Software AG Adopts Centra's Real-time Web Collaboration Platform to Improve Communication to Global Sales Team

Business Wire, Sept 9, 2002

Business/Technology Editors

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 9, 2002

Centra (NASDAQ: CTRA), the leading provider of integrated software solutions for real-time Internet business communication and collaboration, today announced that Software AG, Europe's largest provider of system software and services, has selected Centra to deliver more effective training and corporate communications to their global sales organization. Leveraging Centra's core capabilities for Web-based audio-conferencing and live application sharing to provide knowledge transfer to their worldwide field personnel, Software AG expects to save thousands of dollars in business travel and related sales training expenses.

Software AG selected Centra to support their sales team after an extensive evaluation of both traditional and Internet-based communication solutions. The company will use the CentraOne(TM) platform to deliver more timely information and training on new products, software applications, and global business initiatives to hundreds of field-based employees. To meet the needs of those employees who cannot attend live sessions due to scheduling conflicts, Software AG will rely on Centra's robust record and playback feature to archive sessions for review by employees at a later date.

According to Lothar Lasinski, Vice President of Marketing for Software AG, "The logistical challenge of rolling out new products is more than just delivering information to a representative's desktop. We need to keep our field personnel in the field, selling and supporting our customers. The needs of our global sales team are the motivating factor in our decision to implement a Web collaboration system. In our search for that solution, we found that Centra offers the only product on the market today that meets Software AG's reliability and scalability requirements."

Scaleable Platform for eLearning and Collaboration

Leveraging the core capabilities of the CentraOne platform, Centra offers a suite of integrated, real-time Web collaboration applications, content composition tools, and knowledge delivery systems that can be quickly installed on-site using Centra's rapid deployment methodology, or conveniently accessed through Centra's secure, full-service ASP. These applications - including interactive Web meetings, virtual classrooms, and large-scale conferences - ensure universal access through firewalls and proxy servers, and deliver full-performance IP audio conferencing, streaming video, application sharing, and dynamic multimedia over low-bandwidth network connections through a standard browser interface.

"Centra is delighted to welcome Software AG to our growing roster of high-tech customers in Germany," said Lawrence Whittle, Vice President of Sales and Operations for Centra EMEA. "We are excited to be leveraging our vast expertise in serving global organizations to assist Software AG, and we believe that their field-based employees will benefit from having the best and latest product information available through the convenience and flexibility of our Web collaboration platform."

About Software AG

Software AG is based in Darmstadt, Germany. Founded in 1969, Software AG is a leading global provider of system software and services enabling enterprise data integration and management. Software AG's products control the central IT processes of thousands of renowned companies worldwide including Lufthansa, Siemens, Citibank, Merck, DaimlerChrysler, Sony, BP and Telefonica. Software AG's portfolio of more than 300 distribution and technology partners includes IBM, Sun, Microsoft, and Hewlett-Packard, and solutions vendors like BEA, Tridion, Stellent and Ixos. In 2001, the corporation achieved 589 million euros in total revenue. Software AG has offices in over 70 countries and currently employs a staff of 3,200. For more information, visit www.softwareag.com.

About Centra

Leading with an undisputed track record of helping millions of users to increase revenue and improve overall business performance, Centra provides Web collaboration solutions that enable the delivery of information in a variety of live and self-service formats, and add value through unmatched capabilities to capture interactions and content, personalize and manage this information, and instantly re-use it across the enterprise. Today hundreds of global organizations across every industry and market sector choose Centra, including Cingular Wireless, Cadbury Schweppes, Citigroup, AT&T, Procter & Gamble, McKesson, Merck, Nationwide Insurance, Sysco, and Stanford University. Centra's products are bolstered by a vital ecosystem of strategic partners, including PwC Consulting, Deloitte Consulting, EDS, Microsoft, SAP, Siebel, Cisco, Oracle, and SmartForce. Headquartered in Boston's technology corridor, Centra has sales offices throughout North America, Europe and Asia. For more information, visit www.centra.com.