HP Press Release

Contact:                                                                         Deborah Doyle Mullan
                                                                                      Lois Paul & Partners
                                                                                      For Database Excelleration Systems
                                                                                      415/286-3986
                                                                                      Deborah_Doyle@lpp.com

Database Excelleration Systems and Hewlett-Packard Enter Reseller Agreement
Companies Provide One-Stop-Shopping For Applications Requiring High Performance
SANTA CLARA, CA - May 12, 1997 - Hewlett-Packard Company, the leader in enterprise client/server solutions, announced today that it has chosen Database Excelleration Systems, Inc. (DES), the leading developer and manufacturer of intelligent solid state systems, to deliver high-performance solutions for their enterprise-based customers. HP and DES have entered into an agreement to resell DES accelerator products through HP's direct sales channel. Customers requiring mainframe level performance for client/server systems can purchase a total solution from HP. Full installation and service from Hewlett-Packard is available to customers that purchase a DES subsystem through HP.

"DES products allow HP servers to scale to greater levels of performance across all applications and across all databases. It's a simple, quick solution that will save our customers money and reduce the complexities of implementing client/server solutions," says Melissa Collins, America's LPO Manager for Hewlett-Packard .

"Businesses implementing enterprise applications, such as those in telecommunications, require solutions that provide them with a competitive business advantage. Our joint customers running these business-critical applications require higher levels of performance in the areas of transaction processing, decision support, and data warehousing" said Wade Tuma, President and

CEO of Database Excelleration Systems, Inc. "HP enterprise servers when combined with DES accelerator systems exceed mainframe levels of performance while lowering transaction costs by 20% to 40%. Selling our products through HP offers customers an unbeatable combination."

In benchmark tests conducted at Hewlett-Packard's Boeblingen, Germany facility, a Database Excellerator subsystem running on a Hewlett-Packard-based billing system, processed more than 30 million call detail records from millions of telephone lines within a six hour period, achieving a peak processing rate of 45 million call detail records. The DES/HP-based billing solution proved that a client/server system could deliver all of the performance of a mainframe and ensure a performance advantage.

"DES is moving client/server to the next plateau - its offering customers a cost effective solution to migrate mainframe systems to client/server without loosing performance," say Carey Azzara, Manager of the Corporate Computing: Vertical Views Program at International Data Corporation (IDC). "Teaming with HP to offer these products will make it even easier for customers to implement a client/server solution and maintain mainframe-level performance. This is especially important for IT intensive industries."

The DES Solution
The DES family of Database Excellerator™ products combines patented solid-state memory enhanced with patented DES DirectAddressing firmware to dramatically increase the performance of relational database (RDBMS) applications.   When combined with DES' rugged backup system, they ensure absolute non-volatility and data integrity. By moving key RDBMS "hot files," temporary work areas, transaction logs, or indices onto a solid state Database Excellerator- instead of a conventional disk subsystem -
DES customers experience immediate and dramatic application performance gains
averaging 60% to 200%. Database Excellerators extend the performance range of client/server RDBMS applications increasing throughput to and from the I/O subsystem. Full bandwidth use of the I/O channel puts an end to CPU queue management increasing the throughput of faster PA RISC processor-based systems such as the PA 8000 in the HP 9000.

"The DES platforms offer a real alternative for boosting system performance in industries like telecom, where fast and efficient transaction processing and time to market requirements are critical," said Robert Rich, Vice President of Telecommunications for Yankee Group." Adding HP distribution, service and support is a real bonus."

DES Excellerators simply connect to any server's SCSI (small computer systems interface) bus, allowing for easy connection. DES Excellerator products are platform and software independent and run on all Hewlett Packard 9000s including the popular Models T, K, and D. DES products are also totally compatible with the HP NetServer NT Servers.

Hewlett Packard Service & Support
Hewlett-Packard currently provides U.S. wide field service and on-line support for the DES product line. Under this new reseller agreement, HP will also install all DES systems. This agreement between HP and DES provides customers with a single source for sales, installation, and system support.

Availability
Database Excelleration Systems entire family of accelerator products are available immediately, direct from Hewlett-Packard Corporation. Sales of DES products are offered in North America only.

Hewlett-Packard Company
Hewlett-Packard Company is a leading global manufacturer of computing, communications and measurement products and services recognized for excellence in qualify and support. HP has 112,800 employees and had revenue of $38.4 billion in its 1996 fiscal year. Information about HP and its products can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.hp.com.

Database Excelleration Systems, Inc.
Database Excelleration Systems, based in Santa Clara, California, is the leading developer and manufacturer of intelligent solid-state systems that deliver mainframe level performance speed to server based, mission critical applications simply, quickly, reliably and cost effectively. DES Database Excellerator products are designed for optimal reliability, easy installation, and are perfectly suited for addressing the needs of transaction and query-intensive applications running on client/server RDBMSs. DES holds a number of patents surrounding solid state technology that accelerates RDBMS application performance while offering optimum reliability. Information on Database Excelleration Systems products and services may be obtained by e-mailing requests to info@desdbx.com or by accessing DES' World Wide Web site: http://www.desdbx.com.

DES DirectAddressing and DES Database Excellerator are trademarks of Database Excelleration Systems,