HP teams with Sterling Software to deliver comprehensive service-based enterprise-management solutions; worldwide distribution alliance brings mainframe management to the HP OpenView Portfolio

Business Wire, June 23, 1997

PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 23, 1997-- Hewlett-Packard Company and Sterling Software Inc.'s Operations Management Division today announced an alliance in which HP will bundle and globally distribute Sterling Software's new SOLVE:Operations with HP OpenView IT/Operations. This solution will enable information-technology (IT) organizations struggling to gain visibility and management control over their mixed MVS, SNA, CICS and distributed TCP/IP infrastructures to achieve true cross-platform enterprise management.

SOLVE:Operations for IT/Operations is a UNIX(R) system management application that integrates seamlessly, at the application level, with HP IT/Operations and interoperates with SOLVE:Operations for MVS, SOLVE:Operations for SNA and SOLVE:Operations for CICS, Sterling's currently available host-based, desired-state automation products. The combination of the two companies' technologies is expected to improve operations management significantly by delivering robust mainframe management and control to HP's widely deployed enterprise-management solution. HP will ship an evaluation copy of SOLVE:Operations with each copy of HP OpenView IT/Operations.

Sterling Software's SOLVE:Operations products strongly complement HP's OpenView IT service-management initiative by managing information-systems problems according to business-service objectives. With SOLVE:Operations' existing service-based approach to resource management and automation, end users can assess the business impact of a resource failure rather than merely respond to technical events in isolation. This capability represents a major element of Sterling Software's service-based management strategy.

"Our customers need a centralized point of control to manage mainframes and distributed systems from one management platform," said Olivier Helleboid, general manager of HP's Network and System Management Division. "This joint solution meets that need and provides an integrated service view of our customers' enterprise resources."

"This alliance benefits users by combining the complementary technologies of HP and its distributed-management strengths with Sterling Software and our mainframe-management expertise," said Randy Davis, president of Sterling Software's Operations Management Division. "We believe that customers receive the most benefit when vendors offer a choice of open, best-of-breed integration. HP and Sterling Software will deliver a truly integrated mainframe-to-distributed-service management solution."

U.S. PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

Sterling Software's SOLVE:Operations for IT/Operations application, currently in beta testing, is slated for general availability worldwide in the fourth quarter of 1997. Pricing begins at $20,000 per installed copy, depending on customer implementation. Distribution is planned to begin in October. Sterling's mainframe-based service-management component currently is available. The HP OpenView Network Node Manager integrated version of SOLVE:Operations has been shipping since January.

ABOUT STERLING SOFTWARE

Based outside of Washington, D.C. in Reston, Va., Sterling Software's Operations Management Division is a leader in delivering products that help customers manage their networked enterprise from a business service perspective. The SOLVE product line delivers end-to-end, desired-state automation and control of mission-critical networked business applications. For additional SOLVE product information, please reference the company's web site at www.solve.sterling.com.

Sterling Software, Inc. (NYSE:SSW) is a leading provider of software and services for the applications management, systems management, and federal systems markets. Sterling Software, with its headquarters in Dallas, has a worldwide installed base of more than 20,000 customer sites and has 2,600 employees in 70 offices worldwide.

ABOUT HP OPENVIEW

HP OpenView enterprise-management software tools are the cornerstone of HP's OpenView service-management program that delivers end-to-end service management in Internet computing environments. HP OpenView software manages networks, systems, applications and databases from all leading companies. According to International Data Corporation, HP is the largest producer of enterprise-management solutions. The program consists of a broad portfolio of more than 300 HP OpenView-based management solutions from HP and HP OpenView Solution Partners and a complete set of services designed to help IT organizations improve service levels and reduce costs.

ABOUT HP

Hewlett-Packard Company is the official information-technology hardware and maintenance supplier to the 1998 World Cup soccer tournament and the 1997 Tournament of France. Selected for its technology and skills to support and manage mission-critical applications, HP will help create an information-management infrastructure for handling game-scoring; media centers; personnel accreditation; hotel information; and various ticketing, stadium, warehouse and back-office operations.