of producing valid XML from their existing systems," said John Kitchen, senior vice president of Desktop and Server Solutions at Datawatch. "There's no other XML conversion solution like this in terms of pricing, ease of use, flexibility and power, and that is reflected by the thousands of VorteXML Designer downloads that we have experienced from our website in anticipation of VorteXML Server."

Unlike existing costly and complex XML transformation products, VorteXML overcomes all of the hurdles associated with creating XML from existing structured text documents. VorteXML Server is a continuation of Datawatch's strategy to deliver products that solve users' business needs without requiring programming skills or resources. VorteXML allows business users to easily extract, transform and map data into XML without programming by leveraging parsing and recognition technology developed by Datawatch for its industry-leading Monarch data conversion and analytics tool.

Built for Performance

VorteXML Server takes advantage of Windows 2000 Server core technologies COM+, MSMQ, and MSDE to provide a high volume XML conversion solution. Using these core technologies, VorteXML is able to optimize performance by:

-- Allowing multiple instances of the conversion engine to run reliably;

-- Utilizing a high-performance database engine for optimal throughput; and

-- Using components that are all able to take advantage of multi-processor scaling.

Requirements, Pricing and Availability

VorteXML Server runs on Microsoft Windows 2000 and XP and is available immediately. VorteXML Server is priced at $7,999 per server (up to two CPUs - a VorteXML license for each additional two CPUs per server is $1,999). Service Bureau and ASP pricing is available by request.

ABOUT VORTEXML

VorteXML quickly and easily converts any structured ASCII/ANSI text data (including reports, invoices, log files, HTML, etc.) generated from any system into valid XML using any DTD or XDR Schema on a programming-free basis. VorteXML greatly simplifies the transformation of complex business documents and HTML into valid XML. At the same time, it provides transformation capabilities that allow for complete population of the XML document. VorteXML:

-- Provides a visual interface for the extraction, transformation and mapping of data into XML;

-- Accepts numerous diverse text files including invoices, purchase orders, reports, log files and HTML documents into valid XML;

-- Interprets hundreds of numeric, date and currency type formats from text data;

-- Enables transformation and derivation of data, through calculations and formulas; and

-- Drastically reduces the length and expense of XML conversion projects.

The VorteXML solution is comprised of two powerful products that work together:

VorteXML Designer provides users a visual interface that allows them to build and test re-useable profiles to extract, transform and map data from existing text documents into XML without programming. VorteXML Designer may also be used for simple onetime conversions.

VorteXML Server is a scalable, high-volume server that automates the extraction and conversion of text documents into XML. It includes facilities that perform automated processing of profiles created by VorteXML Designer, as well as a simple API.

ABOUT DATAWATCH CORPORATION

Datawatch Corporation is a leading provider of enterprise reporting, infrastructure and IT support solutions that help organizations increase productivity, reduce costs and gain competitive advantage. Datawatch products are used in more than 20,000 companies, institutions and government agencies worldwide.

Datawatch works with VARs, integrators, consultants and independent software vendors who sell and support Datawatch products. In addition, Datawatch works with OEM customers who embed Datawatch components and technologies in their own solutions. The corporate address for Datawatch is 175 Cabot Street, Suite 503, Lowell, MA 01854-3633; telephone [phone], fax [phone]; http://www.datawatch.com.

Monarch and VorteXML are trademarks of Datawatch Corporation. All other trademarks are the properties of their respective owners.