Informix Simplifies Product Offerings; Single Server With Tightly-Integrated Options Designed to Make it Easier to Configure Solutions.

MENLO PARK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 19, 1997--

Single-Server Approach and New Single Client Offers Developers

Common API for All Informix Application Development

Informix Software, Inc., the leading provider of innovative database technology, announced today the simplification of its database server product line, a move intended to better reflect its unified database architecture and to make it easier for customers to understand and purchase Informix products.

Informix also announced a common API that enables customers to write applications once for all Informix server configurations.

As part of its product simplification, Informix is highlighting the investment protection that its product line offers. In addition, Informix has reduced the price of its advanced data warehousing solutions to better reflect the importance of scalability in the mainstream data warehouse market. The company has also unbundled the DataBlade(R) modules that used to be sold as part of INFORMIX(R)-Universal Server, effectively lowering the entry price for Informix's industry-leading extensibility.

"Informix has long been the database technology leader and we are the vendor of choice for enterprises who use IT for competitive advantage," said Informix Chairman and CEO Bob Finocchio. "Today's announcement makes it easier for our sales force to configure solutions for our customers and for the customers to buy them. The announcement also demonstrates the new solutions focus of Informix in four key areas: high-performance OLTP, data warehousing, Web/content management and the distributed enterprise."

"The issue had never been Informix technology -- which has been and remains truly innovative -- but rather their approach in bringing it to market," said Peter Kastner, an analyst at Aberdeen Group. "The simplified product line, and the simpler buying process it enables, will make it much easier for customers to figure out how to put that technology to work."

Unified Product Line

Rather than marketing its server technology as distinct server products as in the past, Informix will now market a single server, the Informix Dynamic Server(TM), with a menu of integrated configuration options addressing the needs of customers creating OLTP, data warehousing, distributed enterprise, and web/content management applications. At the core of Informix's offering is its innovative Dynamic Scalable Architecture(TM) (DSA) which delivers optimal performance in any environment and fully leverages available hardware resources with its unique parallel-everything design.

Specific changes in Informix's database product line include the following:

Informix Dynamic Server, formerly called OnLine Dynamic Server(TM), is Informix's database supporting both OLTP and data warehousing applications and offering built-in parallelism and dynamic administration to guarantee the performance and availability essential for today's demanding database applications. As part of Informix Dynamic Server, Informix offers five configuration options: -0-

-- The Advanced Decision Support Option(TM), formerly found in the Extended Parallel Server, exploits the capabilities of both symmetric multiprocessor (SMP) and uniprocessor architectures to deliver breakthrough database scalability, manageability, and performance for large-scale data warehousing and decision support applications. This option specifically optimizes query performance for specialized DSS indices.

-- The Extended Parallel Option(TM), formerly found in the Extended Parallel Server, optimizes Informix Dynamic Server for loosely coupled or shared-nothing computing architectures, including clusters of symmetric multiprocessors and massively parallel processors. The option features a completely shared-nothing design, offering proven near-linear scalability to hundreds of computers for the highest performance on terabytes of business data.

-- The MetaCube(TM) ROLAP Option, formerly known as INFORMIX-MetaCube(TM), provides a multidimensional view of warehouse data, enabling customers to search through data using open warehouse tools.

-- The Universal Data Option(TM), formerly part of INFORMIX-Universal Server, uses DataBlade technology to extend the traditional relational database functionality of Informix Dynamic Server to incorporate new data types such as photos and maps, new industry-specific business logic such as package routing rules or complex currency exposure analysis. This option also allows customers to take advantage of new server functions and indexing methods for Web and content management.

-- The Web Integration Option(TM) (formerly the Web DataBlade and INFORMIX-Universal Web Connect(TM)) enables Web clients to be integrated with Informix Dynamic Server to create dynamic, content-driven Websites. -0-

Investment Protection, A Price Cut and DataBlade Module Unbundling 

A main focus of the product simplification is protecting customers' investments. By purchasing Informix Dynamic Server, customers buy only the functionality they need when they need it and, down the line, upgrade seamlessly to advanced functionality without having to move to a whole new server.

In addition, Informix announced it has cut the price of its advanced data warehousing solution -- what used to be known as Extended Parallel Server -- by $800 per user. Thus, purchasing Informix Dynamic Server with the two advanced data warehousing options -- the Extended Parallel Option and the Advanced Decision Support Option -- costs $2,200 per user instead of the $3,000 per user that Extended Parallel Server product used to cost.

"Scalable data warehousing has become a competitive necessity with the majority of mainstream customers. This price reduction reflects the maturity of the market and Informix's aggressive push in this area," said Tony Rodoni, general manager of Informix's data warehousing business unit.

In addition, DataBlade modules that used to come bundled with INFORMIX-Universal Server are now sold separately. This unbundling lowers the cost of upgrading to Informix's industry-leading extensibility to $300 per user versus the $1,000 it used to cost to upgrade from Informix's core database product to INFORMIX-Universal Server. As a result, customers now easily incorporate business logic into their core applications and add selected DataBlade modules as needed to complete the solution.

New Single Informix Client: Write Once, Deploy On Any Server Configuration

Also announced today was a single, unified Informix Client, allowing developers to write applications once and deploy them to Informix Dynamic Server or any of its options. This provides customers and third party developers the ability to easily program to a single API and deploy to any Informix server configuration, without requiring any re-write or re-compile of the application.

This common API, along with the simplified product architecture, is designed to help customers shorten their development time, increase code reuse, and reduce the training needed for in-house development teams, as well as to allow them to quickly and easily add advanced functionality without affecting existing business processing. The API should also speed the development of commercial applications on the Informix platform.

Listening to Customers

Informix product simplification comes in response to requests from Informix customers and partners. "No one doubts the competitive advantage made possible by our Dynamic Scalable Architecture," said Brett Bachman, Informix's vice president and general manager of enterprise products.

"The simplified product line announced today is designed to make it easier for customers and partners to select Informix' software options appropriate to the applications they develop, as well as to fully leverage the benefits of a single, high-performance database engine.

"In the past, many customers were unaware that all of our database products already shared 80 percent common code, enabling unmatched integration and extensibility," said Bachman. "Today's simplification makes it easier for customers to understand and exploit this unique architecture for greater flexibility and at a lower cost of ownership."

Customers, Partners Enthusiastic About Simplification

Customers, partners and industry observers have commented positively on Informix's product simplification.

"Informix is making a significant gesture by addressing customer demands for a more clearly defined product line," said Joe Smialowski, chief information officer at Sears. "Sears supports Informix's decision to redefine its product offerings, as we feel confident it will garner increased understanding from the industry."

"As a reseller of Informix's database products to financial institutions, it is critical that we communicate the value of our solutions to our customers," said Mark Pearson, chief technical officer at Security First Technologies. "Informix's product line simplification makes sense -- it makes our jobs as resellers easier, by providing a clear means of communicating the value Informix brings to the table."

About Informix

Informix Software, Inc., the world's database technology leader, provides innovative database products that enable the world's major corporations to attain competitive advantage. Informix is widely recognized as the technology leader for corporate computing environments ranging from small workgroups to very large parallel processing applications.

Informix's database servers, application development tools, superior customer service, and strong partnerships enable the company to be at the forefront of major information technology solution areas including data warehousing, OLTP, Web/content management and distributed enterprise solutions. For more information, contact the sales office nearest you or visit Informix's Web site at http://www.informix.com . -0-

Note to Editors: The following are worldwide trademarks of Informix Software, Inc. or its affiliates, registered in the United States of America, as indicated by (R), and numerous other countries worldwide: INFORMIX(R), DataBlade(R), Informix Dynamic Server(TM), Dynamic Scalable Architecture(TM), OnLine Dynamic Server(TM), Advanced Decision Support Option(TM), Extended Parallel Option(TM), Universal Data Option(TM), Informix Dynamic Server Workgroup Edition(TM), MetaCube(TM) and Web Integration Option(TM). All other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

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