Dateline: Ottawa, Canada, and Trondheim, Norway — DATE February 2001

The EXOCOM Group Inc.(EXOCOM), a leading Canadian e-business solutions and services provider, has entered a long-term partnering agreement with MaXware International, the world’s leading provider of vendor-independent modular and scalable Meta solutions for multinationals and government agencies.

“By teaming up with MaXware, EXOCOM will be able to deliver even more comprehensive, cutting-edge, enterprise-wide Meta solutions and directory management capabilities to our customers’ ICT infrastructures,” says Gary Miller, EXOCOM’s Vice President, Corporate Development.

Organizations with intranets, businesses using the Internet and Internet Service Providers are all seeking directory-based infrastructure overlays, called Meta solutions, to seamlessly integrate disparate data repositories and implement rule-based and security-certificate access control.

“EXOCOM has a strong reputation for providing quality IT Security solutions to some of the largest organizations in Canada, the United States and Europe,” says Elliott Friedman, Managing Director of MaXware Inc., the US subsidiary of MaXware International. “Data Security and PKI are core EXOCOM strengths, and we are pleased to be supplying problem-solving, value-adding Meta solutions to EXOCOM’s e-business portfolio,” Mr. Friedman continues.

During early February, training courses were held at EXOCOM’s offices by MaXware Inc. staff, as part of MaXware’s commitment to support EXOCOM technicians and customers.

EXOCOM delivers comprehensive IT Security solutions which support the broad requirements of e-business. A versatile set of proven consulting capabilities coupled with best of class security products form the basis of their offering. In adding the MaXware tools to their solution offering, they will be able to deliver more comprehensive directory and synchronization solutions as part of their total security solution.

The extensive set of modular, stand-alone components in MaXware’s Enterprise Meta Solution are compatible with legacy, in-house built, and industry-leading database and directory systems. MaXware solutions are effective and user-friendly, and can access any number of directory servers simultaneously.

Typical directory management processes using the family of MaXware Enterprise Meta Solution components include: populating directories from various sources, “joining” attributes — say, when a new employee is hired — synchronizing to keep data up-to-date on all server directories, and data cleansing. On the desktop, linked by an intranet or the Internet, users easily obtain real-time access to mission-critical data, unaware of the access controls, security checks, and information filtering built into the system.

About EXOCOM

The EXOCOM Group Inc. (EXOCOM) delivers advanced e-Business services and solutions that enable clients to strategically use information technology and manage information for increased business advantage. Since 1982, EXOCOM has consistently delivered high value, high quality solutions to leading organizations in key verticals including telecommunications, financial services, insurance, health care, high technology and government. With more than 130 employees and offices in Ottawa, Toronto, Halifax and Calgary, the company offers expertise across a broad range of business lines, including IT strategy and design consulting, IT security consulting, application development, technology integration and enterprise infrastructure building. Its website is located at www.exocom.com .

EXOCOM is a wholly owned subsidiary of Manitoba Telecom Services, Manitoba’s preeminent full-service telecommunications company.

About MaXware International AS

MaXware International AS is the market leader in providing vendor-independent Meta solutions for access, exchange, and management of mission-critical data. Since 1983, the company has pioneered directory services, enterprise Meta solutions, and infrastructure for e-business applications. Headquartered in Trondheim, Norway, with offices in metropolitan New York and Canberra, MaXware delivers comprehensive Enterprise Meta Solutions worldwide.
MaXware International is a wholly owned subsidiary of EDB Business Partner ASA.

MaXware customers are major telecommunications companies, value-added ICT vendors, finance and insurance companies, oil, gas and offshore producers, and government, postal services, and defence organizations.

MaXware Enterprise Meta Solution, MaXware Data Synchronization Engine, and MaXware International’s logo are trademarks of MaXware International AS.

Contact:
MaXware Incorporated
Ira Horowitz, Business Development Consultant
Canadian Market
Tel. +1 732 409-5000, fax: +1 732 409-6298
Email: Ira.Horowitz@maxware.com
www.maxware.com

The EXOCOM Group Inc.
Gary Miller, Vice President
Corporate Development
tel: (613)237-0257 fax: (613) 237-0314
email: gmiller@exocom.com
www.exocom.com