NTIQ Netiq (MM)

NetIQ Sues Desktop Management Innovator AutoProf NetIQ and Partner Seek Termination of Former FullArmor Employee PORTSMOUTH, N.H., Sept. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- NetIQ Corporation (NASDAQ:NTIQ), a leading provider of computer administration software, has filed suit against AutoProf, maker of the popular Policy Maker(TM) Group Policy Extensions. NetIQ (and partner FullArmor) seek the immediate termination of former FullArmor employee Senthil Prabakaran. After citing frustration with management at FullArmor, Mr. Prabakaran joined AutoProf as Director of R&D in July 2004 believing that AutoProf was better positioned to serve the desktop management space. AutoProf CEO John Moyer stated, "While we understand that NetIQ must be concerned about the loss of key personnel at FullArmor, it might be more effective for the two partners to resolve their issues internally." He added that, "Mr. Prabakaran is an honorable man who worked for FullArmor for over five years. Out of loyalty he stayed with them longer than he desired in an attempt to complete a new product on which he was the lead developer. We didn't solicit him, he wasn't bound by a 'no-compete' agreement, and he didn't misappropriate any FullArmor/NetIQ intellectual property." Since the ground-breaking introduction of Policy Maker in late 2003, AutoProf has been the leading provider of Group Policy Extensions, gathering widespread acclaim. Policy Maker 2 more than triples the native capability of this Change and Configuration Management (CCM) system that Microsoft built into Active Directory networks, adding patch management, file and print management, registry management, mail profiles, application customization -- with Microsoft Operations Manager (MOM) integration, per-setting filters and much more. Another first for the market, AutoProf will soon be providing centralized Group Policy Reporting (code named "Dragnet"), a priority for AutoProf's many Fortune 500 customers. Dragnet utilizes Microsoft's SQL Server platform, and leverages many of the industry standards supported by Policy Maker. Centralized Group Policy Reporting was first announced in conjunction with Policy Maker's patch management extension at the Microsoft's TechEd symposium in May 2004. Dragnet is expected to ship in Q4. In early 2004, NetIQ acquired all rights to FullArmor's Group Policy administration products and associated customer accounts. FullArmor subsequently moved into the market for Group Policy Extensions with a currently unreleased product. According to court filings this product has been designed to compete directly with existing AutoProf products. About AutoProf AutoProf, the leader in Group Policy-based desktop management products, develops and markets intuitive desktop management software worldwide through a network of value added resellers and distributors. Since the introduction of its first product in 1997, AutoProf has sold its software to over 3,000 customers worldwide, including Airbus, Alliance Capital, and PepsiCo. For more information on this Portsmouth, NH-based company, visit http://www.autoprof.com/ or call 603.433.5885. DATASOURCE: AutoProf CONTACT: Tony Keller of S&S Public Relations, +1-847-415-9330, or Web site: http://www.autoprof.com/

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