IONA Technologies Releases Orbix 2.3; New Release of World's Leading Object Middleware Solution.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 24, 1997--IONA Technologies (NASDAQ:IONAY) is today announcing the latest release of the world's best-selling object middleware environment, Orbix(r) 2.3. Orbix gives corporations the power to make their applications work together regardless of the computer platform or development environment being used. Orbix, now the undoubted market leader in providing tools for CORBA application development, extends support for deploying business critical systems by providing new features that improve scalability and management of multi-tier applications.

In addition, this latest version of Orbix is the core component of IONA's forthcoming OrbixOTM - an integrated product offering developers a suite of tools for the creation and deployment of enterprise wide applications.

Orbix 2.3 is the latest step in IONA's work to make CORBA deployment easier to manage, more scaleable and secure. It includes enhanced GUI tools, making the administration and management of large scale CORBA applications more effective. Orbix 2.3 is fully enabled for system management, including essential deployment features for multi-tier applications such as load reporting, server error reporting and dynamic re-configuration of managed components. System management information can be collated at a centralized node and interfaced with any standard System Management tool offering SNMP interfaces. The programming model in this release is revised for building flexible multi-threaded applications, enabling developers to decide the load each application will handle at deployment, essential in scaling to thousands of connected users.

"Orbix is being used to build cars and planes, deliver video on demand, manage national telephone systems and run large multinational organizations," commented Colin Newman, executive vice president of marketing at IONA Technologies. "It has grown and matured with these diverse applications to offer a scalable, reliable and mature development environment. In tandem with its extensive use, we remain focused on offering extended deployment support for the growing number of customers building full production systems. This approach appeals to organizations all over the world who are increasingly using Orbix to make their applications and businesses work together. In this tradition, Orbix 2.3 delivers more functionality than any previous release - further strengthens Orbix onto the Internet, gives developers more flexibility - all in a stable and mature environment."

One organization building a mission critical application with Orbix is 280 Inc. "With the Meeting Center (www.meetingcenter.com) we are providing a mission-critical business service directly over the Internet that must scale to thousands of concurrent users and provide 24x7 service," commented Michael Baum, CEO of 280 Inc. "The infrastructure for the Meeting Center had to be proven, mature and open. We chose Orbix as it met all these criteria and it has provided us a robust environment for the development of the Meeting Center. We welcome the latest release of Orbix and the capabilities it offers."

Orbix 2.3 Features

GUI Tools

The enhanced GUI Toolset provides extended support for system configuration, server management, administration of the interface repository and includes the Orbix Names database. These tools are designed for developers and systems administrators working with large CORBA developments and deployments.

Enhanced Internet Development Support

Orbix 2.3 now fully supports the Internet Callback Mechanism (ICM) and is fully SSL security enabled. The ICM, which supports inbound and outbound connections from the client and server in an Internet application, is essential in the creation of powerful web-based applications, as it enables the server to notify clients, over the Internet, of relevant events. The ICM is fully IIOP compliant and works seamlessly with IONA's exclusive Wonderwall(tm) technology.

Dynamic Multi threading

Orbix 2.3 incorporates an enhanced model for developing multi threaded applications. In performance-sensitive applications such as the Internet its essential that the developer can dynamically assign and adjust the number of threads and connections. The addition of enhanced multi-threading support ensures developers can build mission critical scalable applications.

Orbix - Many platforms - One solution

Orbix offers developers a platform and language independent solution to making applications, systems and organizations work together. Orbix is natively available on a host of disparate platforms from MVS Mainframe to various UNIX platforms, OS/2, Windows NT and Windows 95 offering the complete interoperability solution.

Evolutionary Compatibility

Orbix, now in its eight revision, is the world's most mature CORBA product. IONA has worked hard to ensure that this latest version provides seamless compatibility with previous versions, protecting customers' existing investment in distributed development.

Pricing and Availability

Orbix 2.3 will be available on Sun Solaris, Hewlett Packard UX and Windows NT on the 1st of December 1997. Orbix costs between US$2,500 - $6,500 per developer depending on the platform.

More information on Orbix 2.3 is available on the Internet at: http://www.iona.com/Products/Orbix

More pricing information is available from: http://www.iona.com/Products/Orbix/Pricing.html

More information on Orbix Wonderwall is available at: http://www.iona.com/Products/Other/Wonderwall/index.html

Founded in 1991, IONA Technologies (NASDAQ:IONAY) is in the business of making software work together. IONA's leading product, Orbix(r), provides customers with a standards based enterprise middleware solution to make diverse software components work together in a reliable, dependable and scaleable manner. According to IDC's market research, Orbix, which is used by over 2,000 businesses worldwide and conforms to the Object Management Group's CORBA specification, is the world's leading object middleware product. In 1997, IONA's Orbix won the prestigious Network Computing magazine Well-Connected Award as "Best Orb Middleware" and the company was chosen for an "Editors' Choice" award from Software magazine's Software 500 listing.

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NOTE TO EDITORS: To access IONA press releases and background material on the web, visit: http://www.iona.com/Press/ . If you would like to receive IONA press releases by e-mail, contact Tom Murphy at [e-mail]

Orbix is a registered trademark of IONA Technologies. Making software work together and Wonderwall are trademarks of IONA Technologies. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

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