Aras Achieves Microsoft “Front Runner” Status for Advanced PLM Solution Suite

First PLM Solution Enabled on Microsoft SQL Server 2008

ANDOVER, Mass. and Solothurn, Switzerland : Aras®, leading Microsoft enterprise open source software solution provider, today announced that the Aras Innovator solution suite for Product Life Cycle Management [PLM] is enabled on Microsoft SQL Server 2008, earning the company Front Runner status from Microsoft Corp. Aras, the most advanced enterprise PLM solution available, in combination with Microsoft SQL Server 2008 helps enable customers to innovate and collaborate more effectively to develop new products faster. SQL Server 2008 provides the trusted, productive and intelligent Data Platform for the Aras business-critical applications.

“Microsoft remains committed to the success of our broad ISV partner community who drive innovative solutions to market,” said Mark Jewett, marketing director, SQL Server at Microsoft Corp. “The Front Runner program was designed to provide our partners with the best development environment possible and give them the technical and marketing tools they need to be successful over the long term.”

“Aras supports SQL Server 2008 because it’s an extremely powerful database platform and a significant advance forward,” said Peter Schroer, President of Aras. “Achieving Front Runner status enables us to deliver the most advanced enterprise PLM solution suite to customers within the same timeframe as the launch of SQL Server 2008. As a result, we are uniquely positioned to help our customers get the most from their PLM investment.”

Aras delivers a comprehensive suite of solutions for product lifecycle management, enterprise quality management, and global supplier management. The Aras solutions are enterprise open source on the Microsoft platform which enables companies to drive business improvement initiatives forward in the face of a challenging economy and IT budget reductions. The enterprise open source format from Aras provides freedom from licensing to:

· Remove the up-front capital expense for licenses which eliminates corporate expense risk
· Enable companies to validate solutions prior to commitment and without purchasing licenses
· Deliver unlimited users with no incremental license expenses

About Aras

Aras® is the leader in providing Microsoft enterprise open source solutions. Aras delivers the most advanced model-based service-oriented architecture [SOA] solutions for enterprise Product Lifecycle Management [PLM] on the Microsoft platform. Customers include Motorola, Rolls-Royce, Freudenberg, Lockheed Martin, Ingersoll Rand and ACCO Brands. Aras is privately held with global headquartered in Andover, Mass. For additional information visit www.aras.com