Microsoft and AIMetrix Team to Bring Mission-Critical Operations Support Systems to Market

REDMOND, Wash., and EL DORADO HILLS, Calif., July 28, 1997 — Microsoft Corp. and AI Metrix Inc., a software provider for the telecommunications market, have teamed up to bring to market mission-critical operations support system (OSS) applications for the Microsoft â Windows NT â Server network operating system. Microsoft is providing technical support to AI Metrix for deployment of the AI Metrix ™
NeuralStar
™
OSS framework and applications for integrated network management. The result of this collaborative effort is increased functionality for network operators at a lower cost, through integration of disjointed network management functions. NeuralStar provides greater flexibility and control, enabling network operators to more effectively manage complex heterogeneous networks and services via the easy-to-use yet powerful Windows NT Server environment.

“In today’s telecommunications market, highly functional and flexible operations support systems are increasingly regarded as key enablers of competitive differentiation,”
said Bill Anderson, director of telecom industry marketing at Microsoft.

Microsoft is excited to be working with AI Metrix as they bring to market products that address a fundamental need of network operators – the efficient management of an increasingly complex range of networks and services.”

Microsoft’s collaboration with AI Metrix is an important component of its strategy to work with partners to deliver platforms and products – based on Microsoft Windows NT Server and independent software vendor applications – for delivering and managing telecommunications services.

“The availability of Windows NT Server 4.0 and the unprecedented demand for integrated operations support systems have been the driving forces behind our innovations,”
said David Tanel, vice president of strategic planning for AI Metrix .
“Microsoft provides the solid technological foundation that has enabled us to take OSS and network management to new levels of functionality, sophistication and ease of use.”

The AI Metrix flagship product, NeuralStar, is a native Windows NT Server 4.0-based product that provides a flexible architecture which manages physical and logical network elements such as central office switches, cross connects, SONET add-drop multiplexers, broadband equipment, frame relay and IP equipment. NeuralStar also provides business support applications that manage processes such as service management, network configuration and data reconciliation, facilitating increased revenue recognition for service providers. NeuralStar incorporates integrated applications such as trouble management, real-time fault correlation, suppression and escalation, and data collection.

The NeuralStar framework is designed to give users a means to easily and dynamically integrate deductive logic about network operations into the application. Advanced heuristic parsing algorithms have been employed to intuitively recognize discrete message types from network elements. This message-based approach reduces dependence on manual data entry, reducing software maintenance requirements.

By using the Microsoft Windows NT Server platform, NeuralStar enables seamless integration of service and network management applications through Distributed Component Object Model (DCOM) and Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) technologies. The

architecture allows applications such as engineering, configuration management and service activation to share common data sources, which results in increased flexibility and efficiency of the management system.

About AI
Metrix

Founded in 1996, AI Metrix is a privately held California-based software engineering corporation that develops and markets Windows NT Server-based operations and business support applications for emerging and transitioning telecommunications service providers.

For more information on AI Metrix , visit http://www.aimetrix.com/ .

About Microsoft

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.

Microsoft and Windows NT are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.

AI Metrix and NeuralStar are trademarks of AI Metrix Inc.

Other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.

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