The Alta Group Acquires Systems & Networks; Cadence System-Level Design Business Unit Adds BONeS Technology, Development Team.

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 5, 1996--The Alta Group, a business unit of Cadence Design Systems, Inc., today announced that it has acquired the technology and the engineering development and operations teams for the Block-Oriented Network Simulator (BONeS) network planning and simulation tool from Systems & Networks, Inc., a start-up corporation partially funded by Cadence in 1994. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

Systems & Networks was established as an independent company based on technology from Cadence's Alta Group. The company's charter has been to bring the BONeS technology to the commercial network planning and analysis marketplace. Cadence has maintained a financial and engineering interest in the BONeS technology and the Alta Group has continued to sell the BONeS product into electronic product design applications in a range of high-growth market segments.

"Our continued involvement with the BONeS technology and sale of the BONeS product over the past year has shown us that, in addition to being an effective tool for network planners, it is an extremely valuable tool for electronic product developers across all applications. This acquisition will strengthen and accelerate our ability to provide high-level systems architects a complete approach to system design and analysis that includes both high-end design technology as well as expert consulting services," said Doug Fairbairn, general manager of the Alta Group. "By bringing the technology and people back into the overall Alta Group effort, we will have a greater focus on targeting BONeS for engineering applications."

BONeS has been successfully used by designers of computer systems, telecommunications and networking equipment, multimedia products, video-on-demand systems and other advanced products. It provides system-level architects with a sophisticated design planning, simulation and analysis environment with which they can make critical trade-off decisions very early in the design process.

The BONeS engineering efforts will remain based in both Lawrence, Kansas and Sunnyvale, Calif. Their focus will be on the enhancement of the core BONeS technology and the development of application-specific libraries targeted at leading-edge industries.

Alta Group is the leading supplier of system-level design tools, libraries, and services for the design of electronic systems. The company's products are focused on the early, high-level portion of the design cycle where fundamental design decisions are made. Products of this type are classified as electronic system design automation (ESDA). Alta Group's target customers include electronic systems and semiconductor companies that design wireless communications, multimedia, and networking products.

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. is the worldwide leader in the development and marketing of design automation software and services that accelerate and advance the process of designing electronic systems. Cadence combines leading-edge technology with a complementary set of services that enable customers to improve the quality and time-to-market performance of innovative electronic products. Cadence is based in San Jose, Calif. and employs more than 2,500 people in research and development, sales and support locations worldwide. The Company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol CDN.

CONTACT: Cadence Design Systems, Inc.

Mike Sottak, 408/428-5036

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Tsantes & Associates

Diane Orr, 408/452-8700

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