MICROSOFT AND COMPAQ ANNOUNCE ENTERPRISE
DATA CENTER INITIATIVE
Compaq Computer Corporation and Microsoft Corporation have unveiled their initiative to propel the Microsoft Windows NT Server operating system into a premier role in the enterprise data center. The companies announced an initiative that will continue to provide customers with the cost-effectiveness and ease-of-use of Windows NT in addition to the advanced clustering, OLTP scalability and robustness of Compaq's best data-center technologies. The results of this work will be incorporated into future releases of Windows NT, and will be broadly and openly licensed to the industry.
This initiative includes technologies previously available only as components of Compaq's Tandem NonStop Kernel, Digital OpenVMS and Digital UNIX platforms including:
"Our mutual customers are using Windows NT Server in more and more mission critical applications including electronic commerce and ERP," said Paul Maritz, Group Vice President, Platforms and Applications, Microsoft Corporation. "This important initiative combines the COM programming model; `non-stop' clustering infrastructure and advanced enterprise capabilities of Compaq to create a next-generation operating environment."
"Working together with Microsoft, this initiative provides an opportunity for our customers to leverage all of Compaq's strengths: Windows NT expertise, enterprise data center experience, Intel and 64-bit Compaq Alpha platforms and worldwide service and support," said John T. Rose, Senior Vice President and Group General Manager, Enterprise Computing Group, Compaq Computer Corporation.
"This is not only a major inflection point for the industry but an epiphany for how the Digital, Tandem and Compaq cultures complement each other and the strategic relationship with Microsoft," said Brad Day, Vice President, Giga Information Group. "The capabilities covered by this agreement include Compaq's best enterprise technologies, which have been proven in the most demanding environments in the industry. Customers can now plan for the future with a clearer vision of how Windows NT Server will be enhanced for the data center."
Founded in 1982, Compaq Computer Corporation is a Fortune Global 100 company. Compaq is the second largest computer company in the world and the largest global supplier of personal computers. Compaq develops and markets hardware, software, solutions, and services, including industry-leading enterprise computing solutions, fault-tolerant business-critical solutions, networking and communication products, commercial desktop and portable products and consumer PCs. Compaq and its products are available at http://www.compaq.com Founded in 1975, Microsoft is a worldwide leader in software for personal computers.