New Software to Extend RISC System/6000 Performance, Capabilities and Interoperability

IBM AIX Platform Enhancements

Somers, N.Y. -- June 19, 1995 -- (Business Wire ) -- IBM today introduced new and enhanced software for its RISC System/6000(a) (RS/6000(a)) family, including the RS/6000 Scalable POWERparallel (SP) Systems(a), as well as the newly-announced PowerPC(a)-based Power Series(a) line. These software products will assist customers who are implementing distributed client/server environments across their enterprise by providing greater interoperability between AIX(a)-based systems and existing PCs and mainframes.

The software announcements include an update to AIX Version 4, IBM's powerful UNIX(c) operating system, to support a variety of new hardware. AIX Version 4 performance has been optimized to deliver impressive scalability for customers upgrading from existing 4-way symmetric multiprocessor (SMP) systems to new 6-way and 8-way SMP models. Other new and updated products enhance customers' ability to manage distributed systems, develop client/server applications, ensure system availability for their users, and integrate new systems with their existing PC LAN and mainframe environments.

Most importantly, customers can take advantage of these new capabilities while protecting their current application investments. Today's announcements include products that enable RS/6000 customers to access not only the thousands of available AIX applications, but also a number of existing mainframe graphics applications and many of the most popular products for the Microsoft Windows(b) environment.

"These improvements provide our customers with valuable tools for integrating UNIX, PC and mainframe applications using the RS/6000 as the central platform," said Donna Van Fleet, vice president, AIX systems development, IBM RISC System/6000 Division. "AIX Version 4 is a truly scalable operating system that provides users with a single technology that spans a wide range of hardware, from laptops and low-end desktops to our Scalable POWERparallel systems."

This comprehensive announcement reinforces IBM's position as the industry's leading provider of distributed client/server solutions. With AIX, users can take advantage of an operating system that supports cutting-edge software technology, from Taligent's CommonPoint(b) object frameworks, to the Open Software Foundation's(b) Distributed Computing Environment(b) (DCE(b)), to multimedia and the Internet. Continuing the commitment to provide customers distributed computing solutions based on established standards, many of the products announced today deliver elements of IBM's Open Blueprint(a) model for distributed client/server systems.

For more information, including an unabridged copy of this press release, please contact Bill O'Leary, IBM media relations, 914/766-3642, or Scott Friedman, TSI for IBM, at 212/696-2000 ext. 200.

Additional information on the RS/6000 and related products is available through the World Wide Web on the Internet. To access the IBM Home Page, open the following URL: http://www.ibm.com. To access the IBM RS/6000 Home Page, open the following URL: http://www@austin.ibm.com.

The IBM Fax Information Service allows you to receive facsimiles of prior IBM product press releases. Simply dial 1-800/IBM-4FAX and enter "99" at the voice menu.

Notes to Editors: (a) Indicates trademark or registered trademark of International Business Machines Corp.

(b) Indicates trademark or registered trademark of the respective company.

(c) UNIX is a registered trademark in the United States and other countries, licensed exclusively through X/Open Company Ltd. IBM AIX Version 3.2.5 and IBM AIX Version 4.1 for the RS/6000 family of systems are branded X/Open UNIX 93.

CONTACT: IBM Bill O'Leary, 914/766-3642 wo'leary@vnet.ibm.com or TSI for IBM Scott Friedman, 212/696-2000 ext. 200 sfriedman@tsipr.com 09:34 ET JUN 19, 1995