Microsoft and Bluestone Software Announce Sapphire/Web Support for Windows DNA

Sapphire/Web's Open Architecture Promotes Interoperable, Scalable and 24x7-Reliable Enterprise Class Windows DNA Applications

REDMOND, Wash., and MOUNT LAUREL, N.J. - May 11, 1999 - Microsoft Corp. and Bluestone^® Software Inc., a performance leader in enterprise interaction management, today announced that Bluestone's Web Application Server framework, Sapphire/Web^®, supports the Microsoft^® Windows^® Distributed interNet Applications (Windows DNA) architecture. In addition, Bluestone announced its intention to deliver a Windows 2000-ready version of Sapphire/Web.

"We are pleased that Bluestone has extended its open, cross-platform Sapphire/Web Application Server framework to Windows DNA," said Jigish Avalani, group manager of Windows DNA Marketing. "Running Sapphire/Web on the Windows platform takes advantage of the rich Windows technology services important to scalability and reliability. This enables our customers to more fully achieve integration across their enterprise applications and across multiple platforms."

"We support the entirety of the enterprise, and Microsoft technologies are an important component in virtually every enterprise deployment model," said John Capobianco, senior vice president of Marketing at Bluestone. "Therefore, having full interoperability between Windows DNA and other enterprise standards is critical to the enterprise. Windows DNA is a highly scalable and reliable application architecture, and utilizing this technology will allow our customers to meet the needs of the enterprise regardless of size or throughput requirements."

Available today, Sapphire/Web's DNA architecture support includes the following:

• A component integration tool that exposes COM server components and allows developers to visually integrate them into their applications. This provides the ability to "use and call" COM server components.

• Support for the Microsoft Java Virtual Machine (JVM), which also provides remote debugging of distributed applications.
• The ability to deploy application servers as packages for Microsoft Transaction Server (MTS) services in Windows NT^® Server. This allows Sapphire/Universal Business Server (Sapphire/UBS) applications to use Microsoft's Distributed Transaction Coordinator (DTC) for two-phase commit against multiple heterogeneous database types.
• When deployed on the Windows NT Enterprise Edition or Windows 2000 Advanced or Enterprise Server operating systems, Sapphire/Web applications can take advantage of the operating system's cluster services for high availability.

About Windows DNA

Windows DNA is the application development model for the Windows platform. It specifies how to develop robust, scalable, distributed applications for the Windows platform, extend existing data and external applications to the Internet, and support a wide range of client devices maximizing the reach of an application. The Windows DNA architecture enables ISVs and organizations to solve industry-specific challenges, while lowering costs associated with deploying and managing information technology systems. More information on Windows DNA is available at http://www.microsoft.com/dna/.

About Sapphire/Web

Bluestone's Sapphire/Web was deemed a performance leader in the recent independent benchmark (February 1999) conducted by Doculabs to measure the robustness, scalability and fault tolerance of industry-leading Web application servers. Sapphire/Web is designed to control critical enterprise IT functions, including development, deployment, integration and management. Sapphire/Web is platform-independent and standards-compliant with Windows DNA, including COM and MTS, and also with Java, EJB and CORBA. Sapphire/Web runs on Windows NT (including Windows 2000, when it ships), Windows 95 and Windows 98, as well as on UNIX, Linux and IBM's OS/400 and OS/390. Deployment options include 100 percent Pure Java, EJB, JavaBeans, and Servlets, C and C++. Customers depend on Sapphire/Web to rapidly build and deploy applications that integrate legacy systems, "new age" components and Web-based technologies to manage the flow of information and interactions between the user and the enterprise.

About Bluestone Software

Bluestone Software Inc. is a leading supplier of enterprise interaction management software. Companies like ARI, Conexant Systems Inc. (formerly Rockwell Semiconductor), Dreyfus Corp., Eli Lilly and Company, MCI WorldCom Inc., Reliance National Insurance, and Time Inc. depend on Bluestone Sapphire/Web and Bluestone XML Suite Ô Application Server frameworks to integrate business applications into Web-enabled environments, manage information interactions, and exchange data with employees, partners and customers. Those interested can obtain more information about Bluestone by calling (609) 727-4600 or visiting http://www.bluestone.com/.

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