News release

ARVEST Chooses Compaq StorageWorks to Provide High Availability Electronic Banking Solution

Compaq Global Services and Integrated Solutions Group Provide Full-Service Support and Enhanced Value

Compaq Computer Corporation (NYSE: CPQ) announced today that ARVEST Bank Operations Inc. of Lowell, AR, the largest banking group headquartered in Arkansas with $4.7 billion in assets, has chosen an end-to-end storage solution from Compaq to help ensure that its electronic banking systems are always available. ARVEST has already chosen Compaq as its technology standard for servers, desktops and laptops.

Its innovative Internet banking site is the most outwardly apparent part of its electronic banking system. However, the bank relies on a whole host of other electronic systems for its day-to-day transactions, including its check imaging system—AFS Image Vision. These systems are absolutely critical to the bank's daily operations, and even occasional system downtime can be very costly. ARVEST needed a high availability storage solution at a price/performance level that wouldn't break the bank.

"We were looking for a technology solution that could help us achieve a 24x7 operation," said Kendall Gibbons, IT manager, ARVEST. "We also wanted something that would grow with us as we grew, so we didn't have to invest more than necessary up front. After looking at technologies from the leading vendors out there, Compaq was the clear choice for us," Gibbons concluded.

Value Leadership

Integrated Solutions Group, a Compaq Authorized Enterprise Reseller with locations in Oklahoma, Missouri and Kansas, designed and configured the ARVEST solution, which is similar to a Compaq SAN they previously designed for ARVEST's Oklahoma operations center. "Compaq continues to be ranked number one in storage by virtually any analyst you talk to," said Donna Bond, account manager, Integrated Solutions Group. "One of the reasons—Compaq has a well-defined storage strategy. They clearly provide customers superior technology, an integrated architecture and an intense focus on investment protection and ROI."

Compaq Global Services installed and implemented the 1.5 TB fibre-attached SAN, complete with SANworks Management Appliance and Compaq SecurePath software. At the heart of the SAN is the Enterprise Modular Array (EMA) 16000, which is the newest and the highest capacity storage solution in the Compaq StorageWorks Modular Array Family. The SAN is connected to industry-standard Compaq ProLiant servers. Since this array can provide up to 168 disks with a capacity of up to 12.2 TB, ARVEST is assured of plenty of growing room.

The EMA16000 components offer flexibility to configure solutions to provide maximum capacity and scalable performance in a small footprint. The solutions include features for multi-vendor operating systems and stringent data center availability requirements, all while providing a no-single-point-of-failure architecture.

Proactive remote services have been implemented to help ensure the overall health of the system, and Compaq Global Services will provide Priority Response support to ARVEST's IT team to help resolve any other issues that might arise.

"Value is the name of the game, and value has many dimensions to the customer," said Mark Gonzalez, vice president, Enterprise Storage, Compaq North America. "Value speaks to the reliability of the products, the flexibility of the overall solution, and the investment protection provided. Our goal is to provide our customers, like ARVEST, with the best technology solution value possible."

Company Background

Founded in 1982, Compaq Computer Corporation is a leading global provider of information technology products, services and solutions for enterprise customers. Compaq designs, develops, manufactures and markets information technology equipment, software, services and solutions, including industry-leading enterprise storage and computing solutions, fault-tolerant business-critical solutions, communication products, personal desktop and notebook computers, and personal entertainment and Internet access devices that are sold in more than 200 countries directly and through a network of authorized Compaq marketing partners. Information on Compaq and its products and services is available at http://www.compaq.com.