Business Services Industry

ProvisionSoft Joins Hitachi Data Systems' TrueNorth Developer's Program; ProvisionSoft Teams Up with Hitachi Data Systems to Support Enterprise Data Centers

Business Wire, Feb 3, 2003

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

ANDOVER, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 3, 2003

ProvisionSoft(TM), the provider of DynamicIT(TM), a new generation of application-driven automated storage and server provisioning software, announced today that it plans to support Hitachi Freedom Storage(TM) 9000 product lines through its participation in Hitachi Data Systems' TrueNorth Developers Program. ProvisionSoft will bring the flexible, intelligent, predictive and automated provisioning capabilities of its DynamicIT software to the storage network infrastructures that are based on Hitachi storage technology. ProvisionSoft's participation in this program is designed to ensure that ProvisionSoft's DynamicIT software is easily deployable in enterprise data centers where Hitachi Data Systems has a major presence.

A major pain point for large data center IT managers is the cost of administering and provisioning storage resources. Generally performed reactively, provisioning of storage resources can take multiple days to complete and involves numerous complicated steps that, if done incorrectly, can result in expensive downtime. ProvisionSoft's DynamicIT software addresses these issues by monitoring usage patterns and then predictively, automatically and intelligently allocating the right storage resources at the right time.

"ProvisionSoft's support for the Hitachi Freedom Storage product lines will give our customers an unprecedented ability to manage the allocation of storage to any computer or application that needs it, at any time," said Steve East, vice president, Storage Integration, Hitachi Data Systems. "Our relationship with ProvisionSoft demonstrates our commitment to the TrueNorth strategy, by offering better ways for our customers to simplify management and optimize their storage environments. DynamicIT's focus on prediction, multiple levels of automation, and direct ties to existing management workflow ensures that the data center can be tightly integrated with the customer's overall business objectives."

"Our relationship with Hitachi Data Systems is a strategic one, and we look forward to providing our joint customers with a the ability to combine DynamicIT with HDS' storage offerings to create a combined solution that includes both the best automated resource management and the most advanced storage solutions available," stated Mark Reid, president of ProvisionSoft. "Integrating our DynamicIT software with both Hitachi Freedom Storage product lines will provide our common customer base with a solution that not only saves them time and money, but one that integrates and can grow with their existing software and hardware."

ProvisionSoft's DynamicIT software allocates and efficiently utilizes storage and server resources in a data center by recognizing utilization levels and then proactively allocating the right resources at the right time. Managing resources predictively, intelligently, and automatically , DynamicIT eliminates labor-intensive tasks typically associated with these functions and therefore significantly reduces downtime events caused by human error.

About Hitachi Data Systems

Hitachi Data Systems enables organizations worldwide to exploit the full potential of information. Adhering to our TrueNorth(TM) vision and strategy, we provide customers with a broad range of storage solutions to simplify, protect and optimize their information infrastructures. Our offerings include centralized and distributed storage solutions complemented by best-of-breed products from channel partners and industry alliances.

With 2,700 employees, Hitachi Data Systems conducts business through direct and indirect channels in the public, government and private sectors in over 170 countries. Our customers include more than 50 percent of Fortune 100 companies. For more information, please visit our Web site at www.hds.com.

About ProvisionSoft

ProvisionSoft Inc., a majority-owned operating company of CMGI Inc., is first to market with an application-driven, policy-based automated resource management solution, called DynamicIT. ProvisionSoft's DynamicIT software provides data centers with a flexible automated storage and server provisioning solution from an application's perspective. DynamicIT presents an application view of the data center that maps a customer's N-tiered application to a line of business, sets business policies and then takes provisioning actions against them. While delivering an impressive ROI and lowering administration costs of storage and server resources, DynamicIT reduces data center risk by automating labor-intensive provisioning tasks and proactively enforcing service level objectives. ProvisionSoft is headquartered in Andover, MA. For more information about ProvisionSoft, telephone 978.684.3000 or visit http://www.provisionsoft.com.

This release contains forward-looking statements that address a variety of subjects including, for example, the expected benefits associated with ProvisionSoft's relationship with Hitachi Data Systems and the features and functionality of ProvisionSoft's DynamicIT software, including its interoperability with products offered by other vendors. The following important factors and uncertainties, among others, could cause ProvisionSoft's actual results to differ materially from those described in these forward-looking statements: the DynamicIT software product is currently the sole product offered by ProvisionSoft; ProvisionSoft's growth depends upon continued and increased demand for and market acceptance of its product offerings; and there is expected to be continuing increased competition and technological changes in the markets in which ProvisionSoft competes. For a detailed discussion of these and other cautionary statements, please refer to CMGI, Inc.'s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including CMGI's most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.