Unisphere Solutions Delivers End-To-End Fault Management With Micromuse's Netcool Application.

Business Editors

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 21, 1999

First-Phase Integration Now Complete; Unisphere Solution To Distribute Netcool(R) Software With Its Unisphere Management Center

Micromuse Inc. (Nasdaq: MUSE), the leading provider of fault and service-level management software and Unisphere Solutions, Inc., a U.S.-based Siemens start-up company, today announced the successful completion of the first phase integration between Micromuse's award-winning Netcool(R) application with Unisphere Solutions' Unisphere Management Center (UMC), the company's integrated service and network management system.

The integration between the Netcool application and the UMC system provides advanced multi-vendor service assurance through built-in management support and reliability for network service delivery. Micromuse is an inaugural product member of the UMC Partners Program, which offers service providers a comprehensive service creation, assurance, and delivery solution through best-in-class ISVs.

"The Netcool application is the industry's premier network fault management solution so we are very excited to be working with Micromuse to provide our customers with robust network assurance," said Brian Mahony, Director of UMC product strategy and partnerships. "The ability to accommodate a wide variety of systems and protocols off-the-shelf is imperative and enhances our strategy of standards-based, multi-vendor support for managing value-added services across any hardware infrastructure. By providing the ability to monitor the heartbeat of a network, the Netcool application fills an integral part of our UMC framework and is another proof-point of Unisphere Solutions' Service Ready Networking strategy."

The integration completed by Micromuse to date includes customized Netcool Probes(TM) that provide enhanced monitoring of Unisphere Solutions' high-performance edge routers and voice/data switches through UMC.

Another milestone marking progress in the OEM relationship is the completion of Netcool training by Unisphere Solutions' technical staff. Terms of the Micromuse/Unisphere Solutions' OEM agreement include worldwide distribution rights, providing more than 26,000 Siemens representatives worldwide with access to the Netcool technology as they target the service provider market.

"Micromuse and Unisphere both provide high-performance, cost-effective solutions that are particularly attractive to Competitive Local Exchange Carriers (CLECs), Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and new world service providers," said Mike Donohue, senior vice president of sales for Micromuse. "We are excited about the potential for strengthening our respective positions further in these target markets as a result of our relationship with Unisphere."

The Netcool suite supports more than 140 off-the-shelf interfaces that collect management data from a wide variety of systems and protocols. The data is rapidly processed and filtered by the Netcool ObjectServer(TM), an in-memory database. The Netcool application allows operators to build views of services in real time, helping them manage networks more efficiently. Because it is scalable and deploys rapidly, the Netcool business model allows service providers to expand their networks as their markets grow.

About Unisphere Solutions, Inc.

Unisphere Solutions, Inc., based in Burlington, Mass., designs, markets and services converged networking solutions to Service Provider customers. Founded in March 1999 by Siemens, the company brings together the know-how of over 600 people, concentrating assets from both Siemens Information and Communication Networks Group and several technology companies it has acquired in the United States to deliver end-to-end networking solutions for converged networks. The Company leverages its relationship as a wholly owned subsidiary of Siemens to gain access to a channel of Siemens Information and Communication Networks' 26,000 sales and support people worldwide. Further information on Unisphere Solutions can be found on the Internet at http://www.unispheresolutions.com.

About Micromuse

Micromuse Inc. (Nasdaq: MUSE) is the leading provider of fault and service-level management software. Micromuse recently earned the highly acclaimed "Best of Show" award in the network management category at NetWorld + Interop '99 Atlanta. Micromuse customers include AirTouch, America Online, AT&T, BT, Cable & Wireless, Cellular One, Charles Schwab, Deutsche Telekom, GEIS, GTE, ICG Communications, ITC^DeltaCom, JC Penney, MCI Worldcom, MindSpring Enterprises, and a number of financial investment concerns. Headquarters are located at 139 Townsend Street, San Francisco, Calif. 94107; (415) 538-9090. The Web site is at www.micromuse.com.

Netcool is a registered trademark of Micromuse. All other trademarks and registered trademarks in this document are the properties of their respective owners. Any statements contained in this press release that do not describe historical facts may constitute forward looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any forward looking statements contained herein are based on current expectations, but are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties.

The factors that could cause actual future results to differ materially from current expectations include the following: fluctuations in customer demand, the Company's ability to manage its growth (including the ability to hire sufficient sales and technical personnel), the risks associated with the expansion of the Company's distribution channels, the risk of new product introductions and customer acceptance of new products; the rapid technological change which characterizes the Company's markets, the risks associated with competition, the risks associated with international sales as the Company expands its markets, and the ability of the Company to compete successfully in the future, as well as other risks identified in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission Filings, including but not limited to those appearing under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Company's most recent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and on Form 10-K on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available on the Company's Web site.