MSI's Data Retention Center of Competence Allows Customers To "Test Drive" IBM Data Retention And Compliance Solutions

[Omaha, Neb. - March 2, 2005] - MSI Systems Integrators (MSI) today announced the opening of an IBM Data Retention Center of Competence to help clients address growing needs for long term data retention and government regulations surrounding the retention of data. As a part of MSI's award-winning Technology Enablement Centers ™ (TECs) this new state of the art facility feature integrated software and hardware that can simulate real world scenarios for clients to test their compliance and data retention applications.

"As companies move to comply with corporate policies and existing regulations, new mandates are emerging and businesses are struggling to manage their data efficiently," said Alan Stuart, Chief Strategist for Data Retention Solutions, IBM Risk and Compliance Council. "Compliance can mean confusion, but it is something that every organization has to weave into the fabric of their business operations. Through these Data Retention Centers of Competence, IBM is equipping Business Partners such as MSI with the tools they need to help clients obtain an integrated view of their processes, organization, technology and controls across all industries."

The new center will allow MSI to provide clients with:

• Demonstration and Proof of Concept capabilities
• Technical design, planning, configuration and implementation
• Competitive skills and knowledge tools
• ILM Services Methodology

MSI will also be able to deploy IBM's competitive total cost of ownership tools to compare various compliance and data retention solutions as a means to map MSI's solutions and services to the IBM Risk and Compliance Framework, a framework designed to help customers better determine their IT requirements based on the compliance mandates of various industries. The new TCO Tool, helps analyze the ownership costs of IBM's TotalStorage DR550 versus EMC's Centera. The tool models customer environments, illustrates data growth over the life of the data, and provides comparative TCO for alternative solutions based on customer provided storage management and offering details.

"As an extension of our TECs^TM, the IBM Data Retention Center of Competence allows us to expand our capability to provide clients with the latest tools to design and implement comprehensive data management strategies," said Tony Regier, vice president, Storage Practice, MSI. "The center will not only help businesses meet their compliance objectives, but can ultimately help save costs related to IT infrastructure and management."

One of the first products that will be available through the center is the IBM TotalStorage DR550, a system designed to deliver a central point of control for managing data. By leveraging IBM's TotalStorage DR550 offering, MSI can help customers manage long term data retention and address regulatory compliance requirements.

About MSI Systems Integrators

MSI Systems Integrators is an IT integration firm that helps companies make their businesses better by providing IT optimization, virtualization, data center optimization, security, unified communications, and business continuity solutions. A leading provider of hardware, software, and services, MSI has deep technical skills and partners with technology leaders such as Cisco, HP, IBM, Microsoft, Symantec, and VMware to provide world-class business solutions that help companies be more efficient, dynamic, and resilient. MSI is headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska with offices throughout the United States. For more information about MSI, please visit www.msiinet.com or call 800-640-4674, extension 2394.

For more information, press only:
Teresa Mardesen
MSI Systems Integrators
(800) 640-4674, x2394
tmardesen@msiinet.com

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