Software AG Introduces First Complete XML Architecture for Electronic Business; XENON: The New Standard Platform for Commercial XML Applications On the Web.

Business/Technology Editors

DARMSTADT, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 18, 2000

Software AG strengthens its position as a leader in XML technology. With XENON, the world's first complete architecture for commercial XML applications, Software AG has laid the foundation for rapid entry into a new generation of electronic business systems.

XENON - the "XML ENabled Open Network" - is the first complete architecture for XML applications and was designed specifically for the development of electronic business systems. It is based entirely on open standards, offering users and software providers a reliable, durable framework with interfaces for development, deployment and scalability of XML applications. In particular, tools from software vendors can be integrated easily with XENON.

Featuring the X-Studio, X-Bridge, X-Machine and X-Node components, XENON provides an ideal basis for the support and integration of new business processes on the Internet - even if these transactions are run on various platforms.

The new X-Studio module is a system for building XML applications. Its numerous application templates simplify development, for instance, when building and integrating Web shops. In addition, the X-Studio offers a full range of XML tools, including XML and schema editors, style sheet processors, and an interactive development environment. The new X-Bridge is an XML middleware, providing a link between XML applications on different system platforms. The X-Machine enables storage of data in its native XML format. The X-Node allows access to existing data sources and brings data to the Web in XML format.

Dr. Erwin Konigs, Software AG's Chairman and CEO, comments: "The next phase in electronic business is the integration of business processes using XML as a universal data format." He continues, "XENON makes it much easier to enter the world of XML for business processes." X-Machine and X-Node are currently available as part of Tamino, the information server for electronic business from Software AG. Software AG plans to release the rest of the XENON architecture components in the third quarter of 2000.

There are already a number of partners whose tools and solutions support the XENON architecture. These include The Reference, Belgium's largest internet applications development company, Canada's SoftQuad, world market leader in XML editors, and the American XML development company, Extensibility, leading provider of XML schema generation.

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Software AG, based in Darmstadt, Germany, with currently more than 2,500 employees and sales amounting to DM 626 million (euro 320 million) in 1998, is one of the largest system software companies worldwide. Software AG is the premier provider of database management technology. Both products and services, used in more than 90 countries, are focused on mission-critical electronic business applications spanning heterogeneous platforms, from mainframe, OpenVMS, AS/400, Unix and Windows NT to the Web. Software AG's technology expertise is based on three major product areas: The transaction systems Adabas (database management system), and Natural (tool set for commercial application development), the integration system EntireX (middleware) and the Web systems Bolero (Application Factory for Electronic Business), and Tamino (Information Server). About one third of the company's revenue is achieved through professional services. Software AG has been listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (Main Market) since April 1999 (Security identification number 724260 / SOWG.F).