Critical Path Software, Inc.

TURBO-PRO is a new proactive technology developed and provided as a service by Critical Path Software Inc. It saves thousands of hours of analysis by performance tuning specialists, delays very expensive mainframe hardware and software upgrades, and in some large data centers may even lower MSU usage CAPS or shut off engines, thereby reducing software license agreements.

TURBO-PRO is a newly developed pro-active process that utilizes standard IBM utilities that already exist on your computer for gathering CRITICAL SYSTEM & APPLICATION FILES including CICS, DB2, IMS, Buffering Products, and Vendor Software. The collected data is sent by CD, FTP, or e-mail attachment to CPSI, where the detail data is run through our Turbo Tune Performance Tuning System and corrective actions are identified before performance issues arise.

TURBO-PRO compliments our highly successful Turbo Tune Performance Tuning System. The end result will significantly reduce I/O, CPU, EXCP's and MIP consumption, while keeping Online Response Time and Batch Run Time at their optimum performance levels.

TURBO-PRO utilizes STANDARD IBM UTILITIES and does not change or look at any confidential client data, but simply monitors, gathers and reports detailed information concerning Structures, Performance, Usage, Activity, Efficiency and current file definitions. The data is sent to CPSI and is processed through Turbo Tune, which analyzes the data, compares every file against an expert data base and returns fully updated and improved file definitions that will reduce the resource consumption on that mainframe.

TURBO-PRO gathers real-time information. The collection process is run at various times taking real-time snapshots of conditions at peak load time, such as twelve noon or month end or quarter end or year end, as well as during periods of inactivity. In this way it will identify the worst case usage under real-world conditions that occur in your environment.

TURBO-PRO is always on duty. One very important point that has to be underscored about the new product suite is that the data collection operates on auto-pilot and can be thought of as a virtual assistant doing the job of many high priced experienced workers. In other words, set it and forget it! We take the worry and the effort out of the system optimization equation and we ensure that nothing of importance is missed. CIOs can rest assured that their resources are continually monitored.

TURBO-PRO is essential because changes in Application & System Software are constantly occurring files require constant performance monitoring. Growth due to mergers, development of new applications, upgrades to vendor software and increases in business activity, make constant adjustments both critical and necessary. All systems should be constantly monitored and critical files should be adjusted before they become a problem, in order to keep them working at their maximum peak performance levels.

TURBO-PRO automatically performs all of the well understood tuning practices and functions that a highly skilled performance tuning analyst would perform with usual methods. However, it does provide several very distinct advantages.

1. TURBO-PRO saves Time! TURBO-PRO replaces the usual time consuming methods with a robust automated system that operates at speeds far faster than the human capital deployed by most companies. This allows managers to better utilize their existing resources by assigning their best and brightest performance analysts to more challenging and higher priority tasks and/or projects.

2. TURBO-PRO provides experienced Know How! Valuable tuning expertise and knowledge is no longer taught or required as part of the normal IT curriculum in colleges, universities and advanced institutions of technical training. Therefore to find and bring in a System tuning specialist with experience and requisite knowledge can be extremely difficult and costly at best. Then of course there is always the danger of resources being side tracked or being moved to �higher priority more important projects�, and the system fine tuning activities suffer.

3. TURBO-PRO reduces CPU degradation due to improperly defined files! Quite often, initial file definitions are set up by merely copying the parameters of existing files because �It Works� and project deadlines leave little time for planning. This approach can easily lead to increased computer utilization caused by the proliferation of poorly tuned files. Enough of this in turn can trigger hardware upgrades long before they are necessary.

4. TURBO-PRO will save you money! The savings realized from improved performance, which includes productivity gains, longer up times, faster response times, improved batch windows, and fewer ABENDS, will be achieved in the first few months after using TURBO-PRO, and then every year thereafter. This will allow the deferral of upgrades to more expensive and larger hardware and the avoidance of even MORE EXPENSIVE SOFTWARE LICENSE AGREEMENTS that go along with the hardware and software.

5. TURBO-PRO will add real dollars to your bottom line. Let's look at an example of real dollar savings. A data center is using 10,000 MIPS. Our analysis finds that 10% of the MIPS can be saved. That is 1,000 MIPS. According to The Gartner Group, those MIPS are worth $360.00 per MIP per month. So the value of wasted MIPS in this data center is equal to $ 4,320,000.00. This is a very conservative estimate. The percentage of improvement varies but is usually in the 15% to 20% range. The savings don't stop there! That means you can save that much the first year and the second year and every year thereafter starting as soon as you begin implementing the tuning efficiencies provided by CPSI. That's right! You begin saving MIPS immediately.

6. TURBO-PRO provides a tremendous ROI and is a sensible alternative to doing nothing. By not tuning you are essentially wasting budgeted dollars from the bottom line each and every year. The real value comes from not only reducing the MIPS, but also from reduced DASD usage, increased employee productivity savings, reduced processing times resulting in increased end user customer satisfaction.