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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE [FUTURELINK LOGO]
CONTACTS:
FutureLink Investors: FutureLink Press Contacts:
Troy Cleland Philip Little or Michaelle Fields
Investor Relations Rogers Communications
(877) 216-6001 (310) 412-8431
invrel@futurelink.net plittle@rogerscom.com or
mfields@rogerscom.com
FUTURELINK AND MICROSOFT TO JOINTLY ESTABLISH
R&D LAB AND HOSTED APPLICATION SHOWCASE FACILITIES
FOR INDEPENDENT SOFTWARE VENDORS
R&D LAB TO ASSIST ISVS IN PREPARING FOR HOSTED
APPLICATION OFFERINGS; SHOWCASE FACILITIES TO SERVE AS A SALES
TOOL FOR ISVS TO DEMONSTRATE THEIR APPLICATIONS
RUNNING IN AN ASP-HOSTED ENVIRONMENT BASED ON WINDOWS 2000 TERMINAL SERVICES;
MICROSOFT ALSO TO MAKE AN EQUITY INVESTMENT IN FUTURELINK
IRVINE, CALIF. - JUNE 30, 2000 - FutureLink Corp. (Nasdaq: FTRL), one of the
first Application Service Providers (ASPs), today announced that it has entered
into an agreement with Microsoft to jointly establish an R&D Lab and two Hosted
Application Showcase facilities for Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) who wish
to provide hosted versions of their applications using Windows 2000 Terminal
Services. FutureLink also announced Microsoft is making a $10 million equity
investment in the company.
The R&D Lab, which will be located in southern California, will provide
technical guidance to ISVs preparing their applications for ASP deployment using
Windows 2000 Terminal Services. FutureLink will establish an ASP-Hosted
Application Showcase facility in Irvine, Calif., and Microsoft, with assistance
from FutureLink, will establish a similar site at the Microsoft Partner
Solutions Center in Redmond, Wash. The Hosted Application Showcase facility in
Irvine can be used by ISV sales forces and sales channels to demonstrate their
hosted applications.
"The establishment of the R&D lab and Hosted Application Showcase facilities
will help expand the number of applications available through ASPs and
accelerate the trend toward subscription as a cost-effective approach to
leveraging the latest business technology," said Philip R. Ladouceur, chairman
and chief executive officer of FutureLink. "We appreciate Microsoft's commitment
to both FutureLink and the larger ASP marketplace, and are gratified by the
opportunity to use our server-based computing expertise to enhance our
industry's growth and prominence."
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FutureLink/Microsoft
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"As the opportunities for hosted solutions based on the Windows platform
continue to grow, now is the time to meet the needs of ISVs who want to offer
their applications as hosted solutions for small and medium sized businesses,"
said Thomas Koll, vice president, Network Solutions Group, Microsoft. "By
tapping into FutureLink's experience with server-based computing in combination
with Microsoft products and solution experience, ISVs will have a unique
opportunity to meet the needs of their customers."
Today's announcement adds a new component to the existing relationship between
Microsoft and FutureLink. In November 1999, FutureLink announced its
participation in the Hosted Application Initiative sponsored by Microsoft and
Cisco Systems Inc. That same month, FutureLink announced intentions to host
Microsoft Office 2000 applications through Microsoft Office Online. In January
2000, FutureLink added Microsoft Exchange 5.5 messaging and collaboration
services to its hosted application portfolio. In February, FutureLink announced
its intention to standardize its offerings on Windows 2000 Server, and in June,
announced its support of Exchange 2000.
Through its data centers, FutureLink allows companies to outsource all computing
service and support, and predict and manage the total cost of technology
ownership. FutureLink customers subscribe to the application hosting service on
a per-seat basis, and can access business-critical software and complete support
services over the Internet.
ABOUT FUTURELINK
FutureLink, The Application Utility Company(TM), is one of the founders of the
Application Service Provider (ASP) industry and a founding member of the ASP
Industry Consortium.
FutureLink's ASP Division provides businesses with off-site, Internet-based
computing. The company's Server-Based Computing Division builds application
server farms and provides Microsoft application server software integration
services. With server-based computing solutions, FutureLink customers manage
their own server farms while utilizing FutureLink's consulting expertise. For
more information, contact FutureLink toll-free at (877) 216-6001; e-mail:
sales@futurelink.net; or visit the FutureLink Web site at
http://www.futurelink.net.
# # #
Forward-looking statements and comments in this news release are made pursuant
to safe harbor provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such
statements relating to, among other things, the prospects for the company,
including the completion of any acquisition transaction or the achievement of
future operating results, are necessarily subject to risks and uncertainties,
some of which are significant in scope and nature. These risks may be further
discussed in periodic reports and registration statements to be filed by the
company from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission in the
future.
The securities sold to Microsoft will not and have not been registered under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be sold in the United States
absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration requirements.
FutureLink, the FutureLink logo and The Application Utility Company are
trademarks and/or registered trademarks of FutureLink, Inc. All other products
and services are the trademarks of their respective owners.