News release

HP Acquires License of RiverSoft NMOS Technology to Provide Enhanced Operations Management

HP OpenView Market Leadership Accelerates Adoption of RiverSoft Network Management Operating System

PALO ALTO and SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., Nov. 6, 2000

Hewlett-Packard Company (NYSE: HWP) and RiverSoft today announced an agreement that provides HP with a source code license for the RiverSoft Network Management Operating System (NMOS) Version 3, for inclusion in future HP OpenView software solutions. In addition, HP has taken an equity stake in RiverSoft.

The RiverSoft NMOS technology provides for powerful discovery and monitoring of IP networks and automatically recognizes and adapts to changes in those networks. Adding the technology to HP OpenView industry-leading network management solutions will provide service providers, Internet businesses and enterprises with unprecedented operations management functionality. The combination will help customers to assure service availability in rapidly changing environments.

"At no time in business history has there been a greater need for our customers to have their strategic e-business environments always on and always available," said Patty Azzarello, vice president and general manager, HP OpenView Software Business Unit. "Integrating RiverSoft's technology with HP OpenView provides our customers with even greater confidence that HP provides the best solutions and services for their specific environments."

"The RiverSoft NMOS provides key underlying services required for the management of today's business-critical IP-based infrastructures," said Dominic Gattuso, Jr., RiverSoft CEO. "Already deployed in multiple service providers and corporate enterprises, NMOS is rapidly increasing in industry acceptance. With this agreement, customers will be able to benefit from the broad range of HP OpenView solutions that can utilize the NMOS information."

About the Technology

The RiverSoft NMOS is designed specifically for the dynamic nature of today's business-critical IP networks. It discovers and builds connectivity information of complex network environments, including support for advanced networking technologies such as ATM, frame relay, switched Ethernet, VLAN and VPNs, automatically adapting to changes in the network configuration. The RiverSoft NMOS Version 3, which is currently under development, will deliver enhanced functionality and will assist in further reducing IP-network failures.

HP OpenView pioneered IP network discovery with the market-leading Network Node Manager product. The addition of NMOS-enhanced Layer 2 network topology monitoring will improve HP OpenView customers' understanding of the physical network connectivity supporting their business systems.

"As companies large and small depend on increasingly complex networks to do business, management products must evolve to keep up with the pace of change. This means more automated, dynamic and accurate management software to address broader infrastructure requirements," said Denis Drogseth, director, Enterprise Management Associates. "RiverSoft's NMOS is one of the most innovative approaches to solving the problems of the modern-day networked infrastructure. From where we stand, this is an all-win agreement that will challenge the broader market."

About RiverSoft

RiverSoft provides advanced IP network management solutions that have been designed to adapt to the rapid pace of change in today's networks. Leading customers and partners such as British Airways, Deutsche Bank, Intel Corporation and Level 3 Communications are using RiverSoft products to increase IP network availability, reduce operational costs and achieve sustainable competitive advantage. RiverSoft is a global organization and can be found on the Web at www.riversoft.com.

About HP OpenView

HP OpenView is the world's leading provider of Internet and e-services management solutions. HP OpenView's unmatched suite of integrated solutions and services drives Internet business success by enabling Internet businesses of all kinds to provide the fastest, most reliable customer experience. HP OpenView solutions are at work in more than 135,000 multivendor distributed computing environments worldwide. Together with offerings from more than 200 partners, HP OpenView offers a complete portfolio of services and management solutions on all major platforms.

Information about HP OpenView and its solutions can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.openview.hp.com.

About HP

Hewlett-Packard Company -- a leading global provider of computing and imaging solutions and services -- is focused on making technology and its benefits accessible to individuals and businesses through simple appliances, useful e-services and an Internet infrastructure that's always on.

HP has 86,000 employees worldwide and had total revenue from continuing operations of $42.4 billion in its 1999 fiscal year. Information about HP and its products can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.hp.com/.