MAYNARD, Mass. -- Stratus Technologies today announced general availability of the Stratus(R) ftServer(R) 6500 system, the computer industry's first 4-way SMP fault-tolerant server for enterprise-class Microsoft Windows Advanced Server computing environments. The new 1, 2, or 4- way server is configurable with either dual or triple modular redundancy, delivering the industry's highest level of reliability for applications where business continuity and continuous data processing are critical. The ftServer 6500 Series server expands upon the power, performance and range of applications already served by the company's ftServer family, which established a new category of server products when it was first announced last year. "Stratus' delivery of the ftServer 6500 system marks the industry's first 4-way SMP fault-tolerant server for Windows 2000 Servers," said Bill Veghte, corporate vice president of the Windows .NET Server Group, Microsoft Corp. "This is a testament to the on going Microsoft and Stratus efforts around fault-tolerant systems, delivering another great achievement for the most demanding enterprise customers." Built using the Intel(R) Xeon(TM) Processor MP with 1MB iL3 cache, the ftServer 6500 Series is well positioned to easily handle data-intensive, business-critical processes in the enterprise, particularly as the platform in a server-consolidation strategy. Key applications include CRM, supply chain management, e-commerce, ERP, database, collaboration/e-mail, and others. Among the target markets that Stratus will focus on are retail banking, public safety, production management and control, and contact centers. "Today, customers expect to have immediate access to their money and accounts through ATMs or POS devices 24/7 anywhere in the world they happen to be. Consequently, these EFT/POS networks are truly mission critical and must be available at all times," said Christopher D. Klein, executive vice president, Marketing for Mosaic Software. "The ftServer family running Mosaic Postilion EFT transaction processing software has already proven its ability to meet the stringent demands of this environment. The introduction of the ftServer 6500 4-way system insures that the requirements of any network, regardless of its size or complexity, can easily be addressed." Smaller Form Factor, Increased Flexibility Even with a smaller form factor than Stratus' current mid-range ftServer 5200 series, the ftServer 6500 model comes with more memory, cache, storage, and processors (See (http://www.stratus.com/products/ftserver/6500/ for product specification sheet). Further, Intel Hyper-Threading technology in new Intel Xeon processors enables a single processor to execute two separate code streams, or threads, concurrently. Designed to exploit the multi- threaded nature of contemporary operating systems and server applications, hyper-threading increases the on-chip execution resources available in the Intel NetBurst(TM) microarchitecture. Users can expect performance gains of up to 30 percent over processors without hyper-threading. "The ftServer 6500 SMP platform exploits the powerful and unique features of the Intel Xeon processor MP, giving business users the dependability and availability they need for a wide range of deployments throughout the enterprise," said Mike Fister, general manager, Enterprise Products Group, Intel Corporation. "The Stratus design exemplifies the innovation and flexibility Intel-based servers offer, in addition to the world-class performance and investment protection we can provide." Stratus ftServer systems address the primary causes of system downtime and data loss - single points of failure, hardware failover and recovery time, faulty device drivers, human error, component and software revision incompatibilities - to keep business online. The inherent reliability of the hardware fault-tolerant design, coupled with unique software-availability features and integrated service technology, aggressively positions Stratus against competitors' solutions where platform reliability and operational simplicity are important. Out of the box, ftServer systems run Windows 2000 Server applications unmodified, integrate quickly into the IT infrastructure, and require little-to-no IT staff support for ongoing operation, system management, or servicing. Integrated Service Technology In addition to component and subsystem redundancy, Stratus ftServer systems have processors dedicated to enabling and managing advanced integrated service technology. The company's unique approach to remote 24/7 systems monitoring and servicing over its global Stratus Service Network (SSN) is designed expressly to protect customers' critical applications and operations against downtime and business interruption. "Intel and Microsoft have been incredibly supportive of our hardware technology. They know, as do our valued partners and customers, that neither software nor hardware alone can provide truly reliable computing," said David Laurello, Stratus president and COO. "The 4-way ftServer 6500 system marks a major advancement among Intel processor-based server options, and it is undeniably the most reliable hardware platform today for supporting Windows Server applications in the enterprise." Stratus is the only server maker to disclose actual recorded "availability" levels for its products based on reported service incidents from the installed base. The ftServer Uptime Meter(SM) is updated daily and can be viewed on the Stratus website at http://www.stratus.com/uptime/ftserver.htm. The data is based on operating experience over the most recent six months. Pricing and Availability The ftServer 6500 system is available for order immediately through Stratus direct and indirect channels. Production shipments commence September 13, 2002. Servers can be ordered with or without a factory-installed operating system. U.S. list prices start at US $65,000 for a 1-way ftServer 6500 unit with factory-installed Windows 2000 Advanced Server operating system. Prices will differ by channel and geography.