Information & Computer Systems of Hitachi, Ltd.(TSE:6501) today announced it will 
release its forthcoming line of "IA-64 Intel(R) Itanium(TM) processor" based servers and 
workstations during the second half of this year. Hitachi will provide its high scalability 
32-way servers and cluster systems incorporating its advanced mainframe technologies. 
Hitachi will adopt multiple operating systems technology on one server to reduce the 
total cost of ownership (TCO).

Today the rapid growth of Internet based business is testing the limits of current servers. 
The next generation of servers must meet the demands and challenges of the Internet 
based business environment by providing; rapid customer support and service, complete 
reliability, high availability, maximum uptime and a dramatic reduction in TCO. Today's 
servers must answer these heightened demands if they are to support IT across a global 
business.  Hitachi's IA-64 servers were designed to meet the demands of the growing 
Internet based business environment by providing; rapid customer support and service 
availability, complete reliability, high availability, total system administration and a 
dramatic reduction in TCO.

Hitachi views IA-64 servers as being core systems for supporting next generation 
Internet business solutions. Hitachi recognizes that future information systems 
architecture will be constructed from three layers : a front end layer (e.g., Web server), 
application layer (e.g., ERP, CRM, SCM, OLAP) and a back end layer (e.g., database, 
data warehouse). Based on this architecture, Hitachi will provide IA-64 solutions and 
several platform menus for each application's characteristics.

Hitachi's Itanium(TM) processor-based servers will comprise a broad-based lineup that 
includes 4-way and 2-way servers as well as 32-way and 8-way servers using Hitachi's 
own chipset. The 32-way and 8-way servers, with their large cache memory, run 
applications much faster. The 32-way server, which uses advanced SMP technologies, 
will provide high scalability. 

Cluster systems utilizing "InfiniBand(TM)" architecture are being planned.  Plans are 
currently underway to use of multiple operating systems technology on one server 
(logical partitioning), which will allow servers to be consolidated and to be load- 
balanced, reducing TCO. The strengthening high reliability and high availability 
technology will provide stable system operation.

In addition, IA-64 based workstations will be shipped with powerful graphic capabilities 
for use in Internet oriented engineering, finance and design sectors.

Hitachi has been strongly allied with Intel for the implementation of the 4-way Itanium(TM) 
processor server chipset, and has had engineers in projects within Intel's Enterprise 
Technology Center (ETC) since the center was first established. 
Hitachi is also strengthening its partnership with operating system venders (OSVs), 
independent software venders (ISVs) and independent hardware venders (IHVs) in 
addition to extending its marketing collaboration with Intel. Hitachi's Application 
Solution Center (ASC) will port and tune its own open middleware products and 
solutions as well as those of other ISVs'.

"Intel congratulates Hitachi on its development of a broad base of high-end Itanium(TM) 
processor-based enterprise solutions," said Mike Fister, vice president, Intel's Enterprise 
Server Group.  "Combining Hitachi's expertise in developing solutions for the enterprise, 
with Intel's Itanium(TM) processor's high scalability, availability and performance, will 
provide outstanding server solutions which address the demanding  requirements of the 
Internet economy."

"Microsoft is pleased that Hitachi is developing high-end 8-way to 32-way IA-64 servers 
that will run 64-bit Windows" said Brian Valentine, Senior Vice-President Windows 
Division, Microsoft Corporation. "Customers will benefit from new IA-64 enterprise 
class server solutions made possible by the scalability of 64-bit Windows together with 
Hitachi's software and hardware technologies based on its wealth of experience in 
advanced mainframes"

Hitachi, Ltd., headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is one of the world's leading global 
electronics  companies, with fiscal 1998 (ended March 31, 1999) consolidated sales of 
7,977 billion yen  ($65.9 billion*).  The company manufactures and markets a wide range 
of products,  including computers, semiconductors, consumer products and power and 
industrial equipment. For more information on Hitachi, Ltd., please visit Hitachi's Web 
site at  http://www.hitachi.co.jp.
 * At an exchange rate of 121 yen to the dollar.


Notes
*IA-64 : Intel's next generation microprocessor architecture. IA-64 offers the following features; 
	- 64bit computing technology. 
	- Large scale memory. 
	- New architecture called EPIC (Explicitly Parallel Instruction Computing). 
	- An instruction set optimized to the needs of cryptography, video encoding and other functions. 
	- Enterprise class availability, scalability, and headroom for future growth. 
*Chipset : Important LSIs in server and workstation. These LSIs connect and control processors, 
memories and I/O.
*InfiniBand(TM) architecture : Cutting edge I/O (Input/Output) technology designed for future server 
platforms, proposed by the InfiniBand(TM) Trade Association, which was established by Intel, Microsoft 
and five server vendors. Hitachi has been a sponsoring member of the InfiniBand(TM) Trade Association 
since October 1999.
*Enterprise Technology Center (ETC) : Intel's technology center established in February, 1999, located 
in DuPont, Wash. ETC provides a collaborative environment for server vendors to plan and develop 
specifications and implementations of advanced core technologies for future server platforms. Hitachi 
has been contributing to projects in the ETC with its own engineers since the time it was first 
established.
*Application Solution Centers (ASC) : Technical support centers established to optimize the 
performance of application software products running on IA servers. Hitachi opened its own ASC in 
July, 1998 in Japan with Intel's partnership.


Trademarks and product names:
*Intel and Itanium are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and other 
countries. 
*InfiniBand is trademark or service mark of InfiniBand Trade Association. 
*Microsoft and Windows are a trademarks or registered of Microsoft Corp. in the U.S. and other 
countries.