MICROSOFT SQL SERVER SETS NEW SCALABILITY RECORDS IN DATABASE THROUGHPUT,
PRICE/PERFORMANCE ON WINDOWS NT

Microsoft SQL Server Outperforms Oracle7 and Sybase on Windows NT

REDMOND, WASH. APRIL 5, 1996 - Microsoft Corp. today announced a new world
record for database throughput on the Microsoft Windows NTR operating
system. In the latest TPC Benchmark test, Microsoft SQL Server version 6.5
beat Oracle7 and Sybase System 11 in throughput and price/performance
using Windows NT and the same hardware platform.

Audited TPC-CR benchmark results released today show throughput of 3,641.17
(tpmCR) using Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 and a Compaq ProLiant 4500 5/133
Server. Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 also set a new world record in
price/performance of $147.62 per tpmC, the best ever delivered by any
system. These results surpass the throughput record on this hardware,
previously held by Oracle7 on UnixWare, and beat the overall
price/performance record, previously set by Sybase System 11 on Windows
NT.

The table below summarizes current TPC-C database benchmark results
published on the Compaq ProLiant 4500 5/133 Server equipped with four
IntelR PentiumR 133MHz processors:

 THROUGHPUT PRICE/PERF.
 DATABASE                       OPERATING SYSTEM    (TPMC)   ($/TPMC)
 --------------------------------------------------------------------
 MICROSOFT SQL SERVER 6.5         WINDOWS NT         3,641     $148
 Oracle7 version 7.3              UnixWare           3,516     $186
 Oracle7 version 7.3              Solaris            3,225     $207
 Sybase System 11                 Windows NT         3,112     $151
 Oracle7 version 7.3              Windows NT         3,066     $198

"These results demonstrate that Microsoft's strategy of optimizing for
Windows NT is paying big dividends," said Rich Tong, division marketing
manager for the desktop and business systems division at Microsoft. "Not
only are these results the best database performance numbers on Windows
NT, they also surpass the database performance of any UNIXR database on
the same hardware platform."

Today's TPC numbers represent a 48 percent performance improvement and a 39
percent reduction in cost per transaction over tests done on Microsoft SQL
Server 6.0 on similar hardware last October. The performance gain is due
to optimizations in Microsoft SQL Server 6.5, including better use of
native Windows NT threads, improved asynchronous I/O and a streamlined
checkpoint process. It also reflects Microsoft's work with Compaq Computer
Corp. to deliver hardware optimized for Microsoft SQL Server and Windows
NT.

"This test was performed with 3,500 concurrent users on a system that cost
less than $540,000 yet delivers better performance than proprietary
systems costing two to three times as much," said Gary Stimac, senior vice
president of the systems division at Compaq. "The relationship between
Compaq and Microsoft allows us to deliver outstanding value to our joint
customers with enterprise- level solutions on industry-standard hardware."
The database used in the test totaled 45 gigabytes and included nearly 175
million records, with the largest table containing more than 100 million
records.

Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 is scheduled for final release in the second
quarter of 1996. Additional information on Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 is
available on Microsoft's Web site at http://www.microsoft.com/sql/.

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.
 
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