NetIQ's New Windows Administration, Password Management Solutions Increase Return on Microsoft Active Directory.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 20, 2004

Layered Security Architecture Improves Security,

Staff Productivity

NetIQ Corp. (Nasdaq:NTIQ), a leading provider of Systems & Security Management and Web Analytics solutions, today announced the upcoming release of a new version of NetIQ(R) Security Administration Suite and a new module, Secure Password Administrator(TM), for NetIQ's Directory and Resource Administrator(TM). These solutions are designed to help companies increase their Return On Active Directory (ROAD) investments through increased security, automation and auditability of their Microsoft Active Directory environments.

"Active Directory and Microsoft Identity Integration Server 2003 are key components of many of our customers' identity management projects. We are pleased to see NetIQ developing products that extend the functionality available in Active Directory and Microsoft Identity Integration Server 2003 (MIIS)," said Jackson Shaw, product manager at Microsoft.

Paving the way to an increase in ROAD investments is the unique Layered Security Architecture that enables distribution of directory access based on IT staff or help desk task needs, skill level and permissions. This architecture, found only with NetIQ Security Administration Suite, not only increases security but also provides more flexibility than single-layered access models by allowing user management beyond the Active Directory topology, providing offline policy management and enabling integrated provisioning and identity management.

"The Layered Security Architecture allowed us to delegate Windows account administration tasks to two help desk staff reserving the higher-level staff for more technical and pressing needs," said Bob Maley, network administrator at the Good Samaritan Hospital, a healthcare facility located in Lebanon, PA, offering complete inpatient and outpatient care. "This not only lowered staff costs but also increased security of the directory."

According to a recent Gartner Inc. report, identity and access management solutions are a growing "must have" for enterprises of all sizes and industries.

"Knowing who has access to what and why changes were made to Group Policies or user account information is key to security integrity," said John Enck, vice president and research director at Gartner Inc., a research and advisory firm that helps more than 10,000 clients leverage technology to achieve business success. "Administration and management solutions can enable companies to implement policies across the enterprise in a safe and auditable way."

The ROAD initiative includes the following products:

-- Security Administration Suite 5.0 - Provides a rapid return on

Active Directory investments by helping reduce the costs of

administration and providing additional means to secure the

Windows environment.

-- Directory and Resource Administrator 7.0 - Allows IT

administrators, help desk staff and end users to update

directory data and manage computer resources with a

flexible, dynamic task delegation model helping reduce

administrative costs. The updated version leverages

detailed customer experience data to improve real-world

task performance, such as using Active Directory to

provide near real-time password resets in geographically

distributed organizations.

-- Secure Password Administrator 1.0 - This new module for

Directory and Resource Administrator saves organizations

money and resources by enabling secure self-service

password reset and unlock capabilities for Windows NT and

Microsoft Active Directory environments.

-- NetIQ(R) Group Policy Administrator(TM) 4.0 -The new

version of NetIQ Group Policy Administrator, which NetIQ

plans to make available this quarter, will provide full

offline management for GPO change control and change

simulation to minimize downtime from improper

configurations saving valuable time and money as well as

increasing security. NetIQ Group Policy Administrator

complements Microsoft Group Policy Management Console 

(GPMC) by providing support for GPMC backup and reporting

formats to protect legacy investments in native tools.

-- Directory Security Administrator(TM) 2.0 - Helps

administrators more easily administer role-based security

in Microsoft Active Directory through advanced permissions

management.

Pricing and Availability

NetIQ Security Administration Suite and its add-on modules start at $2,800 for a 100-user license. NetIQ's Directory and Resource Administrator 7.0 and Secure Password Administrator 1.0 are available today. NetIQ plans to release NetIQ Group Policy Administrator 4.0 this quarter. For more information about NetIQ Security Administration Suite, please contact your local NetIQ sales representative or call NetIQ at [phone].

To read more about NetIQ's Administration Solutions and the "ROAD" initiative go to http://www.netiq.com/go/ROAD.

"Realizing the Return on Active Directory" Audiocast

NetIQ is sponsoring "Realizing the Return on Active Directory," a free audiocast on Feb. 25, 2004 at 11 a.m. CST where attendees will discover how to maximize their return on Active Directory investments and cut the costs of security exposures. Windows guru Mark Minasi and NetIQ's Windows expert Indy Chakrabarti will discuss how to use Active Directory's automation capabilities to reduce manual processes and important ways to secure Active Directory, such as task delegation, centralized auditing and Group Policy management. For more information or to register, go to https://event.on24.com/eventRegistration/EventLobbyServlet?target= registration.jsp&eventid=4445&sessionid=1&key= 78112DAC691BD194ECFF2FE3960D4F7F&sourcepage=register. (Due to the length of this URL, it may be necessary to copy and paste this hyperlink into your Internet browser's URL address field.)

About NetIQ

NetIQ Corporation (Nasdaq:NTIQ) is a leading provider of Systems & Security Management and Web Analytics solutions. Historically focused on the Windows management market, NetIQ now delivers cross-platform solutions that enhance business performance resulting in higher returns on infrastructure and Web investments. NetIQ products are sold across all continents directly and through a network of authorized NetIQ partners and resellers. The company is headquartered in San Jose, Calif., with development and operational personnel in Houston, Texas; Portland, Ore; Raleigh, N.C.; Bellevue, Wash.; Galway, Ireland and Auckland, New Zealand. For more information, please visit the company's web site at www.netiq.com or call 1-888-323-6768.

NetIQ, Group Policy Administrator, Security Administration Suite, Directory and Resource Administrator and Secure Password Administrator are trademarks or registered trademarks of NetIQ Corporation in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners.