SAS Institute Plans 64-bit Version to Support Intel's Merced Processor.

CARY, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 4, 1997--SAS Institute Inc. today announced its plans to collaborate with Intel on the development of SAS software for Intel's IA-64 architecture.

The initial SAS implementation will focus on 64-bit optimization of SAS software for Microsoft's 64-bit Windows* NT on Merced (the code name of the first microprocessor implementation of IA-64) with the goal of having all of SAS's products optimized on Merced-based systems when they are first available. Standard, high-volume server platforms based on Intel Architecture are one of the fastest-growing segments of SAS's business. This is just the latest in a series of announcements* from SAS Institute detailing its ongoing commitment to provide superior data warehousing solutions for Intel-architecture based platforms and offers the maximum performance, scalability, and reliability to its customers.

"For 21 years, our commitment to our customers has been to integrate the best of emerging technology into SAS Institute's product and service offerings," said Dr. Jim Goodnight, CEO of SAS Institute. "The future availability of SAS software on Merced should bring unprecedented power and scalability to our customers looking for the best in business intelligence, data warehousing, and data mining solutions."

"Enterprise applications that require efficient access to very large databases will benefit from being able to address large amounts of data," said John Miner, vice president and general manager of Intel's Enterprise Server Group. "With the growing trend toward high-volume transaction and query-based applications, the IA-64 architecture will become a key technology for future growth plans in many of today's business systems. Starting with Merced, IA-64 will provide new levels of performance and scalability for data warehousing, data mining, and business intelligence applications in the networked and distributed computing environments."

SAS Institute is working closely with Intel to ensure that SAS Institutes products will be certified on systems from a large number of industry-leading vendors including Compaq, HP, Unisys, SNI, Sequent, and others, all of whom have announced plans for Merced systems availability. Said Joanna DAquanni, SAS Institute's Microsoft and Intel alliance manager, "The combination of the SAS System, 64-bit NT, and Merced will result in a powerful platform with seamless compatibility for both existing SAS Software IA-32 applications and new enterprise applications optimized for IA-64 processors."

Now in its 21st year, SAS Institute is one of the top ten largest independent software vendors in the world, and is the largest privately held software company. The Institute's success is due in part to its continued investment in R&D nearly $209 million in 1996, and more than $1 billion since its formation. This commitment to customer solution-oriented R&D has resulted in the Institute being awarded Software Magazine's 1997 "Best Decision Support Tools Company" (including OLAP, Data Warehousing, and Data Mining) the reader-selected 1996 and 1997 Datamation magazine Data Warehousing Product of the Year, the 1996 DM Review magazine World Class Solutions for Data Warehousing award (for Outstanding Service & Decision Support tools), Data Warehouse World's Excellence in Business Information award (customer service), and other industry honors.

SAS Institute delivers an integrated suite of information delivery software for business decision making that addresses the unique needs of business users and IT departments in their support of the businesses. SAS software includes capabilities and tools for data warehousing including managing, organizing and exploiting the warehouse; business intelligence including EIS, online analytical processing, application development and decision support; and applied analysis including technical data analysis, data mining and neural networking. SAS Institute also delivers business solutions for applications such as financial consolidation and reporting, clinical trials analysis, and IT service management. Currently, SAS software and business solutions are being used at 30,000 business, government, and university sites worldwide.

Please visit SAS Institutes Web site: www.sas.com -0-

* Editors Note: Other recent announcements include: "SAS software earns Designed for Microsoft BackOffice logo (7-10-97); "SAS Institute joins Microsoft Data Warehouse Alliance" (5-16-97 &5-20-97) SAS is a registered trademark of SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA. All other tradenames referenced are the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

CONTACT: SAS Institute Inc.

Wally Maczka or Pamela Meek, 919/677-8000

www.sas.com