Sun and Netscape Team to Improve Customer Support; Cooperative Support to Speed Call Resolution for Netscape Software On Solaris

Business Wire, June 4, 1998

PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 4, 1998--Sun Microsystems Inc. (NASDAQ:SUNW) and Netscape Communications Corp. (NASDAQ:NSCP) today signed software support and education agreements to give customers a single source for interoperability support and access to training.

The agreements target enterprise customers using Netscape software on Sun's Solaris(TM) operating system.

To speed call resolution for mutual mission-critical customers, Sun added Netscape's full line of enterprise software to its SunVIP(SM) (Sun Vendor Integration Program). The first of its kind in the industry, the SunVIP program gives customers the benefits of a single, accountable point of contact for interoperability issues.

In addition, Sun has become a Netscape education provider, enabling Sun to sell and deliver authorized Netscape training courses through its rapidly expanding network of certified instructors around the world.

"In heterogeneous environments, vendors must collaborate to deliver best-of-class system availability solutions," said Paul Musson, vice president of corporate marketing for Sun Enterprise Services. "With our agreement with Netscape, we can craft education and support offerings that bring the best elements of both companies to help resolve customers' technical and business challenges."

"Many of Netscape's Global 2000 customers are deploying mission-critical business applications with Netscape enterprise software on Solaris," said Debby Meredith, senior vice president of customer satisfaction at Netscape.

"This cooperative support agreement means that when customers need help, they do not need to know if it is a Netscape problem or a Sun problem: they just call either one of us and together we will solve the problem for them."

Cooperative Technical Support

The integration of software applications with the operating system makes it increasingly difficult to pin-point where a problem may lie. The SunVIP program provides a one-call solution for customers having mission-critical support contracts with both Sun and Netscape.

When the customer calls either vendor, a cross-trained service engineering team begins the process of identifying, analyzing and solving the customer problem. With interoperability and uptime being crucial issues for mission-critical customers, the SunVIP program facilitates a quicker resolution.

The SunVIP program now encompasses thirteen independent software vendors. In addition to Netscape, the SunVIP program includes alliances with the Baan Co., BEA, Computer Associates International, GEAC, Informix, Lotus, Oracle, PeopleSoft, SAP AG, SAS Institute, Sybase, and Tivoli.

A Complete Training Solution

The strategic training agreement allows certified Sun instructors to cover Netscape(R) SuiteSpot server software, client software, and tools products. Customers register and receive training for Netscape courseware through Sun's worldwide training centers. This agreement builds on Sun's ability to manage customers' education by providing single-source access to all of their training needs.

This is the seventh strategic reseller agreement Sun Educational Services has signed. Other joint agreements include BEA, Informix, Remedy, Sybase, Oracle and Tivoli.

Pricing and Availability

The SunVIP program is available to Sun customers with SunSpectrum(SM) Gold(SM) and SunSpectrum(SM) Platinum(SM) system support contracts. All the SunVIP participating ISVs require valid customer support contracts. The Cooperative Technical Support Agreement with Netscape will be available in North America and Europe beginning in August.

Courseware offered under the strategic training agreement is offered worldwide through Sun training centers by Netscape certified Sun instructors. Services and pricing will vary by country.

About Sun Microsystems Inc.

Since its inception in 1982, a singular vision, "The Network Is The Computer(TM)" has propelled Sun Microsystems Inc. (NASDAQ:SUNW) to its position as a leading provider of hardware, software and services for establishing enterprise-wide intranets and expanding the power of the Internet.

With more than $9 billion in annual revenues, Sun can be found in more than 150 countries and on the World Wide Web at http://www.sun.com.

About Netscape

Netscape's leading line of Internet software includes Netscape CommerceXpert suite of packaged applications for electronic commerce, Netscape Application Server for building custom business applications and Netscape SuiteSpot server software for deploying Intranets and Extranets.

Netscape server software enables enterprise customers to build service-ready infrastructures and leverage them as the foundation for e-commerce, information management, messaging and other custom business applications.

Netscape CommerceXpert is the industry's most comprehensive suite of open standards-based software applications for automating business processes including commerce exchange, procurement, selling and customer service over the Internet.

Netscape Communications Corp. is a leading provider of open software and services for linking people and information over enterprise networks and the Internet. The company offers a full line of clients, servers, development tools, commercial applications and professional services to create a complete platform for next-generation, live online applications.