Softlab and Informatik Partnership to Create Powerful Enabler TOOLBUS Technology.

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 8, 1997--

Reischmann and Softlab Take Lead in Integrating Environments

Softlab Enabling Technologies and Reischmann Informatik announced today that the two companies will combine the power of Reischmann's TOOLBUS technology with the Enabler family of repository-enabled products. Enabler(tm) TOOLBUS(tm) will provide links between a range of CASE tools and Softlab's Enabler object repository.

The delivery of the Enabler TOOLBUS will allow organizations to use the Enabler object repository to store information from any or all of their TOOLBUS supported tools. This will allow for the management of a common infrastructure of information that is now versionable, configurable and extensible through Enabler's repository services.

Enabler's strong capabilities will provide support for multiple information models. Enabler is able to load the information model for each tool into a single repository and then populate those models with data. No data mapping or data transformation is involved, so no semantic loss occurs.

"This is a key relationship for Softlab as it allows us to accelerate our support for the creation of repository-enabled supergroups," said Mike Croxton, Vice President of Marketing for Softlab Enabling Technologies. "Customers can now decide to base their integration strategies on a vendor neutral repository."

"It is important for organizations to be able to evolve, rather than to make dramatic changes to their development environments and toolsets," said Josef Reischmann, CEO of Reischmann Informatik. "The combination of Softlab's Enabler object repository with Reischmann's TOOLBUS technology provides the opportunity to exploit data created and managed in different tools within a single, state-of-the-art integration environment."

Once data has been loaded into Enabler TOOLBUS, organizations can manage and manipulate the data using Enabler's sophisticated repository services.

-- Data can be loaded into the repository, baselined, and placed under configuration and change management control;

-- Quality management practices can be defined and automated using Enabler's integrated process management services;

-- Relationships can be created between data from different tools using Enabler's consolidation and coordination capabilities and comparisons of the contents of baselines of tool data can be made during the course of a project.

TOOLBUS is a standardized interface technology which has been developed by Reischmann Informatik for exchange of models between repositories, data dictionaries and CASE tools. The product currently supports more than 20 repository and CASE products.

Softlab's object repository, Enabler, provides an enterprise platform which delivers an integrated support for suites of tools on Windows NT and UNIX. The enterprise-strength repository provides object and version management, workspace definition, configuration and process management and access control. Repository services are available through open, published APIs.

Data stored in the repository can be accessed from Enabler's repository browser or by using one of Enabler's APIs based on common languages: C, C++ ActiveX and SQL. Enabler's File Access Service allows files and data stored in the repository to be accessed directly from the Windows Explorer. Enabler's Internet Access Service gives direct access from any internet browser.

The first link to be provided will be from the ARIS Toolset. Links to other tools will be provided during the course of 1997.

About the companies

Reischmann Informatik specializes in the integration of CASE tools in large repository based development environments, and in the development of interfaces for repositories and CASE Tools. Reischmann Informatik has more than 10 years experience in that area, and the TOOLBUS products are installed worldwide.

Softlab, founded in 1971, is an international IT solutions provider and a wholly-owned subsidiary of BMW. Softlab is one of the world's market leaders in delivering application development products and solutions.

Softlab North America -- Atlanta GA 770-668-8811 or via e-mail at [e-mail] Softlab Europe -- Munich Germany 49 89 99360

The address for the Softlab WWW page is http:\\www.softlabna.com -0-

Enabler is a trademark of Softlab.

TOOLBUS is a registered trademark of Reischmann Informatik.

Windows NT is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corp.

UNIX is a registered trademark of AT&T.

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