ShowCase Signs Reselling and Licensing Agreement With IBM To Expand Business Intelligence Solutions For AS/400 Customers

Business Wire, Feb 11, 1999

ROCHESTER, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--February 9, 1999--

In addition, ShowCase data warehousing and OLAP technology - including Essbase/400 -- will be integrated into the IBM DB2 OLAP Server.

ShowCase Corporation, the leading provider of data warehousing solutions for the AS/400, today announced a reselling and technology licensing partnership which will expand IBM's business intelligence solutions to the AS/400 platform.

Under the terms of the reseller agreement, IBM will offer customers ShowCase(R) STRATEGY(TM) - including Essbase/400 -- for data access, information analysis and intelligence, as part of IBM's core business intelligence solutions offerings. STRATEGY provides business intelligence solutions through integrated technology that enables developers to perform data extraction, transformation, distribution and analysis with the centralized security and maintenance of a server-based architecture.

In addition, under the technology licensing partnership, ShowCase will develop an AS/400 version of the DB2 OLAP Server which, along with other STRATEGY products, will become IBM-branded business intelligence solutions marketed worldwide. ShowCase will also partner with IBM to provide worldwide technical support to customers purchasing any of the STRATEGY(TM) products through IBM. These new agreements expand the existing reseller relationship the firms have enjoyed in North America since 1997.

"Our partnership with ShowCase offers customers a powerful synergy," says Janet Perna, general manager, data management, IBM Software Solutions. "With our cross-platform solution strategy, IBM has installed more data warehouses, large and small, than any other company. ShowCase STRATEGY offers a fully integrated end-to-end, enterprise data warehousing solution for the AS/400. The decision to form this partnership is an outgrowth of IBM's deep commitment to providing our AS/400 customers around the world with proven business intelligence solutions."

Benefits To AS/400 Customers

Using IBM's new business intelligence solutions, companies running on the AS/400 will be able to access and analyze information in dynamic new ways for proactive decision making, improved cost efficiencies, a higher level of customer service and, ultimately, increased revenues and improved asset/liability management. IBM's business intelligence solutions are specifically designed to help customers gain optimum value from their ERP systems.

According to Ken Holec, president and CEO of ShowCase Corporation: "This agreement will enable ShowCase to reach new markets for our data warehousing technology through IBM channels worldwide. Most important, it will help both companies better serve the business needs of global AS/400 customers. STRATEGY leverages the simplicity and ease of use of the IBM AS/400 to provide users with unmatched reliability, data integrity and security, in addition to the industrial-strength ruggedness and high scalability users demand for their mission-critical business intelligence applications."

About ShowCase Corporation

ShowCase Corporation is one of the world's leading providers of integrated, end-to-end data warehouse software and services for the IBM AS/400 platform. ShowCase STRATEGY enables customers to quickly implement a business intelligence data warehouse system that can extend to meet future needs as they evolve.

Founded in 1989, ShowCase has more than 200 employees worldwide and serves customers at more than 2,600 companies in over 52 countries throughout the world. The company sells products through a direct sales force and has offices in Asia-Pacific, the United Kingdom and continental Europe, in addition to its worldwide distribution network. To support current and future growth, ShowCase recently opened additional offices in Los Angeles and Dallas.

For more information regarding products or services, contact ShowCase at 800-829-3555. Or, visit the ShowCase Web site at www.showcasecorp.com.