Lotus Notes-based business recovery planning tools offered; Comdisco, Paragon and United System Solutions develop new software

Business Wire, July 25, 1996

ROSEMONT, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 25, 1996--In keeping its commitment to provide end-to-end recovery solutions to its customers, Comdisco Disaster Recovery Services is developing a Lotus Notes(R)-based recovery planning product. Comdisco is working with Paragon Bermuda, LTD., and United System Solutions to develop the new product, Continue(TM) for Lotus Notes(R). Continue debuted at Solutions '96, Comdisco's 16th annual customer conference, and will be available in Fall, 1996.

The product is based on Comdisco's award-winning ComPAS(R) methodology, which provides a step-by-step process of developing, testing and implementing a comprehensive, integrated business continuity plan. "ComPAS is an industry-leading business continuity software product," said John Jackson, senior vice president and general manager, Comdisco Professional Services. "Now, in partnership with Paragon and United System, we're offering Notes users a valuable planning tool that will assist them in developing a complete, end-to-end recovery solution."

"The first time I used ComPAS to develop a disaster recovery plan for a client, I recognized the synergy between the groupware capabilities of Lotus Notes and the requirements of business recovery planners," said Paul Ryan, president of Paragon Bermuda, Ltd. "The ability to share information between recovery team members, collaborate on the development of recovery plans through replication, and attach virtually any type of existing documents to the plan, all make Notes a natural environment for recovery planning. Comdisco's recovery methodology is the world's best, most comprehensive approach. By providing that methodology in Windows and Notes environments, we are giving clients the opportunity to decide which technical environment is best suited to their organizations."

"As technology becomes more crucial to daily business functions, the need for enterprisewide recovery planning becomes more urgent," said Jackson. "This trend, coupled with the growth of Lotus Notes use, focused Comdisco, Paragon and United System on the need to expand planning software capabilities to accommodate a wider scope of customers. Continue targets all Notes users from the novice to the enterprise-wide planner who needs Notes to share information regardless of time zone and location."

The Comdisco recovery planning methodology is available in ComPAS for the Windows environment, and in Continue for Lotus Notes users. Both products provide complete task lists organized by function, department and location, making them highly effective and easy to use in virtually any type of emergency. Customers can choose from a variety of sample plans for business function and Workarea Recovery(R), mainframe and distributed systems.

A demonstration on Continue will soon be available for downloading from Comdisco's World Wide Web site (http://www.comdisco.com).

For more information on Continue, call Comdisco's Vicki Patten at 800-321-1111 ext. 5297.

Paragon Bermuda Ltd. is an information technology consulting firm located in Hamilton, Bermuda. Paragon provides management consulting, facilities management and disaster recovery planning support to its local and international clients, which include many of the world's largest insurance companies. As a Lotus Development Corp. business partner, Paragon also provides a full range of Lotus Notes implementation, administration and application development services.

United System Solutions is a consulting and systems integration firm specializing in the development of client/server-based solutions that run in Novell, OS/2, UNIX and Windows NT environments. Founded in 1987, United is a Lotus Development Corp. premium business partner and Authorized Education Center, and is recognized by Lotus as one of the leading application development partners in North America.

Founded in 1980, Comdisco Disaster Recovery Services, headquartered in Rosemont, Illinois, is the world's largest and most experienced provider of business continuity services. It has a network of fully equipped computer and Workarea Recovery Centers available to subscribers in the event of a disruption affecting their businesses. In addition to its network of North American recovery facilities, Comdisco operates facilities in France, Germany and Great Britain.

Comdisco Disaster Recovery Services is a division of Comdisco, Inc. (NYSE: CDO), one of the world's leading providers of solutions that help organizations reduce technology cost and risk. These services include equipment leasing, remarketing, and reconditioning; asset management; business continuity; technology integration and network services. Comdisco's revenue totaled $2.2 billion for fiscal year 1995, ended September 30. Comdisco Disaster Recovery Services revenue totaled $267 million.

Comdisco and its logos, Workarea Recovery, and ComPAS are registered trademarks and Continue is a trademark of Comdisco, Inc. Notes is a registered trademark of Lotus Development Corp. Other company names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective organizations.