Terix Computer Vows to Extend HP 3000 9X7 and 9X9 Support as HP Plans to Abandon MPE Space

Terix Computer plans to extend support for the HP 3000 9x7 and 9x9 servers beyond the dates when HP will halt support (April 30, 2002 for the 9x7 and January 31, 2006 for the 9x9.)

Santa Clara, CA -- March 27, 2002 -- Furthering its commitment to ongoing support of the MPE space, national service provider Terix Computer is pledging to provide multiple choices to customers wanting to extend the lives of their HP 3000 9x7 and HP 3000 9x9 servers beyond announced end-support dates. Hewlett-Packard Co. has said that it will end support for the 3000 9x7 on April 30, 2002, and the HP 3000 9x9 on January 31, 2006. HP also plans to drop support for the HP 3000 MPE operating system. Among a diverse range of customer solutions, Terix offers hardware and software service plans for HP 3000 customers including on-site maintenance and next-day parts delivery for customers performing their own maintenance.

HP has announced that a new version of MPE/iX, Release 7.0, will not have code to support any HP 3000 9x7 servers," says Bruce Mitchell, director of multi-vendor service for Terix Computer. As HP moves to totally abandon the MPE space and its customers, Terix is working to continue providing everything that the HP 3000 customer needs. The 3000 9x7 represents about 40 percent of the installed base of HP 3000s -- upwards of 24,000 servers nationwide. We knew we couldnt turn our backs on these customers."

"Essentially, the Terix service solution empowers customers to remove the HP-timeline handcuffs from their MPE solutions," says Jim Olding, Terix executive vice president, sales and marketing. In today's hyper-competitive marketplace, OEMs such as HP are being forced to make tough product support decisions about where they can survive and drive earnings for shareholders. While many of these decisions may be strategic to an OEM, they may be detrimental to the best interests of the customer."

Olding says that many MPE application vendors intend to continue support for MPE customers application software. Combined with Terix on-site maintenance and MPE OS Support, HP 3000 customers now have options," says Olding. The choice now becomes, 'When do you, the customer, want to move off MPE and your 9x7 / 9x9 3000 systems? Because Terix also supports SUN, IBM, HP UX and Linux, these customers can also utilize our expertise to make a better-informed decision on which platform to move to and when."

Terix is marketing its Terix HP 3000 support solution with its direct sales force and also through resellers of HP hardware products. Adds Olding, Additionally, a large number of HP MPE-centric companies exist that are dreading the HP service announcements because they know that these announcements will have a direct impact on their customers. These companies are looking to Terix to fill the service voids left by HP, thus minimizing the impact to their business."

Headquartered in Santa Clara, CA, Terix Computer strives to deliver innovative and creative service solutions with a commitment to customer service, second to none, for the UNIX server and workstation marketplace. The company delivers service to 106 cities nationwide, and includes among its clients Fortune 1000 companies in industries as diverse as aerospace, telecom, banking and finance. Terix Computer is a privately held company whose web address is www.terixcomputer.com.

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CONTACT: Mike Jenkins
614.764.1274, 614.975.0802 or mjenkins@pontisgroup.com