Shipments underway of Data General UNIX based database servers for SAP R 3 systems running on Windows NT servers

Business Wire, Jan 4, 1995

WESTBORO, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 4, 1995--Data General Corp. today announced that shipments of its AViiON database servers with Oracle7 software that support SAP AG's R/3 client/server software running on Windows NT servers have begun.

For the first time, enterprise users now will be able to have a standard UNIX based database server supporting R/3 applications running in a Windows NT environment. According to Data General, this implementation is approximately 25 percent less costly than completely UNIX based alternatives.

The shipments follow Data General's Oct. 11 announcement that it had established a record-setting R/3 user count in SAPstone benchmark tests. The company said that over 1000 benchmark users were supported with response times of 1.3 seconds using the SAP FI (financials) benchmark.

According to Data General, the results have since been improved to response times of 1.2 seconds, which are superior to results for a fully UNIX based implementation of the three-tiered architecture.

The results have been accomplished using a 16-processor AViiON AV 9500 running DG/UX 5.4 Release 3.1 with a CLARiiON fault tolerant disk array to support R/3 application software (SAP R/3 2.2) running on Windows NT Server 3.5 on 22 dual-processor Data General and one quad-processor Compaq Proliant Pentium servers.

Data General's Vice President of Strategic Alliances Stephen Gardner said, "The test results that we announced in October were just the beginning. We anticipate even better benchmark performance that will set new industry standards in the near future. This kind of performance strengthens our position in our targeted commercial market, which is characterized by large numbers of users, large numbers of transactions and requiring large databases."

SAP is one of the world's top independent software vendors and the leading global provider of client/server application solutions, according to IDC. More than 3,700 companies in 41 countries rely on SAP software to manage mission-critical business processes in the financial, manufacturing, human resources and sales distribution areas.

"This implementation provides further proof that the R/3 system is a truly open system independent of the underlying hardware and software platform," said Dr. Hasso Plattner, co-founder and vice-chairman of SAP. "Customers can combine the power and security of Data General database servers for the Oracle database with the flexibility and familiarity of Windows NT servers for R/3 applications in a true three-tier client/server implementation."

Data General's own Pentium-based servers, sold as part of the Dasher product line of Intel PCs and servers, as well as certified Windows NT servers from other vendors, such as Compaq, will be supported by the AViiON database servers. Certification is being conducted by iXOS, a German firm dedicated to testing and validating Windows NT platforms used to run SAP's R/3 applications.

Data General has established R/3 Competence Centers at SAP headquarters in Walldorf, Germany, and at its DG/UX software development site in Research Triangle Park, N.C. in the USA. At these sites dedicated engineering and support teams benchmark, port, test, and tune the underlying technology components to ensure the best possible total system delivery tossup R/3 customers.

SAP AG is a global leader in flexible, integrated client/server and mainframe-based business applications software. Founded in 1972, SAP AG is headquartered in Walldorf, Germany and employs a workforce of over 4,200 worldwide. SAP America, headquartered in Philadelphia, is the largest of SAP's 28 global subsidiaries. 1993 revenues exceeded $665 million.

Data General is an open systems company that specializes in providing enterprise servers, storage systems and services to information technology users. The company which is headquartered in Westboro, Mass., does business in more than 70 countries throughout the world. In fiscal 1994 Data General reported revenues of $1.1 billion.

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AViiON and CLARiiON are registered trademarks of Data General Corp. Oracle7 is a trademark of Oracle Corp. SAP FI, SAP R/3 and SAPstone are trademarks of SAP AG. All other product names may be registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective companies.

CONTACT: Data General Corp.

Jim Dunlap, 508/898-6546