PRESS: INFORMIX ANNOUNCES DATABLADE DEVELOPERS PROGRAM

INFORMIX ANNOUNCES=20 DATABLADE DEVELOPERS PROGRAM Illustra DataBlade Extensions To Add Infinite Extensibility To INFORMIX'S-Universal Server=20 MENLO PARK, Calif., (April 15, 1996) Informix Software, Inc.=20 (NASDAQ:IFMX), the leading provider of innovative database technology,=20 today announced its DataBlade Developers Program, designed to target=20 best-of-breed technology companies, and help them build, test, and bring=20 to market powerful, next-generation software extensions, called DataBlade=20 modules.=20 DataBlade modules extend the core database to manage any=20 information type in its native format, including text, image, audio,=20 video, HTML, and other user-defined data types. The program offers the=20 tools, training, and joint marketing opportunities developers need to=20 build and market DataBlade modules for the Illustra Server, and migrate=20 them to INFORMIX-Universal Server. Now scheduled to ship in the fourth=20 quarter of 1996, Informix's Universal Server will be the first=20 enterprise-capable, extensible, relational database management system. A New Development Paradigm Unlike traditional relational database management systems,=20 Universal Server DataBlade modules allow customers and third parties to=20 define new data types and integrate them directly into the database. =20 Providing more than simple storage functionality, DataBlade modules=20 supply intelligence to the database, which allows users to search the=20 content of non-traditional and user-defined datatypes and run complex=20 operations on those datatypes.=20 According to Neil Weintraut of Hambrecht & Quist, "Informix's=20 Universal Server and DataBlade modules have ushered in an entirely new=20 development paradigm. Database vendors have attempted to respond to the=20 markets need for a database that users could extend, but until now, none=20 had the requisite technology. DataBlade modules are critical to this new=20 shift in the database industry. There is no comparable technology on the=20 competitive front, and DataBlade modules are what truly differentiate=20 Informix from all the other database companies."=20 Developer Benefits "Because the Illustra Server is the only extensible database=20 available today, it allows developers to innovate much more rapidly than=20 is possible with other database vendors," said Bruce Golden, Illustra=20 vice president of marketing. "The DataBlade Developers Program enables=20 them to create new information types independently and rapidly, and=20 capture time-sensitive market opportunities to a degree never before=20 possible."=09 Illustra has already worked with a number of third parties to=20 develop and market DataBlade modules, including Virage Technologies,=20 Inc., S-Plus, Personal Library Software (PLS), and Verity Software.=20 Third-party DataBlade modules are complementary to those developed by=20 Illustra, including the Time Series DataBlade module, Image DataBlade=20 module, Text DataBlade module, 2D and 3D Spatial DataBlade modules, and=20 others. "Taking advantage of the unique Illustra DataBlade architecture=20 has allowed Virage to deliver our Visual Information Retrieval technology=20 to customers on an extensible platform that lets them manage any type of=20 data," said Paul Lego, president and CEO of Virage, Inc. "Not only were we= =20 able to offer our customers the image search engine they were asking for,=20 but also the ability to manage all of their other information types in=20 one fully-integrated database with unprecedented functionality. With the=20 migration path to Informix's Universal Server, our customers will have=20 access to Informix's high-performance scalability, and we will be able to=20 leverage Informix's broad distribution channels worldwide," Lego continued. Customer Benefits With DataBlade modules, customers can invent new datatypes on=20 their own or select them from a number of third-party developers. In=20 addition, Informix will offer a certification program for third-party=20 DataBlade developers to help ensure product quality and compatibility.=20 "We are really looking forward to Informix's Universal Server to take advantage of DataBlade modules for complex data types. This should=20 provide a significant improvement in the speed at which we can implement=20 new business processes in the future," said James Ferguson, director of=20 Technology Management for Bank of Americas Finance Group. =20 "There are three major success factors for companies moving into=20 the twenty-first century," said Phil White, chairman and CEO, Informix. =20 "The ability to gain competitive advantage by intelligently making use of=20 any type of information; the ability to innovate more rapidly than the=20 competition; and the ability to accelerate time-to-market through=20 strategic partnerships. The integration of Illustra technology with our=20 core database architecture will create the only database solution that=20 arms businesses with the tools necessary to succeed on each of these=20 fronts. Customers no longer need to choose between high performance=20 transaction processing and support for rich, new data types. They can=20 now enjoy the performance and scalability they expect from Informix, in=20 addition to the infinite extensibility provided by DataBlade modules." =20 Program Components=20 The DataBlade Developers Program includes the following components: =B7 DataBlade Developers Kit - Consists of documentation, annotated sample= =20 code and support software, to assist developers in building DataBlade=20 modules. =B7 Training - This requisite course will provide a fundamental= understanding=20 of how to develop DataBlade modules for the Illustra Server and Universal=20 Server. =B7 Support - Developers receive one-on-one consulting services from a team= =20 of experts that provide assistance with the design and planning of=20 DataBlade modules. =B7 Joint-Marketing and Joint-Selling Opportunities - Developers will have= =20 access to partner marketing activities offered under the Informix=20 Solutions Alliance, which may include joint press release announcements,=20 customer success stories, seminars, collateral, and a listing in the=20 Informix "Solutions Guide." Developers may e-mail datablades@illustra.com, call=20 1-800-540-2266, or fax 1-510-652-8000, option #3, to receive more=20 information on the program. DataBlade Technology DataBlade modules are collections of user-defined data structures=20 and the functions that manipulate them; and optionally new access=20 methods. In object-oriented terms, DataBlade modules are class libraries=20 for the server (distinct from, but complementary to INFORMIX-NewEra=20 class libraries, which reside on the client). Universal Server will be=20 able to integrate any number of DataBlade modules simultaneously. =20 INFORMIX-Universal Server Now due to ship at the end of this year, Informix's Universal=20 Server will combine the Illustra extensible content management system=20 with Informix's core parallel database technology, Dynamic Scalable=20 Architecture (DSA). The blend of high-performance relational database=2