Partner Press Release
Si2 Selects ChipData Technology for RosettaNet PIP 2A9 Message Validator Project

Si2 launches PIP beta test program to run throughout RosettaNet's official beta period and validate queries from customers, responses from suppliers and software from Solution Partners

For Release October 10, 2000

SAN FRANCISCO

Austin, Texas-based Silicon Integration Initiative, Inc. (Si2) announced today at the RosettaNet E Concert meeting that it is using ChipData technology to power its QuickData and PIP2A9 message and content validator for the RosettaNet beta test period.

"Suppliers, customers and Solution Partners need a way to test their products and services against a vendor-neutral standard using software that models this standard and interacts with the RosettaNet messages in a stable and predictable way," Si2's vice president of technology, Don Cottrell, said. "We put out a Request for Technology, evaluated the responses and selected ChipData's ForceField™ Server and Paragon family of services for the job."

Testing with customers engaged in the PIP2A9 Beta Test began on Oct. 3, 2000. Si2 will use ChipData's software as the foundation for qualification of companies supporting PIP2A9 and QuickData before entering them into the directory. Registry entries will begin Nov. 1, 2000.

"ChipData technology was the first to be qualified to the Si2 QuickData standard by Si2," Cottrell said. "Therefore, it was a logical step to base our qualification program on this software."

ChipData's director of product marketing, Jeff Barton, said, "We extended our Paragon™  family of services to incorporate the RosettaNet dictionaries -- including its Business Properties dictionaries -- as well as the message guidelines and the business rules expressed in the PIP Blueprint for PIP2A9. We are already using this technology for our own customers. The idea was to take something that already worked, which had been tested against Si2's QuickData validation software, and to quickly extend it into this new domain."

"What we have on-line now is a flexible, simple to maintain and extend, validation system," Cottrell said. "It accepts queries and returns test results and validation statements automatically. With this system, we can also manually enter queries and responses off-line through the validation suite. This feature allows Si2 to assist companies who are just getting started with this PIP by enabling them to test their tools and data before launching them online."

About Si2
Silicon Integration Initiative, Inc. (Si2) provides engineering consultation and services to industry-leading silicon, electronic systems and EDA companies for synergistic, multi-company efforts focused on improving productivity and costs in the design and production of integrated silicon systems. The organization represents members throughout North America, Europe and Asia. For more information about Si2 and its standards, visit www.si2.org.

About RosettaNet
RosettaNet is an independent, self-funded, non-profit consortium dedicated to the development and deployment of standard electronic business interfaces to align the processes between supply chain partners on a global basis.

More than 300 companies representing over $1 trillion in annual information technology, electronic components and semiconductor manufacturing revenues currently participate in RosettaNet's standards development, strategy and implementation activities. A complete list of member companies and more information on RosettaNet can be found at www.rosettanet.org.

About ChipData
ChipData Inc. is an Internet-based collaborative infrastructure provider whose breakthrough Design Chain Management™ solution seamlessly ties component suppliers, contract manufacturers and independent software vendors together for the benefit of OEM system designers. ChipData makes RosettaNet-compliant component management servers for OEMs and content management servers for suppliers, both with browser-enabled applications. With its Paragon family of services, ChipData provides an easy entry into RosettaNet's electronic component e-commerce standards. ChipData joined RosettaNet as a Solution Partner in July.

Dallas, Texas entrepreneurs with deep industry expertise founded ChipData as a privately held company in 1999. Independent investors and top high-tech venture capital firms, CenterPoint Ventures, InterWest Partners and Sevin Rosen, funded the company. For more information visit: www.chipdata.com.