COGNOS ANNOUNCES 'CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE' FOR BI APPS

Cognos, the leading strategic vendor of enterprise business intelligence solution for e-business, announced the first of a series of Centers of Excellence focused on providing customized products for strategic sectors. The Centers of Excellence will also create a distribution channel for Cognos business intelligence applications, generate a network of partners and customers, and ensure effective and efficient deployment in customer sites through a broad range of services offerings.

Cognos has selected Enabled Worlds as its North American Center of Excellence for J.D. Edwards. Enabled Worlds, located in Atlanta, is a joint venture between Cognos and Atlanta based CD Group Inc, a national, full- service consulting firm and J.D. Edwards reseller that specializes in implementing J.D. Edwards software and in providing its users with leading edge business and technology solutions. Additional business partners will be added over the course of the year.

Enabled Worlds is focused on providing immediate business value to J.D. Edwards 3,500 North American customers via Cognos e-Applications for J.D.Edwards (see separate release). In North America, Cognos e-Applications for J.D. Edwards will be distributed by Enabled Worlds to J.D. Edwards resellers, solution providers and customers. Cognos direct sales force will also sell the Cognos e-Applications for J.D. Edwards to Fortune 1000 customers. In addition to product distribution, Enabled Worlds will supply J.D. Edwards-specific services, support and education, as well as provide market education via user groups, newsletters and other marketing forums. Cognos expects to establish J.D. Edwards Centers of Excellence in the UK and Asia Pacific in the coming year.

"The Centers of Excellence demonstrate Cognos' continuing commitment to bringing greater value to customers and resellers through business intelligence applications," said Alan Rottenberg, Cognos senior vice president of e-business intelligence applications. "Through the e-Applications, customers will get a strategic perspective on their data, enabling them to derive immediate business value from their ERP systems. The Centers of Excellence will extend these solutions through training, services and complementary products."

In order to grow and support this Center of Excellence, Enabled Worlds will recruit, support, and maintain a channel of J.D. Edwards services companies comprised of both national and regional partners. Sales, installation services and support to J.D. Edwards customers will be executed by these partners with support from Enabled Worlds. Enabled Worlds will provide partners and clients with full training, customized e-Application information resources, on going e-Application improvements and complementary products.

"We are pleased to be working so closely with Cognos to deliver specific expertise to J.D. Edwards customers," said Larry Campbell, President of CD Group. "Our commitment to excellence earned us J.D. Edwards' top award for business partners. We have a highly experienced team that is capable of handling any J.D. Edwards implementation need."

"Cognos has had a long-standing partnership with J.D. Edwards. With Cognos e-Applications for J.D. Edwards we are now extending and complementing the J.D.Edwards solutions to help customers increase productivity, competitiveness and customer satisfaction," said Chris Zimmerman, Executive Director of Enabled Worlds. "We've installed Cognos e-Applications in several organizations as part of our development and test program. It has been gratifying to see these J.D. Edwards ERP clients begin to use Cognos e- Applications only a week after the initial installation. J.D. Edwards ERP clients need better analysis and reporting tools, and we're pleased to have an approach that brings improvement so quickly and easily."

About CD Group

CD Group Inc is a national J.D. Edwards solution services company providing implementation, business consulting and technical services. Besides J.D. Edwards implementation support, CD Group is a leader in Business Intelligence and E-Commerce. Founded in 1992, this Atlanta based company has provided exceptional service to the J.D. Edwards community, and as a result, has had an average annual growth rate of more than 50% over the last 4 years. For more information, visit CD Group on the Web at www.cdgroup.com.

About Cognos

Cognos is the leading vendor of enterprise business intelligence solutions. Business Intelligence software makes corporate data easily accessible to everyone in an organization, so they can better coordinate decision-making across the entire enterprise, and improve the performance of the business. Cognos products are available directly from Cognos and through an extensive network of channel partners. The Company also develops, markets and supports software tools for application development.

Founded in 1969, Cognos is a publicly traded company with offices around the world. U.S. operations for the company are headquartered in Burlington, Massachusetts. For more information, visit the Cognos Website at www.cognos.com.

About Enabled Worlds, LLC

Enabled Worlds LLC is an entity focused on providing best-of-breed Cognos business intelligence tools & e-Applications combined with other e-commerce products, services, and information developed exclusively for J.D. Edwards customers. A Joint Venture of Cognos & CD Group Inc, Enabled Worlds, LLC is operated by CD Group Inc and maintains its headquarters in the Atlanta Suburb of Norcross, GA. For further information, contact Chris Zimmerman, Executive Director, at 5550 Triangle Parkway, Suite 200, Norcross, Georgia 30092; phone 678-268-2000 and fax 678-268-2001, or visit www.enabledworlds.com. Enabled Worlds LLC is not affiliated with or sponsored by J.D. Edwards Inc

Contact Tim Powers of Cognos 781-229-6600