05/22/2003 — New benchmark demonstrates highest performance for mission-critical databases and applications running Linux

PALO ALTO, CALIF., May 22, 2003 - HP (NYSE:HPQ) announced today that industry-standard HP ProLiant servers running SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 8 have achieved the industry's first clustered Oracle® Applications Standard Benchmark (OASB) (1) on Linux. The benchmark further showcases HP's leadership in delivering highly available and scalable Oracle9i Database with Real Application Clusters based solutions in Linux environments, demonstrating the advantage of running mission-critical applications on HP ProLiant servers with Linux.

"Enterprise customers look to HP ProLiant servers running SUSE Linux Enterprise Server as the optimal platform to achieve unparalleled scalability and performance for Oracle E-Business Suite at a much lower price point," said Martin Fink, vice president of Linux, HP. "Unlike competitors, HP offers customers complete solutions based on industry-standard open systems, including HP OpenView and HP StorageWorks, all of which reduce total cost of ownership and offer a robust, secure and scalable environment to support mission-critical applications."

Testing for the first clustered Linux OASB benchmark was conducted on Oracle E-Business Suite version 11.5.6 and Oracle 9i Database with Real Application Clusters v9.2.0.1, achieving the highest performance results of 6,832 concurrent users and an average response time of 1.24 seconds, while running on a 2-node second-generation HP ProLiant DL580 cluster running SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 8, powered by UnitedLinux.

"Oracle's ongoing commitment to Linux is further demonstrated by the tightly integrated engineering work with HP and SUSE on the world's first clustered Linux OASB," said Dave Dargo, vice president, System Platforms Division, Oracle. "This benchmark demonstrates a combined solution than can provide enterprise customers high availability and scalability in their Linux deployments of Oracle database and application solutions."

"This benchmark could not have been achieved without the close working relationship and joint engineering efforts between HP, Oracle and SUSE Linux," said Uwe Heine, Chief Alliance Officer, SUSE Linux. "Enterprise customers can now clearly see the performance and cost benefits of this HP, Oracle, and SUSE Linux solution."

HP offers Linux certified configurations from all leading Linux distributors, including SUSE Linux. More information about HP's partner initiatives for Linux can be found at http://www.hp.com/linux. Full system configuration and software release information can be obtained at: www.oracle.com/apps_benchmark/html/index.html?results.html

About HP

HP delivers vital technology for business and life. The company's solutions span IT infrastructure, personal computing and access devices, global services and imaging and printing for consumers, enterprises and small and medium business. For the last four quarters, HP revenue totaled $70.4 billion. More information about HP is available at http://www.hp.com.

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(1) The Oracle Applications Standard Benchmark is focused on ERP applications and represents a mixed workload intended to model the most common transactions operating on the seven most widely used enterprise application modules. Definitions of transactions that compose the benchmark load were obtained through collaboration with functional consultants and are representative of typical customer workloads, with batch transactions representing 25% of the total workload. The seven modules used by the benchmark are: Payables, Receivables, General Ledger, Assets, Purchase Orders, Order Entry and Inventory.

Oracle ® is a registered US trademark of Oracle Corporation, Redwood City, California.

This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements. Risks, uncertainties and assumptions include the possibility that the market for the sale of certain products and services may not develop as expected; that development and performance of these products and services may not proceed as planned; and other risks that are described from time to time in HP's Securities and Exchange Commission reports, including but not limited to HP's quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended January 31, 2003, and subsequently filed reports. If any of these risks or uncertainties materializes or any of these assumptions proves incorrect, HP's results could differ materially from HP's expectations in these statements. HP assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

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