Fujitsu and Microsoft to Deliver Mainframe-Class Capability On Open-Standard IT Platforms for Mission-Critical Environments

TOKYO, June 28, 2004 — In a press conference held here today, Fujitsu Limited Chairman Naoyuki Akikusa and Microsoft Corp. CEO Steve Ballmer announced a significant expansion of the companies’ long-standing global enterprise relationship. The companies entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with respect to their companies’ commitment to collaborate in the development of Fujitsu’s next-generation Intel® Itanium®
Processor Family-based server for Windows Server (TM) 2003 and next-generation Windows Server (code-named “Longhorn” Server), as well as in platform integration, services and mission-critical customer support. This expanded collaboration is designed to help enterprise customers obtain optimal levels of reliability, scalability, performance and value for mission-critical IT environments.

Under the expanded global alliance, Fujitsu and Microsoft will combine Fujitsu’s mainframe expertise and systems with Microsoft’s latest Windows Server 2003 and Microsoft®
.NET software to enable customers to implement flexible, trustworthy enterprise infrastructure and applications that support business objectives and processes in a highly efficient and effective way. Specifically, Fujitsu and Microsoft will do the following:

  • Collaborate in the development of Fujitsu’s next-generation Intel Itanium-based server running and optimized for Microsoft Windows Server 2003 and “Longhorn” Server

  • Integrate Microsoft .NET software into Fujitsu’s TRIOLE (TM) , a strategy to deliver flexible, adaptable IT infrastructures that directly support a changing business environment

  • Reinforce support for customers running Windows®
    operating system in mission-critical environments by establishing a joint engineering support team in Redmond, Wash.

  • Collaborate in software development to improve the interoperability between Microsoft and Fujitsu software and to extend the capabilities of Fujitsu’s software tools designed to help customers move mission-critical infrastructure and applications to Microsoft .NET software

The companies will collaborate on a worldwide basis, targeting revenues of 800 billion yen (US $7.2 billion) in 2007 from Fujitsu sales of hardware systems, software products and services for platform businesses based on Microsoft technologies. (Yen amounts have been translated to US dollars, for convenience only, at a uniform rate of $1=110 yen.)

“Fujitsu is committed to delivering total end-to-end solutions for mission-critical systems to our enterprise customers worldwide,” said Akikusa. “By combining Fujitsu’s platform products and integration expertise with existing Windows assets, this expanded collaboration makes it possible to offer Windows-based systems with the most advanced level of mainframe-class reliability to customers who demand maximum system availability for their mission-critical systems. In addition, the next generation of products developed by both companies will significantly reduce operating expenses, ensuring the long-term viability of customers’ investments.”

“We are very pleased to expand the depth and scope of our relationship with Fujitsu, a worldwide technology and services leader,” Ballmer said. “Fujitsu’s heritage and strengths in mainframe computing, combined with Microsoft’s latest Windows Server System (TM) software, can enable enterprise customers to optimize the strategic value of their IT investments on the Windows platform and better execute on mission-critical objectives.”

Additional Details on Collaboration

Next-generation Intel Itanium-based Server for 64-bit Windows

As part of their collaboration in the development of Fujitsu’s next-generation Intel Itanium-based server for Windows Server 2003 and “Longhorn” Server, Fujitsu and Microsoft will do the following:

  • Conduct performance benchmark testing with the goal of achieving industry-leading benchmarks targeting SQL Server (TM) 2005 and minimizing risk to customers deploying the new system in mission-critical environments

  • Implement system functions to prevent system errors and enhance the reliability, availability and serviceability (RAS) of the system

  • Enhance supportability tools for tracing system errors on Windows Server 2003 and “Longhorn” Server

  • Perform system validation of dynamic partitioning on “Longhorn” Server to provide mainframe-class availability of systems

Fujitsu’s next-generation Intel Itanium-based server for Windows Server 2003 is expected to launch in the first half of 2005.

Platform Integration and Services

To help customers establish a flexible IT environment that aligns with and supports mission-critical business processes, Fujitsu in collaboration with Microsoft has been developing TRIOLE Pi (platform integration) templates, functional building blocks to speed the construction of highly reliable infrastructures and solutions based on Windows Server 2003, the .NET Framework and SQL Server 2000. TRIOLE is Fujitsu’s strategy for the optimized design, development and deployment of highly reliable and adaptive mission-critical IT infrastructure in heterogeneous environments. The companies will intensify their focus on helping customers develop applications in Microsoft .NET environments using Fujitsu’s Pi template design, consulting and system integration services. In addition, Fujitsu and Microsoft will jointly establish a proof-of-concept center at the Fujitsu IA Solution Center in Japan in the second half of 2004, offering customers system validation, performance benchmark testing and other services for mission-critical systems.

In the system management area, Fujitsu and Microsoft will assign technical resources to improve the interoperability between Microsoft Operations Manager (MOM) and Fujitsu’s Systemwalker family of products to enhance management functionality for mission-critical operations. Fujitsu and Microsoft will collaborate to evolve and enhance Fujitsu’s software products — such as NetCOBOL for .NET and Interstage Business Application Manager for .NET — to help customers migrate and reform traditional enterprise applications to next-generation, Web services-based environments on the Microsoft Windows and .NET platform.

Support

To reinforce support for customers running Fujitsu and Microsoft solutions, the companies will establish a joint engineering support team at the Global Escalation Center at Microsoft headquarters in the second half of 2004. The team will focus on accelerating the identification and resolution of issues by working closely with the Windows Server development team and using supportability tools developed by both companies.

Quote from Partner

“Intel welcomes the latest collaboration between Fujitsu and Microsoft to bring greater value and flexibility to customers’ businesses,” said Ahbi Talwalkar, vice president and general manager of the Enterprise Platforms Group at Intel Corporation. “With our shared commitment to the Intel-Itanium processor family, customers will be able to take advantage of mainframe-class Intel Itanium-based platforms based on Windows for years to come.”

About Fujitsu

Fujitsu is a leading provider of customer-focused IT and communications solutions for the global marketplace. Pace-setting technologies, highly reliable computing and communications platforms, and a worldwide corps of systems and services experts uniquely position Fujitsu to deliver comprehensive solutions that open up infinite possibilities for its customers’ success. Headquartered in Tokyo, Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702) reported consolidated revenues of 4.7 trillion yen (US$45 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2004. For more information, please see: www.fujitsu.com .

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

This press announcement may contain forward-looking statements that are based on management’s current views and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements.

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

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