VMARK Software announces ObjectStudio support for Microsoft distributed COM and Internet initiatives; Client/server company outlines plans to simplify development of Internet applications

Business Wire, March 12, 1996

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 12, 1996--VMARK Software Inc. (NASDAQ: VMRK), today unveiled its ObjectStudio-based plan to support the design and delivery of applications for the rapidly-growing Internet/Intranet market.

The plan utilizes the latest Microsoft technologies for Internet and distributed component applications including Distributed COM (formerly known as Network OLE) and other Microsoft initiatives.

Utilizing ObjectStudio, its object-oriented application development tool, VMARK's plan supports both Internet client and server initiatives. The product will be enhanced with a direct interface supporting the Microsoft Internet Information Server API (ISAPI). Also, the product will provide capabilities to encapsulate World Wide Web (WWW) navigation capabilities within an ObjectStudio-developed application. These new features provide software developers with increased flexibility in creating high-performance, efficient and secure commercial applications for the Microsoft Internet Information Server.

VMARK is demonstrating these new capabilities at Microsoft Corp.'s Professional Developers Conference (PDC) (Booth 403) this week. The firm is one of only a small number of software developers to have early access to these technologies from Microsoft.

"Today's Internet applications present mostly isolated, static, text-based information," commented Peter L. Fiore, vice president, corporate marketing at VMARK Software Inc. "However, we see a growing demand for today's client/server-based applications to expand into the Internet and, more commonly, the Intranet. By tightly coupling ObjectStudio with Microsoft's Internet initiatives, customers will have a more comprehensive solution meeting the demands of this new class of applications," he concluded.

"We are excited to have VMARK here at the PDC as one of the first vendors demonstrating the capabilities of the Microsoft Internet Information Server and Distributed COM (Component Object Model)," said Doug Henrich, director of developer relations and publications at Microsoft. "By exploiting the capabilities within the new Microsoft technologies, ObjectStudio developers are able to deliver solutions which integrate the utility of the Internet closely with the richness of the Windows-based desktop. We look forward to a continued relationship with VMARK as they enhance their support of Microsoft initiatives which benefit the application development market."

Distributed COM (Component Object Model) and BackOffice logo

Adding support for Distributed COM further extends ObjectStudio's support for Microsoft's Component Object Model and OLE services. With distributed COM support, corporate application developers will be able to build applications that -- independent of their location on a network -- integrate OLE-enabled components and applications. As a result, developers using ObjectStudio gain the flexibility to build distributed, object-based applications that operate across a network just as they do on a single PC. In this way, existing client/server applications developed with ObjectStudio can be easily scaled and optimized for performance, security and availability.

VMARK also announced it is in the process of qualifying ObjectStudio for the Microsoft BackOffice logo program. It qualifies for the BackOffice logo through its support for the Microsoft SQL server database and Systems Management Server. Support for additional BackOffice products is in progress.

ObjectStudio qualified for the Windows 95 logo last September. -0-

VMARK Software Inc., with its headquarters in Westboro, Mass., is a global supplier of client/server software and services. VMARK's offerings are available worldwide in virtually all areas of business, industry and government. Its product family includes the UniVerse RDBMS server, HyperStar object-messaging middleware, and ObjectStudio, and object-oriented application development tool. Its products are complemented by a suite of services including 24 hour customer support, consulting and education.

You can obtain this release and other information about VMARK Software Inc. on VMARK's home page on the World Wide Web at http://www.vmark.com. Microsoft and Windows are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries. All other products referenced are trademarks of their respective companies.

CONTACT: VMARK Software Inc.

Paula Levis Suita, 508/366-3888 x3270

email: psuita@vmark.com

or

Miller/Shandwick

Barbara Rudolph, 617/536-4986

email: brudolph@millercom.com