PALO ALTO and MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (Dec. 2, 1997) -- Hewlett-Packard Company (NYSE: HWP) and Netscape Communications Corporation (NASDAQ: NSCP) today announced that they intend to work together on a new line of process-automation and workflow products. These products are intended to be interoperable with HP's new process-automation software technology, HP Changengine, and Netscape's Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP)-based Netscape Directory Server software.
The combination of these technologies is intended to enable customers to automate day-to-day workgroup functions, such as travel requests, expense reports and vacation approvals, as well as enterprise processes, such as budget approvals and wage/salary reviews. Previously, a submitted hard-copy expense report could take weeks to be routed via interoffice paper mail and approved. With the new workflow and process-management solutions from HP and Netscape, customers could potentially cut that time to just hours, with the added benefit of electronically tracking all items "in process."
The companies intend to cooperate to deliver process-management and workflow solutions that are HP Changengine-enabled and include Netscape Directory Server software and Netscape SuiteSpot server software. In addition, HP intends to customize HP AdminFlow, its administrative automation product, to integrate with Netscape Directory Server and with the open architecture of the Netscape ONE platform. HP intends to use Netscape Directory Server to provide directory services for HP's new e-business frameworks.
The companies also intend to develop HP Changengine-enabled process-management and workflow solutions that will offer customers seamless migration by sharing process definitions, applications logic and development environments. HP AdminFlow is ideal for customers planning to automate complex processes, deploy distributed applications and integrate with existing transaction applications. Finally, future HP Changengine-based products will provide process-automation and workflow services for the Netscape ONE platform.
"HP understands the value that open standards and interoperable Internet services bring to customers," said John Paul, senior vice president of Server Products Division at Netscape. "By integrating Netscape Directory Server software and HP Changengine, we plan to enable our customers to build workgroup and enterprise process-automation solutions on their intranets that also can be extended out to partners, customers and suppliers on extranets."
Our enterprise customers are looking for standards-based solutions that work with all platforms in their environments," said Radha Basu, general manager of HP's Electronic Business Software Organization. "Netscape has software available today that meets those requirements, and that's why we are integrating Netscape Directory Server software with HP AdminFlow and other HP products and frameworks."
Central to HP's e-business software portfolio is the new HP Changengine, which enables business processes to be adapted at "Internet speed" in response to changing business demands. HP's Changengine delivers a time-to-market advantage by allowing the business "process logic" to reside outside the business application in which it would ordinarily be embedded, enabling customers to evolve processes without incurring significant IT costs.
HP's focus on e-business software, HP's dedicated Electronic Business Software Organization and the HP Changengine were announced separately today. (See "HP Launches Software for Electronic Business.") More information about HP's Electronic Business Software Organization can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.hp.com/go/ebizsoftware.
ABOUT NETSCAPE
Netscape Communications Corporation is a premier provider of open software for linking people and information over enterprise networks and the Internet. The company offers a full line of clients, servers, development tools and commercial applications to create a complete platform for next-generation, live online applications. Traded on NASDAQ under the symbol "NSCP," Netscape Communications Corporation is based in Mountain View, California.
Additional information on Netscape Communications Corporation is available on the Internet at http://home.netscape.com or by sending email to moreinfo@netscape.com. Corporate customers can call 650/937-2555 while consumers can call 650/937-3777 for more information.
ABOUT HP
HP is the official information-technology hardware and maintenance supplier to the 1998 World Cup soccer tournament and the 1997 Tournament of France. Selected for its technology and skills to support and manage mission-critical applications, HP will help create an information-management infrastructure for handling game-scoring; media centers; personnel accreditation; hotel information; and various ticketing, stadium, warehouse and back-office operations.
Hewlett-Packard Company is a leading global provider of computing, Internet and intranet solutions, services, communications products and measurement solutions, all of which are recognized for excellence in quality and support. It is the second-largest computer supplier in the world, with computer-related revenue in excess of $35.4 billion in its 1997 fiscal year. HP has 121,900 employees and had revenue of $42.9 billion in its 1997 fiscal year.
Information about HP and its products can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.hp.com.
Netscape, Netscape Navigator, Netscape ONE and the Netscape N and ship's wheel logos are registered trademarks of Netscape Communications Corporation which is registered in the United States and other jurisdictions. Netscape product names are trademarks of Netscape Communications Corporation may be registered in some jurisdictions.