Progress DataDirect and Mainline Information Systems Team to Provide Cost- Effective Mainframe Modernization for SOA

BEDFORD, MA and TALLAHASSEE, FL, Oct 05 (MARKET WIRE)
--
Progress DataDirect, the data-infrastructure division of Progress
Software Corporation (NASDAQ: PRGS), a leading software provider that
enables enterprises to be operationally responsive, today announced it
has entered into a strategic partnership with Mainline Information
Systems, Inc., a leading provider of IBM servers, storage and software
solutions. Under the terms of the agreement, Mainline will offer the
industry-leading mainframe integration middleware, Progress(R)
DataDirect(R) Shadow(R) to its customers looking for cost-effective
mainframe modernization through SOA enablement and legacy-data
integration.

The DataDirect Shadow product is a single, unified platform built
exclusively for integration with IBM System z mainframes. The
high-performance foundation architecture supports all major
industry-standard requirements for integrating mainframe data, business
logic, and screens with SOAs and composite application development
initiatives. The DataDirect Shadow platform uses patent-pending technology
to expand the utilization of the IBM System z Integrated Information
Processor (zIIP) specialty engine to additional workloads beyond DB2,
including the non-relational mainframe databases Adabas, IMS/DB, IDMS and
VSAM, as well SOAP/XML parsing necessary for creating Web services within
the mainframe to applications residing within CICS, IMS/TM, IDMS and
Natural.

Since its founding in 1989, Mainline has experienced outstanding growth by
providing solid technology solutions and high levels of service to its
customers. By offering the DataDirect Shadow platform, Mainline expands
its offerings to continue to meet the infrastructure, environment and
business needs of its customers while helping keep technology budgets
in-check. Internal benchmark testing by Progress DataDirect has shown up
to 99 percent of the processing associated with SOA integration, SQL data
queries, Change Data Capture (CDC) for events and Web-enablement can be
diverted from the mainframe's General Purpose Processor (GPP) to be
handled by the zIIP specialty engine -- which does the work without using
any of the mainframe licensed MIPs capacity. This is an attractive
proposition for organizations looking to lower mainframe
total-cost-of-ownership and for existing Mainline zIIP accounts who can
now realize the benefit of DataDirect Shadow for data sources in addition
to DB2.

"Mainline is always looking for innovative products and services that will
bring value to our customers and exceed their business and IT
requirements," said Doug Harrell, vice president of System z sales at
Mainline Information Systems. "The DataDirect Shadow platform's unique
zIIP exploitation capabilities, standardized data access and depth of
mainframe environment support will help our customers reduce the cost and
complexity of legacy data integration and make the mainframe a first-class
participant in enterprise-class initiatives like SOA, BI, MDM or ERP."

Technological advancements like SOAs, Web services, ANSI-92 SQL and XML
Events address many of the challenges of mainframe integration, but cost
still remains a primary concern. Progress DataDirect brings to the
Mainline professional services portfolio the Shadow Mainframe TCO
Calculator for measuring the impact of Web services, SOA and SQL data
processing on mainframe MIPS capacity and the benefit of zIIP offload. The
calculator joins Mainline's CP 3000 studies for capacity planning to offer
clients highly effective tools for weighing the risks of deferring a
hardware upgrade or extending the value of the mainframe to new workloads
through zIIP exploitation. These tools will also help organizations ease
the software and hardware procurement process by providing real-time ROI
analysis and strategic support for improving control over mainframe
cost-of-ownership.

"Partnering with Mainline Information Systems builds on Progress
DataDirect's extensive history with OEM partnerships and supports the
DataDirect Shadow channel strategy by exposing new opportunities within
the System z community," said Hugh Raiford, director of business
development at Progress DataDirect. "We look forward to a long and
successful partnership helping organizations optimize their mainframe
investments through innovative products and services."

Progress DataDirect and Mainline Information Systems are side-by-side
exhibitors at the IBM System z Expo, Oct. 5-9 in Orlando. Product
information and technology demonstrations will be available at the
Progress DataDirect booth #42.

About Mainline Information Systems, Inc.

Founded in 1989, Mainline began by offering information technology
solutions and consulting in the IBM midrange markets. Since then, it has
become an IBM Premier Business Partner and global provider of information
technology and business solutions with more than 600 employees nationwide.
Headquartered at 1700 Summit Lake Drive, Tallahassee, Florida 32317,
Mainline provides solutions throughout the United States, Puerto Rico,
Canada, Brazil and Mexico. The company may be reached by phone at
850.219.5000 and on the Internet at www.mainline.com. For more
information about this solution, call your Mainline account
representative or call Mainline directly at 866.490.MAIN (6246).

About Progress Software Corporation

Progress Software Corporation (NASDAQ: PRGS) is a global software company
that enables enterprises to be operationally responsive to changing
conditions and customer interactions as they occur -- to capitalize on new
opportunities, drive greater efficiencies and reduce risk. The company
offers a comprehensive portfolio of best-in-class infrastructure software
spanning event-driven visibility and real-time response, open integration,
data access and integration, and application development and deployment --
all supporting on-premises and SaaS/Cloud deployments. Progress maximizes
the benefits of operational responsiveness while minimizing IT complexity
and total cost of ownership. Progress can be reached at www.progress.com
or +1-781-280-4000.

Progress, DataDirect and Shadow are trademarks or registered trademarks of
Progress Software Corporation or one of its affiliates or subsidiaries in
the U.S. and other countries. Any other marks contained herein are the
property of their respective owners.

Media Contacts:
April Harned
Progress DataDirect
646-246-0484
april.harned@datadirect.com

Kelli Hansbauer
Mainline Information Systems
678-324-6404
kelli.hansbauer@mainline.com

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