Partner Press Release
ChipData Announces RosettaNet PIP2A9 Pilot Projects with IBM and Lucent Technologies

Major OEMs use ChipData-powered technology for customer-supplier evaluation of RosettaNet PIP2A9

For Release October 10, 2000

SAN FRANCISCO

ChipData, a RosettaNet Solution Partner, and Tier 1 component suppliers today announced the launch of pilot projects with both IBM and Lucent Technologies.

"We've been working for the past year with our top 30 suppliers on these standards," said Ed Hutson, Lucent's Technical Manager for EE's global component information management projects. "Lucent needs consistently accurate information from all of them, and we think a standard format is the right way to ensure that. ChipData is helping several of our top suppliers meet our needs."

IBM agrees, but has a different need. "IBM hardware development communities have long desired a 'Developer to Supplier Connection' for new component offerings and accurate component information," said Steve Duncan, IBM Corporate Program Manager. "RosettaNet PIP2A9 standard is on target to deliver this and more. IBM wants to go beyond the initial standards launch to evaluate design support information to ensure that accurate information is driven all the way into our product design and manufacturing data. ChipData has been key to enable IBM to participate in the PIP2A9 Pilot."

"RosettaNet makes a lot of sense," said Jeff Barton, ChipData, Inc.'s Director of Product Marketing. "I've been involved with this organization since early 1999 and have worked with IBM and Lucent and a number of their suppliers. It is a technical challenge to go from paper-based information into this new form on the web, but for suppliers and OEMs alike, the effort is a tiny fraction of its worth."

ChipData's Paragon™ servers and iDataMiner™ services transform supplier data from datasheets and other sources into standards-based online data repositories which include value-added design and manufacturing information. In addition, unique Business Service Provider (BSP) tools and service offerings help end users accelerate their design and manufacturing processes.

Lucent is a founder of the Si2 QuickData standard which was adopted last month by RosettaNet as the technical content core of its new standard for component e-commerce. IBM, also an Si2 and RosettaNet proponent, is evaluating the design and manufacturing information aspects of these standards. Both IBM and Lucent are Si2 and RosettaNet member companies.

ChipData's demonstrations at the RosettaNet EConcert meeting here today included sites for six major suppliers of interest to IBM and Lucent. The company's trademark Design Chain Management™ Business Service Provider tools and services are unique in the e-commerce marketplace.

About RosettaNet
RosettaNet is an independent, self-funded, non-profit consortium dedicated to the development and deployment of standard electronic business interfaces to align the processes between supply chain partners on a global basis.

More than 300 companies representing over $1 trillion in annual information technology, electronic components and semiconductor manufacturing revenues currently participate in RosettaNet's standards development, strategy and implementation activities. A complete list of member companies and more information on RosettaNet can be found at www.rosettanet.org.

About ChipData
ChipData Inc. is an Internet-based collaborative infrastructure provider whose breakthrough Design Chain Management™ solution seamlessly ties component suppliers, contract manufacturers and independent software vendors together for the benefit of OEM system designers. ChipData makes RosettaNet-compliant component management servers for OEMs and content management servers for suppliers, both with browser-enabled applications. With its Paragon family of services, ChipData provides an easy entry into RosettaNet's electronic component e-commerce standards.

ChipData was founded in 1999 by Dallas business and technology experts Kevin McDonough, Jerry Rogers and Tom Selgas as a privately held company based in Richardson, Texas. Independent investors and top high-tech venture capital firms CenterPoint Ventures, InterWest Partners and Sevin Rosen funded the company. For more information visit: www.chipdata.com.