Red Hat Completes Bluecurve Acquisition

Red Hat Adds Bluecurve's Server Performance Management Solution to Its Subscription-Based Range of Services

RALEIGH, CAROLINE DU NORD -

Red Hat, Inc. (Nasdaq: RHAT), the leader in open source Internet infrastructure solutions, completed the acquisition of privately-held Bluecurve, Inc. in a transaction valued at $33.9 million in which Red Hat issued 1,257,862 shares for all outstanding securities of Bluecurve. The value of the transaction was based on an average closing price of Red Hat's common shares for a five-day period ended April 24. The acquisition has been accounted for as a purchase.

The new Red Hat performance management service will allow enterprises to evaluate existing server, network and application performance. In addition, the service will allow customers to create simulated user activity to evaluate how the existing infrastructure and applications would handle hypothetical traffic loads. The new Web-based service will be offered as a subscription to customers through redhat.com.

Matthew Szulik, president and chief executive officer, said, "The addition of Bluecurve is a major milestone in Red Hat's strategy to provide our customers with a complete range of services to manage Linux servers. With our performance management solution, e-businesses can remotely and proactively test their Linux servers, enabling them to manage more traffic without downtime. We are on track to deliver remote management services before the end of August 2000 to Internet Service Providers and Global 2000 companies around the world through redhat.com."

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redhat.com and open source momentum
Redhat.com, the premier portal for a wide variety of open source software and information solutions, attracts the largest global audience of open source developers and users. Red Hat's subscription service, introduced with version 6.0, offers continual updates to Red Hat Linux users through an innovative, automated Internet delivery service. In March, redhat.com added several new services, including: "What Can Red Hat Do for Me," which delivers users a made-to-order report featuring the information, products and services that are right for that customer's needs, and "Success Stories," which details the business need, deployment and cost savings of Red Hat Linux for Internet Infrastructure solutions. In May, the company unveiled the redhat.com Marketplace, a perfect starting point for accurate, up-to-date information and purchasing options for Internet infrastructure solutions that are based on or support Red Hat Linux and other open source technologies.

International Data Corp. (IDC) research states that paid Linux shipments grew faster than any other server operating system over the past two years. IDC preliminary figures for 1999 show Linux shipments hold 24.6 percent of the server operating system market, up from 15.8 in 1998. IDC research also show 40 percent of all spending on Linux servers is for Internet-related applications, making Linux servers firmly embedded in the Internet infrastructure. Research firm NetCraft, Inc. (www.netcraft.com), states that 29 percent of all public Web servers also run on Linux, making Linux the most popular operating system for public Web sites.

About Red Hat, Inc.

Red Hat, the world's leading open source and Linux provider, is headquartered in Raleigh, NC with satellite offices spanning the globe. Red Hat is leading Linux and open source solutions into the mainstream by making high quality, low cost technology accessible. Red Hat provides operating system software along with middleware, applications and management solutions. Red Hat also offers support, training and consulting services to its customers worldwide and through top-tier partnerships. Red Hat's open source strategy offers customers a long term plan for building infrastructures that are based on and leverage open source technologies with focus on security and ease of management. Learn more: http://www.redhat.com

Forward-Looking Statements

Forward-looking statements in this press release are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Investors are cautioned that statements in this press release that are not strictly historical statements, including, without limitation, management's plans and objectives for future operations, and management's assessment of market factors, constitute forward-looking statements which involve risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, reliance upon strategic relationships, management of growth, the possibility of undetected software errors, the risks of economic downturns generally, and in Red Hat's industry specifically, the risks associated with competition and competitive pricing pressures, the viability of the Internet, and other risks detailed in Red Hat's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, copies of which may be accessed through the SEC's Web site at http://www.sec.gov.

LINUX is a trademark of Linus Torvalds. RED HAT is a registered trademark of Red Hat, Inc. All other names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

  • About Red Hat
  • Red Hat is the world’s leading provider of open source software solutions, using a community-powered approach to reliable and high-performing cloud, Linux, middleware, storage and virtualization technologies. Red Hat also offers award-winning support, training, and consulting services. As the connective hub in a global network of enterprises, partners, and open source communities, Red Hat helps create relevant, innovative technologies that liberate resources for growth and prepare customers for the future of IT. Learn more at http://www.redhat.com.



  • Forward-Looking Statements
  • Certain statements contained in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements provide current expectations of future events based on certain assumptions and include any statement that does not directly relate to any historical or current fact. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including: risks related to delays or reductions in information technology spending; the effects of industry consolidation; the ability of the Company to compete effectively; the integration of acquisitions and the ability to market successfully acquired technologies and products; uncertainty and adverse results in litigation and related settlements; the inability to adequately protect Company intellectual property and the potential for infringement or breach of license claims of or relating to third party intellectual property; the ability to deliver and stimulate demand for new products and technological innovations on a timely basis; risks related to data and information security vulnerabilities; ineffective management of, and control over, the Company’s growth and international operations; fluctuations in exchange rates; and changes in and a dependence on key personnel, as well as other factors contained in our most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (copies of which may be accessed through the Securities and Exchange Commission’s website at http://www.sec.gov), including those found therein under the captions "Risk Factors" and "Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations". In addition to these factors, actual future performance, outcomes, and results may differ materially because of more general factors including (without limitation) general industry and market conditions and growth rates, economic and political conditions, governmental and public policy changes and the impact of natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods. The forward-looking statements included in this press release represent the Company’s views as of the date of this press release and these views could change. However, while the Company may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company’s views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release.