PRESS: Informix in the News

INFORMIX HEADLINE NEWS FLASH 10/21/96 ---------------------------------- List of Informix related articles. Format: PUBLICATION "Article Name" Summary of Article [Date, Location in Publication, Author] Informix in the News --------------------------------- COMPUTER RESELLER NEWS "Informix's new management console" Along with the roll out of its replication services, Informix is unveiling a new management console that leapfrogs utilities from its competition. "We wanted to make sure we took our time and did it right," said Brett Bachman, general manager of enterprise products at Informix. "We found that people wanted [replication] inside the database and they wanted it at a higher performance." Unlike Sybase, Informix is building the basic replication engine into its entire line of databases and is not charging extra for the capability. "There are some efficiencies to be gained from putting it in the database," said David McGoveran, an analyst with Alternative Technologies, Inc. "Overall, it is a plus from what Sybase has." (10/21/96, pg. 20, Shawn Willett) INFORMATIONWEEK "Database management" Last week, Informix announced its Distributed Enterprise Solution, a set of interoperable replication servers and management tools that let companies share information between databases from a variety of vendors. Informix is using Internet technology as a low-cost way to deliver database management and replication to Informix OnLine database users. "Informix has added an important distinction to work place performance and flexibility with its OnLine and DataBlade technology -- important enough that Oracle and Sybase have responded with [similar offerings]," stated Dan Kusnetzky, an analyst at International Data Corp. The new products will ship by year's end for Unix and Windows NT, coinciding with the latest update of the OnLine product family. (10/21/96, pg. 79, Lisa Nadile) INFOWORLD "Informix gets vital replication features" Informix will help database administrators stay on top of distributed database environments by adding heterogeneous replication, enterprise management and expanded Web access to its line of relational databases. The Informix Comprehensive Replication software will come in two versions, one aimed at small workgroup sites and the other will be an enterprise version that will support peer-to-peer replication with a cross-platform option. For peer-to-peer replication across IBM, Microsoft, Oracle and Sybase platforms, users will be able to purchase Praxis International's OmniReplicator from Informix. Informix is also extending support for Netscape's Enterprise Server and Navigator browser access to its entire OnLine server line. (10/21/96, pg. 33, Mark Leon) NETWORK WORLD "Informix bolsters database replication and management" In addition to unveiling tools for copying data across distributed databases as well as managing them, Informix is integrating its OnLine database with Web products from Netscape. Informix has lagged in replication, however, now single users will have a built-in, two-way data replication feature. To improve database systems management, Informix has also created INFORMIX-Enterprise Command Center (IECC), a workstation-based management system that can oversee thousands of database servers. (10/21/96, pg. 37, John Cox) PC WEEK "Informix to ship replication wares" Informix plans to ship two new replication tools, Workgroup Replication and Enterprise Replication, by year's end. The Workgroup Replication tool supports two-way, asynchronous replication between clients and Informix servers, while the Enterprise Replication tool supports continuous parallel replication. The company also plans to ship the Enterprise Command Center, a tool for managing all Informix databases in multiple environments. (10/21/96, pg. 36, Juan Perez) COMPUTERWORLD "Databases grab hold of objects, multimedia" Many IS managers are hoping to benefit from complex data types, including First Chicago Mercantile Services LLC that expects to use Informix's upcoming Universal Server to set up an image-enabled payment processing service for banks, credit-card companies and other customers. First Chicago expects to start working with a beta test version of Universal Server next month. Morgan Stanley & Co.'s market risk group plans to use Universal Server to add relational underpinnings to a time-based analysis application that now runs on the Illustra database. (10/21/96, pg. 55, Craig Stedman) COMPUTERWORLD "Pick a side" IS managers will soon face the choice of "inside vs. outside" when evaluating the object plug-in technologies that are being developed by IBM, Informix, Oracle and Sybase. Informix's DataBlade architecture hooks plug-in modules directly into the database server; Oracle's cartridges will stand apart from the database and connect by passing objects across a network. "Cartridges may be more flexible and adaptable than DataBlades because they won't be tied into the internals of the database," said Richard Finkelstein, president of Performance Computing, Inc. (10/21/96, pg. 55, Craig Stedman) C/NET "Vendors show their stuff" Informix announced that it will expand a set of existing solutions that will include Netscape's Web servers and its OnLine database software. The company will offer bundles of OnLine Dynamic Server and OnLine Extended Parallel Server with Netscape's software. (10/16/96, on-line, Nick Wingfield) COMPUTER RESELLER NEWS ON-LINE "Meeting the middleware challenge" Distributors say that database software vendors are finally doing their own part to build a viable reseller channel for middleware while avoiding undercutting their partners. For the most part, vendors are tapping into small and midsize technical distributors that can devote resources and expertise to their products. This year, Informix dramatically expanded the amount of its OnLine Dynamic Server going through distribution by recruiting more distributors, such as Hall-Mark, and encouraging VARs to purchase through distribution. "Our Informix business has doubled in the past 12 months," said Scott Shadle, president of Jones Business Systems, Inc., an Informix distributor. "We think it's is going to be an $8 to $10 million business this year." (10/21/96, on-line, Shawn Willett) THE WALL STREET JOURNAL "Net increased in quarter, but is below expectations" Informix's third-quarter profit rose 9.6 percent and sales rose 30 percent to $238.2 million from $182.7 million. Informix's sales of database software, its biggest business, increased 50 percent to make the company the fastest-growing in that category. (10/17/96, pg. B4, staff writer) Additional coverage: C/NET "Profits rise at Informix" (10/16/96, on-line, Dawn Yoshitake) BLOOMBERG BUSINESS NEWS "Informix says sluggish tool sales hurt third-quarter revenue growth" (10/16/96, on-line, Tom Murphy) BLOOMBERG BUSINESS NEWS "Informix shares fall: earnings prompt anal