Opsware Releases Version 3.5 of Its Data Center Automation Software; Organizations Can Now Take Advantage Of New Disaster Recovery And Server Assimilation Capabilities

Business Wire, Nov 13, 2002

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 13, 2002

Opsware Inc. (NASDAQ: OPSW), formerly Loudcloud, the leading provider of data center automation software, today released Opsware System 3.5, which features advanced server assimilation capabilities, cutting-edge disaster recovery functionality and support for new operating systems. The Opsware System automates data center operations such as server provisioning, application configuration and deployment, and security management, allowing enterprises and government agencies to dramatically reduce the cost and complexity associated with managing today's distributed application environments.

According to Forrester Research the average Fortune 500 company today spends 7-8% of revenues on IT. With the Opsware System, IT organizations can significantly reduce the cost of their IT operations. EDS, who licensed Opsware software earlier this year, expects to save $100 million annually in data center management.

"The Opsware automation technology will enable EDS to enhance service excellence and streamline the task of managing complex data centers," said Larry Lozon, Global Offering Executive, EDS Web and Application Hosting Services. "By automating the provisioning of servers and applications, we are able to focus our operations staff on solving other critical issues on behalf of our clients."

The new release of Opsware software automates two highly complex and costly tasks; multi-data center management from a single location and discovery and assimilation of servers already running in an existing data center environment. Multi-data center management is enabled through a new module called Multimaster that synchronizes operations across multiple data centers, enabling operations control from a single location and rapid disaster recovery. The server assimilation feature discovers what is running in an existing data center environment including hardware, operating systems, patch levels and select software infrastructure, and then assimilates servers into the Opsware framework for subsequent management. Server assimilation allows Opsware software to integrate seamlessly into an existing data center environment and automate operations in these environments. By assimilating servers, customers can bring nearly all the benefits automating to their existing environment. For example, IT organizations can use Opsware's software provisioning, patch management, and code deployment & rollback capabilities on existing servers.

"IT organizations are faced with the daunting challenge of trying to manage thousands of servers scattered across multiple data centers on shrinking budgets," said Tim Howes, CTO and co-founder of Opsware Inc. "The situation only gets worse as companies deploy more applications. Opsware System 3.5 controls the complexity associated with distributed environments and enables Opsware to be used to manage existing environments."

Opsware System 3.5 highlights includes:

-- Multimaster: The Multimaster Service Automation Module (SAM) enables IT organizations to manage geographically distributed servers and applications from a central location using a single console. It includes disaster recovery capabilities that dramatically speed up the recovery of a data center environment in the event of a failure or disaster.

-- Server Assimilation: Opsware System 3.5 automatically gathers hardware and software inventory for servers in existing data centers as it prepares those servers to be managed by Opsware. Using Opsware to manage existing as well as freshly provisioned servers helps companies realize lower costs, stronger security, and higher quality across a dramatically larger number of servers. In particular, Opsware System 3.5 gathers information about hardware attributes, installed software and patch levels. Users can view this consolidated inventory through the Opsware Command Center. After the server is assimilated, Opsware users can perform nearly all the same server lifecycle management tasks including software provisioning, asset tracking, patch management, and code deployment.

-- Expanded platform support: Opsware System 3.5 adds support for IBM AIX, and new versions of Solaris and Linux. With the addition of these platforms, Opsware's reach extends even further across all major platforms including Windows, Linux and Unix.

About Opsware Inc (Nasdaq: OPSW)

Opsware Inc, formerly Loudcloud, is the leading provider of data center automation software, offering a complete solution for enterprises, government agencies and service providers looking to reduce costs and increase IT efficiencies. The Opsware System automates the complete IT lifecycle including provisioning, deploying, changing, scaling, securing, recovering, consolidating, auditing and reallocating servers and business applications. The Opsware System uniquely combines process automation with built in operations knowledge on over 60 software products. Opsware software was the foundation of Loudcloud's software-powered managed services business and has been proven to lower costs, accelerate change and increase service quality. For more information on Opsware Inc., please visit our Web site at www.opswareinc.com.