Sequent NUMA-Q 2000 to deliver new levels of open systems performance in the data center with Intel's IA-64 microprocessor family

Business Wire, June 19, 1997

BEAVERTON, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 19, 1997--Sequent Computer Systems Inc., the leading supplier of open Data Center Ready systems, today announced strong support for Intel Corp.'s 64-bit IA-64 microprocessor family.

Intel's breakthrough architecture, starting with the Merced microprocessor, will help Sequent to achieve significantly higher scalability and performance with its NUMA-Q(TM) 2000 servers, widening Sequent's market lead in open, Data Center implementations.

Sequent's architects and engineers are working with Intel on systems implementation to develop new technologies for use with Intel's upcoming 64-bit microprocessors. These solutions will enable users to take maximum advantage of the enhanced capabilities of the IA-64 microprocessor family, while delivering full backwards compatibility with today's 32-bit IA-32 application software. Sequent expects to be one of the first suppliers of systems based on Intel's Merced processor as it becomes available in the next several years.

With Intel's high performance IA-64 technology, our decision support systems (DSS) will be able to address the ever increasing needs of data warehouses and process queries many times faster than today's solutions. Online transaction processing (OLTP) systems will also benefit, as transactions will be processed more quickly, improving the performance of even the most demanding enterprise applications.

"Intel is a key part of our drive to make open systems a huge success in the Data Center, and our unrivaled NUMA-Q 2000 servers will benefit greatly from the IA-64 family in the next few years," said John McAdam, Sequent's president and chief operating officer. "Sequent is tracking to Intel's processor roadmap, and we will be optimizing our robust NUMA-Q architecture and DYNIX/ptx(R) operating system to deliver on the advanced capabilities of next-generation 64-bit applications."

"Sequent's pioneering spirit and large open systems experience add an important component to Intel's continuing microprocessor design efforts in the high-end," said Stephen Smith, vice president Microprocessor Products Group and general manager Santa Clara Processor Division, Intel Corp. "Our IA-64 family, including Merced, will deliver world class performance in volume, enabling a new class of enterprise applications to emerge and changing the way businesses use and manage their information. Consistent with our historical business practices, Intel is committed to making IA-64 technology and Merced available to Sequent and our other OEMs on a level basis."

About Sequent's NUMA-Q 2000

Sequent's NUMA-Q 2000 family of servers leverage the commodity power of Intel's Pentium(R) Pro-based processor boards, which Sequent has business-hardened to meet extreme commercial computing requirements. These four-processor boards, or quads, are connected within a single server by Sequent's innovative IQ-Link(TM), which transfers data between quads at the rate of one gigabyte per second. This interconnect is so fast that many microprocessors can be linked together yet still appear to database applications as a single, shared-memory system.

NUMA-Q 2000 scales well beyond the limits of all existing symmetric multiprocessing (SMP) systems -- up to 252 microprocessors or 63 quads connected seamlessly -- to meet customers' current and future computing demands. In addition, NUMA-Q 2000 preserves customers' investments by ensuring full binary compatibility with existing SMP software.

About Sequent Computer Systems Inc.

Sequent Computer Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: SQNT), based in Beaverton, is uniquely capable of delivering robust and scalable Data Center Ready open systems solutions that are guaranteed to perform. Sequent minimizes customer's risk, enabling implementation of complex business applications that support critical needs, based on the breakthrough Sequent NUMA-Q architecture, a comprehensive portfolio of proven migration services and offerings, and an established set of partnerships with the industry's best-in-class. For further information, phone Sequent at 503/626-5700 or 800/257-9044, or visit our World Wide Web site at http://www.sequent.com .

-0-

Trademarks

Sequent and DYNIX/ptx are registered trademarks and NUMA-Q and IQ-Link are trademarks of Sequent Computer Systems Inc. Intel and Pentium are registered trademarks of Intel Corp. All other products or company names mentioned are used for identification purposes only, and may be trademarks of their respective owners.

CONTACT: Applied Communications Corp. Sequent Computer Systems Inc.

Don Gentile, 415/375-8881 Mike Fay, 212/750-9300

dgentile@appliedcom.com mikefay@sequent.com