Opsware Announces Support for New Microsoft Automated Server Provisioning Software
 

Sunnyvale, Calif – Opsware Inc. (NASDAQ: OPSW), the leading provider of data center automation (DCA) software, in partnership with Microsoft on their Dynamic Systems Initiative today announced integration with Microsoft® Windows® Server 2003 Automated Deployment Services (ADS), providing customers an ADS-compliant version of Opsware that automatically leverages ADS for bare metal server provisioning of Windows 2000 Server and Windows Server 2003. The ADS-compliant version of Opsware will be first used by EDS as they roll out Opsware automation across their 14 data centers and 50,000 servers. Beyond Windows system provisioning, customers use Opsware’s capabilities to automate the rest of the server lifecycle, including operations such as software provisioning, patch management, application deployment, and distributed script execution. The ADS compliant software is included with Opsware System 4.0, which begins shipping this week.

“Opsware’s data center automation software and Microsoft’s ADS give us a powerful combination to achieve the greatest efficiencies possible in the data center,” said Larry Lozon, global service line executive, EDS Web and Application Hosting for EDS. “The Opsware-Microsoft collaboration reinforces EDS’ commitment to automation interoperability and helps us increase efficiencies, while improving service quality and reliability.”

With almost 70% of their budgets going towards data center operations today, IT urgently needs to reduce the costs and complexity associated with operating enterprise data centers. Opsware’s automation software reduces costs and increases service quality by automating time-consuming, labor-intensive tasks. Customers can use the integrated Opsware and ADS solution to seamlessly provision complete Windows server baselines on bare metal servers. Once the servers have been provisioned, Opsware automates provisioning of the software infrastructure and applications and automates otherwise costly, labor-intensive operations such as system patching, scripting,
re-configuration and application updates. Opsware automation has proven to save customers thousands of man-hours and millions of dollars in operational costs annually.

“Automated Deployment Services is a key deliverable as part of our Dynamic Systems Initiative that provides powerful new server provisioning and administration capability to reduce the costs associated with operating a Windows data center,” said Eric Berg, Lead Product Manager, Microsoft. “Opsware’s role as a DSI partner and the resulting interoperability between our two products sends a clear message to customers that together, we are committed to delivering a solution that is easy to implement and produces immediate benefits.”

“By delivering complete ADS-compliance in Opsware System 4.0, we further advance automation of Windows systems,” said Sharmila Shahani senior vice president of marketing of Opsware. “By working closely with Microsoft, we ensure the Opsware System is on the leading edge when it comes to automating large-scale Windows environments.”

According to Goldman Sachs’ May 2003 IT Spending Survey, 46% of Fortune 1000 CIOs are actively trying to reduce costs. Using data center automation, IT organizations can reduce the costs of critical operations like provisioning, patching and deployment by 80%. The Opsware System also enables corporations to speed operations execution times by 70-80% and realize the benefits of a utility computing model. Organizations can use Opsware’s data center automation software to automate operations across Windows, Linux and UNIX servers and applications distributed across multiple data centers.

About Opsware Inc.
Opsware Inc., formerly Loudcloud, is the leading provider of data center automation software, offering a complete solution for enterprises, government agencies and service providers looking to reduce costs and increase IT efficiencies. The Opsware System uniquely combines process automation with built in operations knowledge on numerous technologies. Opsware was the foundation of Loudcloud’s software-powered managed services business and has been proven to lower costs, accelerate change and increase service quality.

For further information, please visit: http://www.opsware.com