Automated testing further accelerates deployment of Java-Based e-business applications

TORONTO - March 25, 1999 -- Mercury Interactive Corporation (Nasdaq: MERQ), the leading provider of enterprise application testing solutions and Symantec Corporation (Nasdaq: SYMC) have announced testing support or enterprise Java applications built using Symantec's VisualCafé™ Enterprise Suite, the industry leading Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for the creation of distributed Java™ technology-based applications. As IT organisations leverage Java to rapidly deploy enterprise applications, Mercury Interactive's testing solutions can help ensure functionality and performance for smooth deployment of Java-based e-business applications.

Mercury Interactive has added support for VisualCafé to its WinRunner® and XRunner® and LoadRunner® automated testing tools. WinRunner and XRunner, functional testing tools for Windows and X-Windows that verify applications work as expected, have built-in support for testing Java applets and applications built with any of the foundation classes provided by Symantec's VisualCafé. WinRunner, which was recently awarded the Editor's Choice Award by Java Developer's Journal, exercises VisualCafé applications just like a real user would to verify functionality. LoadRunner, the industry standard load testing tool, exercises a VisualCafé application like thousands of users to identify and pinpoint performance bottlenecks. "As corporate IT organisations embrace Java to rapidly deploy enterprise applications, VisualCafé provides a robust solution for rapidly creating distributed Java-based applications across heterogeneous computing environments," said Diane Hagglund, senior product manager for e-business solutions at Mercury Interactive. "Leveraging Mercury Interactive's Java testing solutions can help customers preserve the productivity gains of developing with VisualCafé by ensuring on-tome delivery of thoroughly tested applications, further accelerating time-to-market with shortened test cycles."

"VisualCafé is designed to make distributed development easy by automated development tasks and masking the complexities of multi-platform computing environments inherent in Java development with a single image of the system," said Will Iverson, developer relations manager at Symantec Corp. "With Mercury Interactive, customers can test the entire distributed e-business architecture, including various types of logic, security, presentation layer and application layer as well as back-end connectivity to database or legacy systems."

Pricing and Availability
Mercury Interactive's testing solutions for VisualCafé are available immediately. WinRunner with support for VisualCafé starts at (US) $5,495.; XRunner starts at (US) $10,000.; and LoadRunner starts at (US) $40,000.

Mercury Interactive for Java Testing
Only Mercury Interactive's testing solution for Java-based applications, comprised of industry-proven products - TestDirector®, WinRunner® and LoadRunner® - meets the rigorous requirements of Java testing. These tools provide comprehensive functional and load testing across the wide range of platforms, browsers and architectures found in Java implementations, while leveraging test script usage between environments. They approach testing from a business-process perspective, making it easy to perform thorough testing of all aspects of the enterprise. WinRunner, for Windows-based applications and XRunner, for Unix-based applications, automate functional and regression testing of Java clients, LoadRunner performs scaleable load testing of Java-based applications and TestDirector organises the entire testing process and manages high testing volume of Java-based applications.

About Visual Café Enterprise Suite
VisualCafé™ Enterprise Suite lets you take Java™ development enterprise-wide, minimising risk, reducing complexity and increasing your competitive edge building business applications. It makes distributed Java development manageable, fast and efficient, transparently integrates leading platforms and frees you to add the best-in-class solutions of your choice. Visual programming, wizards and unique Single-View debugging across multiple heterogeneous platforms ease the transition to Java. An open API lets vendors from anywhere in the development cycle complement the environment without compromising high performance and tight integration. It's the only complete IDE, integrating development tools from Symantec™, middleware from leading application servers, services from top providers and future add-on modules for specific enterprise needs.

Symantec's public availability of its Open API software development kit (SDK) for VisualCafé has made integrations like Symantec VisualCafé and Mercury Interactive possible. Symantec's Open API approach enables third-party software providers to enhance, extend and integrate the VisualCafé environment with popular enterprise development tools. More than 250 companies are actively working on integrating their products or solutions using the new Open API with Java technology.

About Symantec in Canada:
With 250 employees, Symantec's Canadian operations are headquartered in Toronto with offices in Montreal, Ottawa and Vancouver. For information on Symantec products or current promotions, contact the Canadian office at (416) 441-3676 or access Symantec's Canadian Web Site. Symantec is an active member of the Canadian Alliance Against Software Theft (CAAST).

About Symantec
Symantec is the world leader in utility software for business and personal computing. Symantec products and solutions help make users productive and keep their computers safe and reliable anywhere and anytime. Symantec offers a broad range of solutions and is acclaimed as a leader in both customer satisfaction and product brand recognition. Symantec is traded on Nasdaq under the symbol SYMC. More information on the company and its products can be obtained at www.symantec.com.

Founded in 1982, the company's global operations span North America, Europe, Japan and several fast growing markets throughout Asia Pacific and Latin America. Traded on Nasdaq under the symbol SYMC, Symantec Corporation is based in Cupertino, Calif., and employs more than 2,000 people. Information on the company and its products can be obtained by calling (800) 441-7234 toll free, (541) 334-6054 or accessed on the World Wide Web.

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