Parlano Introduces MindAlign for Microsoft Office Live Communications Server.

CHICAGO -- - Solution Delivers the Integration of Intelligent, Secure and Persistent Business Communications with Core Business Infrastructure, Applications, and Processes -

Parlano, Inc., a leading provider intelligent enterprise instant messaging applications, today announces MindAlign for Microsoft Office Live Communications Server. Parlano and Microsoft, executing on the partnership announced earlier this year, have delivered an advanced solution that extends the foundations of Live Communications Server and MindAlign to provide the premiere enterprise-class infrastructure for deploying intelligent and persistent individual and group messaging applications.

"Connecting MindAlign to the Microsoft ecosystem will provide companies with unparalleled access to both environments," stated Jonathan B. Spira, CEO and Chief Analyst at Basex, a research firm specializing in the Collaborative Business Environment(TM). "This type of integration will give managers the opportunity to create solutions which allow companies to react faster to customer needs and lower the cost of doing business."

As processes span geographic, time and functional boundaries, the transition from real-time to non-real-time communications often results in communications disconnects and significant decreases in efficiency and productivity. MindAlign for Live Communications Server directly addresses the challenges caused by this transition by eliminating the need for a chain of e-mail forwards/replies, phone calls, voice-mails and other disjointed communications to close communications loops and execute processes. MindAlign for Live Communications Server improves the visibility of and access to people and information which enables faster and better informed business decisions and more efficiently executed business processes by delivering intelligent, persistent and secure group communications.

"Effective business communications require structure and the ability to distribute information to specific communities of interest, a need that does not stop when members of the community are offline," stated Taylor Collyer Director, Real-Time Collaboration Product Management Microsoft. "We believe the secure, persistent group-based functionality of MindAlign can help customers be more successful in meeting those needs."

MindAlign for Live Communications Server includes:

--  Identity and Contact Management through Active Directory Server
    Single sign-on, account management and searches of contacts via
    Active Directory enable the seamless introduction of MindAlign to
    the existing Microsoft infrastructure. Corporate IT will be able
    to control enterprise-wide identity and access to the solution
    within existing applications resulting in minimized implementation
    time and the lowest possible total cost of ownership.

--  Persistent Group "Chat"
    In addition to individual and ad-hoc multi-person chat sessions,
    MindAlign will extend Live Communications Server with the
    capability to establish formal, persistent group chat forums.
    These forums are secure discussion rooms accessible and visible on
    a permission-basis to customers and business partners both inside
    and outside the enterprise.

--  Contextual BackChat
    Persistent Group "Chat" message forums are logged into Microsoft
    SQL Server and accessible via permission-based search within the
    desktop client application. Optionally, BackChat can be made
    securely available through Microsoft Office SharePoint Portal
    Server.

--  Presence Detection and Management
    Presence, via Live Communications Server, will be reflected in the
    client applications enabling individuals both within and outside
    of the enterprise to be "aware" of which individuals are in what
    available state. The enables all SIP/SIMPLE based extensions in
    the enterprise to be fully supported through the combined solution
    offering.

--  Connectivity to Microsoft Network IM Clients
    MindAlign for Live Communications Server, via MSN Connect, will
    provide support for connectivity to MSN IM clients outside the
    enterprise. Additionally, future releases of the solution will
    leverage connectivity.

"The recent announcement of MindAlign v6.0 further distinguishes Parlano as the clear leader in enterprise group messaging. MindAlign's integration with the market leading EIM solution, Microsoft's Live Communications Server, makes it possible, for the first time, for users to have group chat, IM/Presence and Public IM interoperability all from one, secure and user friendly client," stated Bob Serr, chief technology officer for Parlano. "The benefits of these solutions are rapidly spreading as companies learn from the increasingly visible experience of the financial services companies with IM and group messaging and apply the rapid flow and management of information and communications to their businesses. We are pleased to deliver our latest solution which delivers the infrastructure integrations and support necessary to rapidly deploy persistent group messaging across global organizations and realize the immediate positive impact on process efficiency and the increased visibility into operations."

Additional Information, Pricing & Availability

Parlano's MindAlign for Microsoft Office Live Communications Server will be available on November 1, 2004. For additional information regarding the solutions, please visit Parlano on the web at www.parlano.com or contact Parlano directly at [phone] or [phone] or via e-mail at [e-mail].

About Parlano, Inc.

Parlano is a leading provider of intelligent enterprise instant messaging solutions that improve the visibility of, and access to, people and information across organizational and geographic boundaries. Parlano's MindAlign real-time messaging application delivers instant, intelligent, persistent group and topic-based messaging to securely connect employees, customers and partners with the right people, information and context to execute business processes more efficiently. Companies including ABN AMRO, ANZ, Group1 Trading, Standard Chartered Bank, UBS, West LB and others rely on Parlano to utilize messaging as a strategic business tool. Backed by Golden Gate Capital and Oak Investment Partners, Parlano supports its customers and partners from its worldwide headquarters in Chicago, Illinois and EMEA headquarters in London.

For more information, please visit www.parlano.com or contact us at our HQ in Chicago at [phone] or (866) PARLANO or at our EMEA office on [phone]

Parlano, MindAlign and the Parlano MindAlign logo are registered trademarks. All other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners. Copyright (C) 2004 Parlano, Inc. All rights reserved.