Microsoft and Micro Focus Invest in Enterprise Application Modernization

Microsoft Corp. and Micro Focus® International plc today announced a strategic relationship to provide customers with advanced levels of integration and utilization of the Windows platform and the Microsoft toolset. Customers recognize the value of their existing COBOL-based applications and are looking to make them relevant to today's architectures as part of their IT modernization initiatives. This strategic relationship will broaden the options available to these customers and allow them to accelerate their modernization strategies.

Micro Focus will further extend its Windows-based technology portfolio, including its Net Express, SOA Express and Enterprise Server products, to provide customers with managed-code, 64-bit solutions that will take advantage of the full power of the Microsoft .NET Framework, SQL Server, Team Foundation Server, BizTalk Server and System Center Operations Manager. By working together, Microsoft and Micro Focus can deliver a world-class development, testing and deployment solution, enabling rapid, low-risk, high-return options for their customers' business-critical COBOL applications.

"For over two decades Micro Focus has been providing customers with choices for their business-critical applications, enabling them to recognize and extend the high value of their core IT assets," said Stephen Kelly, CEO at Micro Focus. "At present, business leaders increasingly understand the logic in preserving and developing effective existing IT systems within their organizations. Our strategic collaboration responds to this corporate demand and demonstrates that Micro Focus and Microsoft are committed to help them modernize applications and to extend their business to where they want it to be."

The ability to leverage new technologies and services in a changing business environment is a fundamental building block of a successful organization. By employing modern tooling and practices, cross-functional and cross-platform teams can work together with maximum effectiveness and efficiency. Together, Micro Focus and Microsoft will rapidly help businesses improve agility, reduce time to market, lower costs, and leverage the reliability, availability and scalability of high-performance platforms.

"By working with Micro Focus we are improving the value attained by mainframe customers choosing to go with the Windows platform for their modernization strategy, and improving the ROI helping them reduce the costs of their deployment efforts," said Bill Hilf, general manager for Windows Server marketing at Microsoft. "Our relationship with Micro Focus demonstrates that both companies are committed to developing world-class application modernization solutions for enterprise customers."

Those wanting to learn more about this collaboration should visit Micro Focus at booth No. 1001 at the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference 2008, July 7-10, 2008, at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston.

Micro Focus, (LSE: MCRO.L), a member of the FTSE 250, provides innovative software that allows companies to dramatically improve the business value of their enterprise applications. Micro Focus Enterprise Application Modernization and Management software enables customers' business applications to respond rapidly to market changes and embrace modern architectures with reduced cost and risk.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

SOURCE Microsoft Corp.