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New Vendor-Patch Impact Assessment Enables Better Management of Desktop Environment Changes

SCHAUMBURG, Ill., Dec. 01, 2003 – InstallShield® Software Corporation announced the availability of AdminStudio® 5.5, the complete software packaging, customization, conflict resolution, and testing solution for corporate IT departments. The company also released version 2 of InstallShield AMS™, its customizable, Web-based data and workflow management system for comprehensive enterprise application management.

Managing the software packaging, deployment, and updating process is costly and time-consuming. By providing complete application packaging and customization; and conflict detection for OS images, applications, and now application patches, AdminStudio 5.5 enables systems administrators to quickly prepare reliable applications and patches for enterprise use. InstallShield AMS integrates with AdminStudio to monitor and control every aspect of the application management process, ensuring IT departments follow an efficient application preparation and deployment method. This complete solution enables enterprises to consistently achieve reliable deployment results that translate into significantly lower IT costs and increased employee productivity.

“AdminStudio has always been a terrific product, and InstallShield has done it again with version 5.5,” said Russell Comer, Application Deployment Manager for Centrica PLC. “With the new patch import feature I can detect any software conflicts patches may cause and fix them before they occur. AdminStudio 5.5 is truly a full application management tool, allowing me to manage every aspect of my applications with confidence.”

With AdminStudio and AMS IT departments can manage and execute the software packaging, testing, and deployment process. Specific benefits include:

Lower TCO, Support Costs and Package Deployment Times – Using AdminStudio and AMS to quickly prepare and test applications reduces packaging and deployment time, eliminates failures, reduces help desk calls, and saves money.

Eliminate End-User Downtime Due to Application Failure – Ensure end users always have the critical software they need, when they need it.

Improve Deployment Success Rates – AdminStudio goes beyond packaging to provide seamless integration with Altiris®, LANDesk®, Marimba®, SMS and Tivoli®.

Free up IT Resources – Improved speed and success of deployments eliminates time wasted repairing conflicts and failed deployments, freeing up resources.

Standardize and Optimize Application Management Process – Instituting a formal, consistent application request, approval, deployment, and management process ensures organizations follow best practices and saves money.

"Completion of conflict resolution before an application is distributed provides a vital enhancement to the application management process,” said Kia Behnia, Chief Technology Officer, Marimba. “With AdminStudio 5.5's improved Marimba functionality, our joint customers can now check their OSD packages for conflicts against other MSI packages prior to deployment, proactively maintaining the integrity of their systems by identifying potential issues before they roll them out to their installed base. This allows organizations to significantly reduce downtime, improving end-user productivity.”

About AdminStudio and InstallShield AMS

AdminStudio gives systems administrators a complete suite of software packaging, customization, conflict resolution, and testing tools that makes it easy to quickly prepare reliable, manageable applications and patches for enterprise use.

Key new features in version 5.5 include:

· Package reliably and quickly with SmartScan™, a unique technology that scans the original InstallShield installation, accurately preserves the original features, and packages it as an MSI. Modify packages without having to re-package each time.

· Import application patches to immediately detect and fix conflicts before they occur.

· Diagnose and repair installed applications with AdminStudio’s new MSI Doctor™.

· Create deploy-ready packages for Active Directory®, Altiris, Marimba, LANDesk, SMS 2003, and Tivoli with AdminStudio’s comprehensive distribution support. MSIs can also be posted to network destinations and FTP servers for seamless deployment.

InstallShield AMS is a Web-based data and workflow application management system that lets IT departments monitor and control every aspect of the enterprise software packaging, deployment, and management process. AMS standardizes the way software is deployed and managed, ensuring reliable, repeatable results that translate into significantly lower IT costs and TCO. From employees submitting application requests to IT, to systems administrators preparing and deploying reliable applications, to post-deployment application updating and repair, AMS facilitates the process while letting IT manage it in real time. AMS also permanently stores all application-related data, giving IT the information they need to more effectively manage their enterpriseÂ’s software.

“Enterprises are struggling to provide reliable, packaged applications to end users in a timely and cost-effective manner,” said Viresh Bhatia, CEO of InstallShield. “AdminStudio 5.5 enables IT departments to solve these issues by providing concrete solutions for easily packaging, testing, and deploying reliable applications. In addition, with InstallShield AMS enterprises obtain a customizable, global view of every application, allowing them to track and share all application data, provide instant reports, and enforce application management standards.”

About InstallShield Software Corp.

InstallShield Software Corp. is the acknowledged leader in software installation, deployment packaging, and updating solutions. The company offers a wide range of products and services that guarantee the successful distribution, management and set up of applications for independent software vendors, systems administrators and end users. InstallShield was founded in 1987 and is headquartered near Chicago in Schaumburg, Ill., with European headquarters in Bristol, England. For more information, visit www.installshield.com.