ESI Group to Port Open Virtual Try-Out Space on Microsoft 64-Bits Windows

64-bit Windows prototype version of PAM-CRASH unveiled at EuroPAM Conference

EuroPAM, Paris, October 11, 2004 - ESI Group demonstrated today the powerful capabilities of its Open Virtual Try-Out Space Solution (VTOS), a proven engineering simulation environment, on Microsoft's new 64-bit Windows operating system. PAM-CRASH is the first crash simulation solution on the market to be ported to 64-bit Window, before the future release of other major CAE software from ESI Group.

Microsoft's 64-bit operating system offers a cost-effective approach to running typical CAE applications, which usually require large memory resources, in excess of 2-Gbytes. The engineering community will benefit from the performance of Itanium Processor Family (IPF)-based Windows 64-bit at a highly competitive price, compared to the well established UNIX 64-bit operating systems which run primarily on RISC processors.

As most CAD solutions offer good, industrially validated performances on a 32-bit environment, and high computing consuming applications such as CAE solutions mostly resort to a 64-bit environment, the new 64-bit systems running Windows XP Professional x64 Edition allow, through a dual 32/64-bit offer, for mass market applications and continuous PLM engineering.

The Open VTOS prototype demonstration at EuroPAM includes several pre-ported product components such as PAM-CRASH solvers in SMP and DMP modes, as well as the new graphical framework for both Windows 64-bit Itanium Processor Family (IPF) and 64-bit Extended Systems (Intel Xeon with Extended Memory 64-bit technology).

"ESI Group believes that Windows 64-bit will become one of the major operating systems for CAE applications as it delivers a highly competitive price/performance ratio within a consistent global simulation chain," says Vincent Chaillou, President and COO, Product Operations, ESI Group.

"Whereas 64-bit systems will gain in importance in the coming years, Windows 64-bit now helps users leverage the operating system's new 64-bit processing and addressing capabilities while protecting our customer investment in 32-bit applications," says Bernard Ourganlian, Technical and Security Manager for Microsoft France. "This is why we are pleased with the announcement of the availability of the Open VTOS prototype for 64-bit Windows environments."

Microsoft plans to introduce Windows XP Professional x64 Edition and Windows Server 2003 x64 during the first half of 2005. Both operating systems are currently available in beta versions.

About ESI Group 

ESI Group is a pioneer and world leading provider of digital simulation software for prototyping and manufacturing processes that take into account the physics of materials. ESI Group has developed an entire suite of coherent, industry-oriented applications to realistically simulate a product's behavior during testing, to fine tune the manufacturing processes in synergy with the desired product performance, and to evaluate the environment's impact on product usage. ESI Group's product portfolio, which has been industrially validated and combined in multi-trade value chains, represents a unique collaborative, virtual engineering solution, known as the Virtual Try-Out Space (VTOS), enabling a continuous improvement on the virtual prototype. By drastically reducing costs and development lead times, VTOS solutions offer major competitive advantages by progressively eliminating the need for physical prototypes. With revenues close to 49 million euros in fiscal year 2003, ESI Group (Nouveau March�: Euronext Paris - Software - Euroclear 6584 - Bloomberg ESI FP - Reuters ESIG.LN) employs almost 500 high-level specialists worldwide. The company and its global network of agents provide sales and technical support to customers in more than 30 countries. 

www.esi-group.com