Sterling Commerce's CONNECT:Direct for Windows NT features new SNA support for Microsoft's SNA Server.

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 9, 1996--Based on continued increasing demand for automated data transfer at the enterprise level, Sterling Commerce (NYSE:SE) announces new support for Microsoft(R) SNA Server in its market-leading CONNECT:Direct(TM) for Windows NT(R).

The new release makes CONNECT:Direct the only product available worldwide that supports both SNA and TCP/IP for advanced information networking to and from Windows NT and a variety of enterprise platforms, including IBM MVS and VSE, Novell NetWare, UNIX via 13 different vendors, IBM AS/400, DEC, Tandem, Stratus and Microsoft Windows NT.

"Our customers are asking for tighter integration between Windows NT and IBM mainframes," said Vesa Suomalainen, general manager of the SNA server product unit at Microsoft. "Sterling's CONNECT:Direct provides an effective way to integrate host data with Microsoft BackOffice(TM), while utilizing SNA Server as the platform for the host connection."

CONNECT:Direct is commonly used to address highly automated application integration needs, such as data warehousing, disaster backup and recovery, and electronic commerce including data migration, billing and financial exchange, electronic funds transfer settlement, insurance automation, human resources or government benefits transfers and more. When an application requires movement of large amounts of critical information, CONNECT:Direct is chosen for its automation, security, performance and reliability.

"The explosive growth in Windows NT has generated an unprecedented demand for CONNECT:Direct capability from our worldwide customer base," said Ken Fitzpatrick, director, product marketing for Sterling Commerce's Communications Software Group. "We are pleased that we can now satisfy that demand."

The file transfer software is a Win32 application that runs on a Windows NT service and uses the Windows NT Registry facility to store the CONNECT:Direct network map and user access authorizations. It also supports Microsoft Windows' Messaging Application Programming Interface (MAPI) to notify administrators, users or MAPI-compliant applications that transfers were successfully completed.

CONNECT:Direct for Windows NT runs on Windows NT Server and is accessed and managed by CONNECT:Direct's Requester for Windows. The Requester provides an easy-to-use graphical user interface for establishing automated processes, ad-hoc file transfer requests, status monitoring, audit trail reporting and administration of user authorizations and connectivity options.

Sterling Commerce is a subsidiary of Sterling Software and has its headquarters in Dallas. Sterling Commerce is a global provider of electronic commerce software products and network services that enable businesses to engage in business-to-business electronic communications and transactions. Sterling Commerce has been providing electronic commerce solutions for over 20 years, and has over 17,000 customers worldwide.

Sterling Software and its subsidiaries provide software products and services worldwide for electronic commerce, applications management and systems management, as well as highly technical professional services for the federal government. Sterling Software (NYSE:SSW), with its headquarters in Dallas, is one of the ten largest software companies in the world with 3,600 employees, 75 offices worldwide and an installed base of almost 40,000 customer sites in over 60 countries.

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CONTACT: Sterling Commerce, Dallas

Lisa Middleton, 214/868-5443

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MCCommunications, Dallas

Bridget Cavanaugh, 214/480-8383

e-mail: [e-mail]