Sequent acquires European mainframe migration company; Comprehensive solution from Open Tool International gives Groupe Bull users access to UNIX open systems

Business Wire, Nov 6, 1995

Systems Inc. today announced it has acquired Open Tool International B.V. (OTI), a Dutch software company and the sole commercial provider of a complete set of mainframe-to-UNIX migration tools for all Groupe Bull mainframes (DPS4000, DPS6000, DPS7000 and DPS8000/9000), including an interface from the Bull database management system IDS2 to Oracle and Informix relational database management systems.

By integrating OTI's expertise with its own migration skills, Sequent now offers a proven solution to Bull users who want to quickly, easily and safely migrate from their proprietary computing environments to open systems computing. The OTI acquisition further strengthens Sequent's position as a leader in providing transitional services and large-scale servers for business-critical, client/server environments.

The Bull migration market is estimated to be worth as much as $100 million in Europe alone, according to Bill Douma, European program manager for OTI. Douma added that estimates indicate about 65 percent of existing Bull mainframe users around the world have systems that qualify for the migration project.

Sequent and OTI have already completed several migration projects in Europe. Terry Davies, Sequent's vice president and general manager of European Operations, noted that Sequent and OTI have half a dozen additional migration projects already in the pipeline, with a total value reported in the $12 million range.

"Many users of mainframe computers today still hesitate to make the innovative step into open systems because they have not yet found a reliable partner to help them safely and efficiently transition their mission-critical applications," said Davies.

"By joining forces with OTI, Sequent will now offer Bull mainframe users a comprehensive migration package to open client/server systems. As the transition manager, Sequent will be the prime contractor and take full responsibility for the customer's success," said Davies.

For the transition from Bull mainframes to an open systems environment, OTI has developed a package of software tools that helps migrate applications from the Bull operating system GCOS and IDS database systems to UNIX-based computing solutions.

The transformation can now be handled in a fraction of the time that such transitions formerly required, and includes the computer center as well as system management tools. Integration of leading relational database management systems, such as products from Oracle and Informix, can also be included in the solution.

Customers now also have access to Sequent's and OTI's combined experience with mainframe-to-UNIX migration projects through the joint competency centers at Sequent's offices in Germany, France and the United Kingdom, and at OTI's office in Holland. The competency centers manage the technical migration process for customers.

OTI is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sequent Computer Systems Inc. Sequent Computer Systems Inc. (Nasdaq:SQNT), based in Beaverton, is a leading architect and provider of open client/server systems for business computing and is the worldwide leader in large-scale UNIX systems (selling at $800,000 to $2 million), with 35 percent of the market in 1994, according to CI/Infocorp data.

Sequent provides professional consulting, educational and support services, and develops scalable multiprocessing computing systems for on-line transaction processing, decision support and business communications.

The World Wide Web address for Sequent On-Line is http://www.sequent.com. This news release and other information are available in the United States from Sequent's news-on-demand fax service at 800/356-0834. -0-

Sequent is a registered trademark of Sequent Computer Systems Inc.

Informix is a registered trademark of Informix Software Inc.

Oracle is a registered trademark of Oracle Corp.

UNIX is a registered trademark in the United States and

other countries, licensed exclusively through the X/Open Co. Ltd.

CONTACT: Sequent Computer Systems Inc.

Helen Connor, helen@sequent.com OR 503/626-5700

OR

Waggener Edstrom

LeeAnne French, leeannef@wagged.com, 503/245-0905

NOTE TO EDITORS: In the Internet/email addresses noted in this

news release, there is an "at" symbol between:

-- helen AND sequent.com

-- leeannef AND wagged.com

These symbols may not appear properly (or at all) in some systems.