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MetaMatrix Announces v.2.1 Release of MetaBase

MetaMatrix, a leading developer of information integration and metadata management products, announces the version 2.1 releases of MetaBase, an enterprise metadata management system, and its flagship product, the MetaMatrix Information Integration Server.

With the release of version 2.1, MetaMatrix continues to position itself as a leading provider of Enterprise Information Integration infrastructure software. MetaMatrix offers the first solution to combine an enterprise-caliber metadata management solution with a scalable, heterogeneous data access technology. Together, the MetaMatrix MetaBase and the MetaMatrix Information Integration Server simplify the construction of Model-Driven Architectures for information integration.

The MetaMatrix approach to integration allows companies to capture the promises of Model-Driven Architecture. With the MetaMatrix System, a company creates a virtual model that is a mapping of the enterprise information systems. In creating the virtual model, transformations and relationships are created to provide a single view of the enterprise. The MetaMatrix Information Integration Server uses this model to access the information the model represents. Using the MetaMatrix Information Integration Server, enterprise application developers are able to create sophisticated, information-rich applications without dealing with the complexities of each system from which the information is derived. In other words, developers can spend less time dealing with the complexities of integrating information sources and have a greater focus on functionality and meeting business requirements while still delivering applications in a shorter timeframe.

This complete MetaMatrix System turns information into a competitive advantage by providing firms with enterprise-wide information visibility and access across multiple offices, trading partners, departments, and suppliers. Schroders & Co, a global asset management company, uses MetaMatrix software to provide a real-time view of key indicators to monitor the company's performance. This integrated enterprise view gives Schroders insights into its business practices and customer trends that it could not previously analyze. This real-time view of integrated information lets Schroders react quickly to market influences.

The MetaMatrix System, as an integration infrastructure, gives an enterprise another competitive advantage. With built-in support for industry-standard protocols and an extensible connector framework, MetaMatrix provides a flexible platform designed to detach the enterprise from changes in technology. The MetaMatrix product line supports industry accepted standards for interoperability and integration such as Unified Modeling Language (UML), Meta-Object Facility (MOF), XML Metadata Interchange (XMI), and Common Warehouse Metamodel (CWM). Based on these standards, the software enables an enterprise to develop a Model-Driven Architecture, platform independent solutions which minimize the impact of future IT changes on their business-critical information systems.

MetaMatrix 2.1 introduces features that ensure interoperability, promote enterprise-wide information visibility, and increase application development efficiency. In this release, MetaMatrix introduces MetaViewer, a Web-based application that allows users to search and browse metadata models. MetaViewer makes it easier for both business users and developers to discover the information available to them throughout the enterprise. Other enhancements include: Dependency Analysis, allowing users to analyze the effects of changing any element within an environment; XMI model set interchange, enabling users to import and export complete interrelated model sets; Query Editor and Function Builder to help data modelers build powerful transformation queries quickly. Enterprises can find a more complete list of MetaMatrix 2.1 features, as well as an evaluation download and white papers, at www.metamatrix.com.

About MetaMatrix Inc

MetaMatrix, the Model-Driven Information Integration pioneer, has developed the first Java-based software to integrate a company's diverse information sources using Model-Driven Architecture (MDA) for real-time data access. The MetaMatrix product suite, with its flagship MetaMatrix Information Integration Server and MetaBase, provides a platform through which enterprises can manage and provide uniform access to disparate information systems, drastically reducing application development times. With the MetaMatrix System, companies gain a competitive advantage to react quickly to market influences. Headquartered in New York City, with offices in Dallas, St. Louis and London, MetaMatrix is privately held.

SRC Adds New Distribution Option for its Budgeting Software

SRC Software, a leader in providing flexibility and sophistication for enterprise budgeting and financial planning, has further enhanced its industry-leading distribution spectrum by adding a second Web option. Their new Web Checkout module utilizes the Web as a robust and efficient budget distribution method for 'off-line' users, while their existing I*Net Budgeting option allows for live system access over the Internet or Intranet.

Today's announcement closely follows SRC's recent launch of the newest version of the Advisor Series, known as Advisor Series Version 9, providing three major new features -- process control, dynamic 'main menu' information display, and task scheduling -- which represent significant enhancements to the software's capabilities as well as its ease of use and administration.

With the new Web Checkout module, Advisor Series users can 'check out' budgets or forecasts via a Web Checkout Internet or intranet page, work on them off-line, and then 'check in' budgets back to the main system. When a user checks out a budget, all of the necessary files and code are downloaded to the user's PC so that he or she can work in a disconnected mode with full Advisor Series budgeting functionality. When budgets are checked back in via Web Checkout, the data is automatically saved to the Advisor Series database.

"While interest in the marketplace continues to grow toward Web-based deployment, many organizations still do not have adequate bandwidth or face other IT obstacles," said Andrew Ferguson, president and CEO, SRC Software. "Web Checkout provides our clients with an optimized low-bandwidth Web-based approach without sacrificing rich planning and modeling functionality. Web Checkout rounds out a full complement of distribution options for the Advisor Series, including our existing I*Net Budgeting module, which provides live budgeting over the Internet or a company intranet.

"By adding new deployment options like Web Checkout, as well as the next-generation features in the latest Version 9 release such as process control, we are demonstrating our commitment to giving mid-to-large-size enterprises the tools they need to improve and streamline the financial planning process."

SRC's Advisor Series is an enterprise financial planning and reporting solution that provides extremely robust and flexible capabilities for planning, reporting and budgeting, features an intuitive and powerful Excel-based interface and is quick and efficient to deploy.

Web Checkout is a 'pull' distribution methodology that allows end-users to actively participate in the budget distribution process, resulting in a much more robust and efficient alternative to 'push' distribution methods like email. It is fully integrated with the Advisor Series' new process control feature, providing full process management whether budgets are 'checked out' or active in the system. All of the Advisor Series' security settings remain in effect with Web Checkout, so users can view and work with only the budgets to which they have rights.

Web Checkout is a separately licensed module for the Advisor Series, priced at $8,995. It enhances a new or existing Advisor Series implementation for Web-enabled budget distribution. An IIS Server setup is required. Client-side requirements include Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE 5.0 or above) to access the Web Checkout site, and Excel 97, 2000, or XP for the distributed Advisor Series budgets.

SRC Software, www.srcsoftware.com, is a leader in providing flexibility and sophistication for enterprise financial planning and corporate performance management. With over 1,400 installations of its multi-platform Advisor Series in mid- to high-end enterprises, SRC's highly personalized budgeting, payroll planning and multi-source consolidation/reporting solutions are used by companies such as Washington Mutual Finance, Harrah's Las Vegas casino hotel, Caterpillar Logistics Services Inc and C-SPAN. SRC offers a full complement of financial planning and analysis tools through its unique integration of spreadsheets and industry-leading databases complete with full-scale Web deployment. The company is privately held and based in Portland, Ore.; has regional offices in Massachusetts, Michigan and Texas; and distribution channels in more than 16 countries. For more information, contact SRC Software at 800-544-3477 or by e-mail at info@srcsoftware.com.

Contact Peter Tulupman, 718-403-9320, peter@tulupman.com.