LOTUS ANNOUNCES LOTUS NOTESPUMP 1.0

PROVIDES SCALEABLE, HIGH PERFORMANCE AND FLEXIBLE DATA INTERCHANGE BETWEEN
LOTUS NOTES AND RELATIONAL DATABASES

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Sept. 25, 1995 -- Lotus Development Corp. today announced
Lotus NotesPump 1.0, server-based software that allows administrators to
centrally schedule and execute the high bandwidth exchange of data between
Lotus Notes and relational database systems. Lotus Business Partners and
customers can use NotesPump to integrate data from the IBM DB2 family,
Oracle 7, Sybase 10 and ODBC-compatible databases into their Lotus Notes
products and applications.

"NotesPump is an example of Notes working with existing systems to enhance
the value of the IT infrastructure," said Jeff Papows, vice president of
Lotus' Communications Business Group. "With NotesPump, customers can
easily combine the strengths of their production relational database
systems with the advanced capabilities of Lotus Notes to provide
compelling enterprise applications. In addition, ISVs can leverage the
open APIs in NotesPump to meet the broad range of requirements for
database integration."

NotesPump's scaleable server-based architecture includes a Notes- based
central administration and control program, a high-performance 32-bit
multi-tasking processor server engine, and database modules. To provide
the highest reliability of data exchange and activity processing, the
Notes, Oracle and Sybase modules use native database application
programming interfaces. NotesPump's DB2 link (via ODBC) coupled with IBM's
existing suite of replication products gives NotesPump users access to
IMS, VSAM and DB2 data on a wide range of platforms. NotesPump will be
offered as both a product for customers and as a set of APIs for ISVs.

DESIGNED FOR ENTERPRISE DEPLOYMENT

For customers, NotesPump offers management features that make it easy to
deploy across a large enterprise. Multiple NotesPump jobs can be managed
and monitored easily from a single Notes client using NotesPump's
management and control application. Lotus NotesPump engines can be managed
via SNMP using Lotus NotesView.

NotesPump offers tunable load balancing, allowing administrators to manage
their resources by adjusting which jobs run on which machine, by various
criteria. For the highest level of data transfer, NotesPump's Oracle
database driver features array processing while the Sybase driver features
bulk transfers.

NotesPump's server operations monitor data exchange activity status to
automatically reinitiate incomplete data exchange activities in the event
of a server or database connection failure. The Notes administrator is
notified of the status of NotesPump operations via Notes mail. To reduce
downtime, new database components and activities can be added to the
system without the need to stop or restart the NotesPump application or
engine.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR ISV INTEGRATION

NotesPump's modular architecture makes it easy for ISVs to customize and
add value.  Several modular facilities will be made available to ISVs
shortly. The first, a Database Link API, can be used to add other database
interfaces in addition to Notes, Oracle, Sybase, and ODBC. A second API
supports new activities which allow ISVs to perform data processing
functions along with data exchange. The third API enables ISVs to embed
control of activities in another application, or even build an entirely
different front end to the NotesPump engine. Lotus will license NotesPump
and its API to ISVs to encourage the growth of applications that link
Notes and relational databases.

ADVANCED DATA EXCHANGE

NotesPump's flexible scheduling capabilities can accommodate the most
complex business transfer requirements. Data transfer activities can be
scheduled using the familiar Notes interface for repetitive days, times or
selections of times. Activities can also be scheduled on business-based
conditions such as the last five days of the month. In addition, multiple
activities can be scheduled to execute as dependent processes. NotesPump
supports a variety of data interchange activities including:

* Direct transfer activities, which may include SQL queries and/or Notes
formulas;

* Replication activities, which ensure the synchronization of Notes and
relational databases by allowing the NotesPump user to specify a primary
key in the RDBMS and a field in the Notes database to specify which
document and keys are to be replicated. NotesPump also supports primary
key/timestamp replication which additionally uses timestamp fields for
conditional replication based on the timestamp of the record or document;

* Polling activities, which monitor for specific conditions to initiate a
data transfer. For example, a bank could specify a data transfer to occur
when a loan over a certain dollar amount is requested.

PRICING, AVAILABILITY AND SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

Lotus NotesPump 1.0 will be available from Lotus Business Partners within
30 days with a suggested retail price of $7,995. The pricing includes the
NotesPump engine and modules for Notes, ODBC, and either Sybase or Oracle
databases. Additional modules have a suggested retail price of $1,995.
Lotus NotesPump supports IBM OS/2.1 or Windows NT 3.5 running on an
Intel-based, IBM compatible 486 or better with a minimum of 24MB of memory
(32MB or more recommended). NotesPump requires a minimum of 10MB of disk
space. NotesPump servers require Lotus Notes Release 3 client or server
edition (Windows NT: server edition only).

NotesPump Administrator software requires a Lotus Notes client edition.
NotesPump supports Lotus Notes, Oracle 7 with SQL*Net 1.1 and/or 2.1,
Sybase System 10 with Netlib Version 2.0 and/or System 10 Netlib, and OBDC
drivers (user supplied) compliant with ODBC Level 1 databases. Lotus
intends to deliver a version of the NotesPump engine that will run under
the HP-UX operating system in the near future. Future releases of
NotesPump will offer additional native database connectivity modules,
starting with the IBM DB2 family of relational databases.

Lotus Notes is the leading client-server platform for developing and
deploying strategic groupware applications that help organizations
communicate, collaborate and coordinate strategic business processes
within and beyond their organizational boundaries to achieve improved
business results. More than 6,000 companies and more than 2 million people
use Notes to improve key business processes such as customer service,
sales and account management, and product development. Lotus Notes
supports all major operating systems including IBM OS/2 Warp, Apple Mac
OS, Microsoft Windows and Windows NT, and UNIX platforms including IBM
AIX, Sun Solaris, HP-UX, and SCO OpenServer. Notes is also available as a
NetWare loadable module for the Novell environment.

Lotus Development Corp., a subsidiary of IBM Corp., offers high quality
software products and support services that reflect the company's unique
understanding of the new ways in which individuals and businesses must
work together to achieve success. Lotus' innovative approach is evident in
a new class of applications that allows information to be accessed and
communicated in ways never before possible, both within and beyond
organizational boundaries. The company also provides numerous support
services, both from its consulting division and its award-winning 24-hour
support center.

All prices and terms for the US only.
 
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