MICROSOFT AND ATTACHMATE ANNOUNCE A WORLDWIDE JOINT-MARKETING PROGRAM

The Ultimate SNA Server Starter Pak Gives Users a Simple Route To Advanced
IBM Host Connectivity

REDMOND, WASH. - JAN. 23, 1996 - Attachmate Corp. and Microsoft Corp. today
announced the Ultimate SNA Server Starter Pak, which provides users with
cost-effective client-server connectivity to IBM mainframe applications
and data from desktops running the Microsoft Windows, Windows 95 and
Windows NT Workstation operating systems. The Ultimate SNA Server Starter
Pak is making its debut in the United States, distributed by Ingram Micro,
a leading distributor of Microsoft and AttachmateR products. The Starter
Pak is composed of the award-winning Microsoft SNA Server, five
client-access licenses for SNA Server and five copies of Attachmate's
award-winning Extra! client for SNA Server. Ingram Micro's resellers will
be able to offer this solution to customers at approximately half the
combined price of the separate components. The Ultimate SNA Server Starter
Pak is available now. The price of the Starter Pak is approximately
$1,339, and approximately $186 for each additional client-access license.
The Starter Pak is available for an introductory price of approximately
$734 through March 31, 1996. A version of the Starter Pak will be
available in Europe starting in February.

The Ultimate SNA Server Starter Pak will provide flexible networking
services for branch offices within SNA open gateway architecture (SOGA), a
comprehensive framework for enterprise deployment of SNA gateways recently
announced by Microsoft. In addition to SNA Server and Attachmate clients,
the European version of the Ultimate SNA Server Starter Pak will include a
WAN adapter from Cirel. The combination will help customers make a smooth
transition from traditional SNA networks to TCP/IP networks while
maintaining mission-critical access to IBM host resources.

"Our customers have been asking for more integrated solutions so they can
reduce their role as the ultimate software integrator," said Vesa
Suomalainen, general manager of the SNA Server product unit at Microsoft.
"Our close cooperation with Attachmate enabled the creation of the
Ultimate SNA Server Starter Pak, which addresses this need and is
supported by both companies."

"Attachmate's industry-leading information-access solutions have been
designed specifically to exploit the capabilities of Microsoft Office,
Microsoft BackOffice and SNA Server," said Matt Highsmith, vice president
of corporate marketing at Attachmate. "By working with Microsoft
worldwide, customers can now easily obtain the industry's most advanced,
integrated connectivity solution, backed by the most comprehensive support
available."

"As a leading distributor of Microsoft SNA Server, we want to make it
easier for our resellers to serve the growing demand for SNA Server and
Attachmate products," said Lori Snow, director of technical products at
Ingram Micro. "The Ultimate SNA Server Starter Pak should be an exciting
offering for organizations seeking the best products on the market."

Last August, Digital Equipment Corp. and Microsoft announced a major
alliance, designed to help customers implement and support Windows
NT-based computing in the enterprise. Because both Windows NT Server and
SNA Server support Digital's Alpha technology, the Ultimate SNA Server
Starter Pak is also Alpha-compatible.

"Digital endorses the unique solutions being created by Attachmate and
Microsoft," said Mike Gallup, vice president of worldwide marketing at
Digital. "The Ultimate SNA Server Starter Pak is the perfect complement to
our AlphaServer platform."

As a major part of their focus, New Technology Partners, one of Microsoft's
leading Solution Providers, works closely with large client organizations
to whom host connectivity is critical.

"Because of its superior capabilities, many of our customers already use
the combination of Attachmate's client software with Microsoft's SNA
Server," said Bruce Backa, president of New Technology Partners. "We
believe that Attachmate clients and Microsoft servers provide the best
client-server combinations. We are delighted to see this offer because it
will make it much easier for our clients to acquire and implement this
solution."

Using advanced client-server architecture, Microsoft SNA Server offloads
the communications processing from host computers and desktop PCs. Each PC
uses standard LAN protocols, such as TCP/IP, IPX/SPX, NetBEUI, BanyanR
VINESR or AppleTalkR to connect to one or more SNA servers. The SNA
servers then connect to IBM mainframes and AS/400R systems using SNA
protocols. SNA Server supports up to 2,000 clients and 10,000 host
sessions and offers advanced tools for easy system setup and centralized
graphical administration. It supports every important PC and network
operating system, LAN, SNA host connection, and host type. Client
computers and administrator workstations can connect to SNA Servers across
LAN and WAN bridges and routers and over dial-up lines. A key component of
the Microsoft BackOffice family of products, SNA Server takes advantage of
the Windows NT Server operating system to deliver the power, scalability
and security of this robust foundation. Combined with the industry-
standard SNA APIs, this foundation makes SNA Server the most flexible
platform for integrating PC and host environments.

Optimized for Microsoft SNA Server, Extra! supports SNA Server's native
client-server API. Extra! provides a cost-effective solution, allowing
users in a Windows NT Server-based environment to use existing network
transports supported by SNA Server. Extra!, in conjunction with SNA
Server, provides the ideal way to migrate from SNA to TCP/IP. The Ultimate
SNA Server Starter Pak supports full SNA printing as well as delivery of
host graphics over TCP/IP. All of SNA Server's advanced features, such as
hot backup and load balancing, are also supported. Extra! also includes
built-in expert controls that dynamically add expertise to mainframe
applications via Extra! Basic, a Microsoft Visual BasicR programming
system-compliant scripting language. It also includes an advanced set of
development APIs, including Microsoft's WinHLLAPI, which work natively
with Visual Basic and the Visual C++R development system for creation of
re-engineered client-host applications.

Attachmate is the leading supplier of universal information-access software
that helps organizations create sophisticated intranets, allowing desktop
or remote users to transparently access, manipulate and exchange any
business information, whether it resides within the enterprise or on the
Internet. Backed by one of the industry's highest levels of direct
customer service and support in more than 30 countries worldwide,
Attachmate provides high-quality client, server, and authoring tool
software and services that provide real- life business solutions to a
company's everyday information-access problems.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in
software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of
products and services for business and personal use, each designed with
the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take
advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PRESS ONLY:

Walter Conner, Director of Corporate Communications, Attachmate Corp.,
(206) 649-6551

Vesa Suomalainen, General Manager, SNA Server Product Unit, Microsoft
Corp., (206) 882-8080

Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on
Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft home page at
http://www.microsoft.com/corpinfo. To receive Microsoft press releases by
fax, please call (800) 859- 5915 in the United States or (201) 333-0314
internationally.

For more information about Attachmate products, contact Attachmate's
headquarters in Bellevue, Wash., at (206) 644-4010 or toll-free at (800)
426-6283. Attachmate's World Wide Web address is
http://www.attachmate.com.
 
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