REDMOND, Wash. - Jan. 13, 1999 - In December 1998 International Data Corp. (IDC) released preliminary statistics confirming the continuing customer acceptance for the Microsoft^® Windows NT^® Server operating system, again recognizing it as the fastest-growing, commercially marketed server operating system in the industry. According to IDC, Microsoft shipped 1.56 million new server software licenses in 1998, which is nearly 50 percent more licenses than Novell NetWare and twice as many as the combined versions of UNIX.

"Last year, shipments of Windows NT Server licenses grew faster than the growth rate for worldwide unit sales of all new server operating systems combined," said Jean Bozman, software analyst, IDC. "Unit growth rate for Windows NT Server was twice that of NetWare and more than six times that of combined UNIX."

IDC expects license shipments of Windows NT Server to have a compound annual growth rate of nearly 23 percent through 2002, versus 11.2 percent for UNIX and 7 percent for Novell NetWare. IDC's UNIX category includes Sun Microsystems Inc.'s Solaris, Hewlett-Packard Co.'s HP-UX, IBM Corp.'s AIX, Compaq Computer Corp.'s Digital UNIX, SCO OpenServer and SCO UnixWare.

Windows NT Server is a highly scalable, reliable and available operating system that meets the requirements of the overwhelming majority of the enterprise-computing customers for data management, messaging, transaction processing, Internet services, and file and print infrastructure. Supported by a significant majority of the world's systems providers, Windows NT Server offers customers with an integrated, multipurpose and cost-effective operating system.

"With Windows NT Server we can deliver information in a reliable and secure manner when and where it's needed," said Steve Randich, chief information officer, Chicago Stock Exchange. "Windows NT is a complete end-to-end solution for our trading floor systems. Floor traders tell us that they have faster response times and a more intuitive, easier-to-use interface than with other systems we evaluated, such as UNIX."

"Microsoft was thrilled but not surprised by IDC's substantiation of the continuing industry momentum behind Windows NT Server," said Edmund Muth, group product manager, Microsoft Corp. "Not only is Windows NT gaining momentum, but it is being used to host more and more high-value applications. The comprehensive system services and the high level of integration of Windows NT Server are reasons for customers' vigorous adoptions."

For more information on why Windows NT Server is the strategic choice over NetWare and UNIX, and how customers are utilizing the Windows^® operating system platform to lower cost of ownership, increase interoperability and enrich their development environment, visit http://www.microsoft.com/ntserver/openhouse/default.asp .