Advancements in Performance, Scalability and Functionality Extend Red Brick's
                      Decision Support RDBMS Leadership

    LOS GATOS, Calif., Oct. 14 /PRNewswire -- Red Brick(TM) Systems, Inc.
(Nasdaq: REDB), The Data Warehouse Company(TM), today announced Red Brick
Warehouse 5.0, the newest version of its industry-leading relational database
(RDBMS) designed specifically for data warehouse, data mart, data mining,
on-line analytical processing (OLAP) and database marketing applications.
    Red Brick Warehouse 5.0 features advancements in performance, scalability
and functionality that Red Brick believes extend its technical lead over
general purpose on-line transaction processing (OLTP) oriented and
multidimensional database software products.
    Red Brick Warehouse 5.0 also includes Red Brick Data Mining Option,
advanced data mining functionality fully integrated into its data warehouse
RDBMS, which is currently scheduled to be available in November.  Red Brick
believes it is the first and only vendor to provide data warehousing and data
mining capabilities in a single integrated RDBMS engine.
    "Red Brick Warehouse 5.0 represents our most significant engineering work
to-date, and the largest beta evaluation program in our history has confirmed
we far exceeded our beta customers' expectations with this release," said
Chris Grejtak, vice president of marketing for Red Brick.  "We believe that we
continue to offer organizations worldwide the most comprehensive and advanced
data warehouse products and service available today."

    Performance
    Red Brick Warehouse is consistently recognized for its impressive query
and load processing performance on the most demanding data warehouse
applications.
    "Red Brick Warehouse has scorched other RDBMSs in many decision-support
benchmarks conducted by customers and prospects," reported Wayne Eckerson,
senior consultant at Patricia Seybold Group, a Boston-based research and
consulting firm specializing in distributed computing, in a recent research
report, "Understanding Data Marts."
    Red Brick Warehouse 5.0 is designed to extend Red Brick's performance lead
with a new approach to complex query processing, new join algorithms, new
advanced indexing techniques, and a myriad of incremental improvements in
areas which already had been Red Brick strengths.  Examples include:

    * Continually Adaptive Indexing.  Red Brick delivered the broadest range
of indexing technology in December 1995 with its TARGETindex(TM) bit-map
indexing.  Unlike less sophisticated bit-map indexing technologies, Red
Brick's TARGETindex includes a full family of index types to handle all kinds
of data whether low cardinality (e.g. male/female) or high cardinality (e.g.
social security numbers).  Red Brick's new Continually Adaptive Indexing
extends TARGETindex technology to provide indexes which automatically and
continually adapt to the data that is being indexed.  Red Brick Warehouse
automatically selects the optimal index type on a per value, not per index,
basis which enables speed and efficiency gains not possible with the
monolithic indexes used in other relational databases.
    * Innovative Indexed Expression Optimizations.  Red Brick Warehouse 5.0
incorporates new, innovative expression analysis algorithms which identify
references to indexes, even those buried in the most complex SQL expressions,
and goes even further by identifying and simplifying redundancies,
contradictions and tautologies.  The net effect is dramatically improved query
performance for the complex SQL generated by today's sophisticated data
analysis and OLAP tools.
    * Industry-leading Hybrid Hash Join.  Red Brick Warehouse 5.0 adds yet
another advanced join technique -- hybrid hash join -- to Red Brick's already
extensive portfolio of table join technologies.  Red Brick's hash join
includes sophisticated optimizations such as full sub-join recursion (needed
to efficiently handle very large joins), role reversal (needed to efficiently
join dissimilarly sized tables) and bit filtering (needed to dramatically
improve hash join efficiency).  For the end user, Red Brick's advanced hash
join can process queries against complex schemas at speeds not possible with
less sophisticated algorithms.
    * Improved Subquery Analysis.  Complex nested subqueries are often found
in sophisticated decision support queries.  Red Brick Warehouse's
industry-leading support of subqueries has been extended by the introduction
of new analysis techniques which identify, rewrite and reschedule subqueries
to increase complex query performance.
    * Dramatically Improved "First Row" Response Times.  Red Brick Warehouse
5.0 includes specialized logic which returns results rows as early as possible
for even the most complex queries.  Knowledge workers can begin to analyze the
initial rows of a query result while the remaining rows are still being
generated.

    These are a few examples of how Red Brick has improved Red Brick
Warehouse's impressive performance.  Other improvements include faster
calculation of complex expressions, improved parallel table scan speeds,
enhanced support of multi-column indexes and improved sorting, grouping and
distinct processing.

    Scalability
    Red Brick Warehouse 5.0 is designed for handling massive amounts of detail
data, supporting hundreds of simultaneous users, facilitating ease of
administration and management and providing fast query response for analysts
and business managers.  Enhancements made in this area include:

    * Second Generation Parallel Support.  Red Brick Warehouse 5.0 provides
the ability to decompose queries to an even finer level of granularity to
allow the use of increased parallelism during all phases of query processing.
Red Brick Warehouse's high performance parallel data loader has also been
improved with new logic to exploit even more parallelism to convert, integrity
check, load and index even the largest databases at rates not achievable with
any other full-function loader.
    * Simplified Schema Change Support.  Changing business requirements often
dictate comparable changes to data models.  Red Brick Warehouse 5.0 provides
new capabilities which makesthis process much simpler, faster and more
manageable.  With Red Brick Warehouse 5.0, it is possible to add, drop and
change table relationships without needing to unload or reload any user data.
This is critical to managing change in today's very large data warehouses.

    Advanced Functionality
    Red Brick Warehouse 5.0 is designed to extend Red Brick's leadership in
query functionality.  New capabilities allow users to get answers to the most
complex business questions with a single SQL request.  Red Brick Warehouse 5.0
delivers new powerful analysis capabilities only being talked about by
traditional relational database vendors.
    Users also will find many other functional enhancements with Red Brick
Warehouse 5.0 including full support for any query in views, no matter how
complex; full support for ANSI SQL '92 natural, cross, inner and outer joins;

and compile-time simplification of complex expressions.  Examples of advanced
functionality include:

    * Full, Efficient Support for Table Expressions.  The ANSI SQL '92
standard defines an advanced feature to allow queries to be embedded in the
FROM clause of another query.  This powerful syntax, missing from most general
purpose RDBMSs, enables business queries which previously could only be
answered through the use of temporary tables to be answered instead by a
single query. Red Brick Warehouse 5.0 is the first relational database to
offer this SQL capability with an efficient implementation which eliminates
the use of "invisible" temporary tables.  The result is a significant new
capability for processing the complex multi-pass SQL typical of OLAP, data
mart and data warehouse applications.
    * More Powerful RISQL.  Because standard SQL cannot answer many common
business questions directly, Red Brick Warehouse incorporates a set of
business analysis extensions to SQL called RISQL.  Red Brick Warehouse 5.0
improves on this innovation by adding support for equi-population rank
groupings and complex expressions.  These new capabilities enable
sophisticated analyses such as percentile groupings and complex moving value
calculations.
    * Discovery-driven Analysis with Integrated Data Mining.  Red Brick
Warehouse 5.0 provides the only way to scale data mining technology to match
today's data warehouse capabilities by integrating data mining into the RDBMS
engine.  Red Brick believes integration at the server is a superior approach
to alternative strategies that emphasize standalone data mining tools, or
integration of data mining with client-based query, reporting and OLAP tools.

    Integrated Data Mining
    Red Brick Data Mining Option is server-based software fully integrated
into the Red Brick Warehouse RDBMS engine.  It is used to read very large
volumes of data -- hundreds of millions of rows and hundreds of attributes
-- to find patterns, trends and relationships that would be difficult, if not
impossible, to find with traditional drill-down querying techniques.  Using
models based on these relationships, users are better able to predict the
impact of decisions on their customers, businesses and markets.
    Red Brick Data Mining Builder is a GUI-based tool for Windows PCs that
enables users to build and refine data mining models stored in Red Brick
Warehouse 5.0.  Completed models can be shared among many users and will be
accessible via popular front-end query and analysis tools through a standard
SQL interface.

    What Market Research Analysts Think About Red Brick Warehouse 5.0
    "Red Brick's early emphasis on data mining is key to the company's
continuing success as a major data warehouse platform for VLDB solutions,"
said Aaron Zornes, executive vice president of META Group's Application
Delivery Strategies and conference chairman of DCI's Data Warehouse World and
Expo.  "Red Brick's Data Mine will provide competitive advantage over singular
data mining solutions as well as opportunistic marketing/technical
partnerships by the competition."  Headquartered in Stamford, Conn., META
Group, Inc. is an independent market assessment company providing research,
analysis, and advisory services regarding developments and trends in
information technology.
    "Red Brick Warehouse 5.0 demonstrates Red Brick's continued commitment to
deliver high-performance query response that surpasses transaction databases.
The new functions and revised architecture are good steps toward the
challenging task of staying ahead of much larger competitors," said Frank E.
Gillett, senior analyst, Data Warehousing and Business Intelligence at Hurwitz
Group, Inc., a research and management consulting firm providing strategic
counsel on the business use of distributed software.
    "Red Brick Warehouse 5.0 helps Red Brick solidify its lead among RDBMS
vendors in the data warehouse space," said Wayne Eckerson, senior consultant
at Patricia Seybold Group, a Boston-based research and consulting firm
specializing in distributed computing.

    Hewlett-Packard: "Make Our Smart Analysts Smarter Faster"
    "With the integration of data mining technology in Red Brick Warehouse, we
anticipate this will help make our smart analysts smarter faster," said
Sterling Makishima, data warehouse manager at Hewlett-Packard Company.  "I am
very excited about the integration of data mining technology into Red Brick.
With our Red Brick data warehouse, now IT personnel will have the opportunity
to provide valuable information, not just raw data for interpretation, for key
business decisions."
    Hewlett-Packard has incorporated a number of Red Brick Warehouse 5.0
features in the design of a new warehouse architecture that will service SAP
applications, including STAR indexes defined on all SAP tables, multi-column
primary keys defined in several tables, and segments on dimension tables.
    "Another helpful DBA feature in 5.0 is support for adding and dropping of
foreign keys (STAR indexes)," added Makishima.  "We have already had the need
in our SAP development to create and later drop some STAR indexes.  On 5.0,
there is no problem with this and because there is no need to UNLOAD/LOAD
data, it is a real time-saver for us as well."

    Healthsource: "Thoroughly Impressed"
    "We've been thoroughly impressed with the query speed in Red Brick
Warehouse 5.0," said Norm Costin, director of data warehousing at
Healthsource, a $1.2 billion health maintenance organization in New Hampshire
that provides and insures healthcare.  "Red Brick Warehouse 5.0's flexibility
in indexing schemes gives us more speed, saves space and saves time in the
loading and extract processes, all of which are key to us."

    BellSouth Telecommunications: "Very Valuable to Us"
    "Red Brick's new features in version 5.0, such as multi-column support on
primary keys and the 'explain' capability, offer significant improvements in
organizing and finding data," said Mark Torres, project director at BellSouth
Telecommunications, Inc.  "We've been very interested in the data mining
option in 5.0 as well.  We are currently developing a calling card application
and the integrated data mining capability will prove very valuable to us in
that project."

    ALTA Analytics:  "Nearly Limitless Possibilities"
    "The new version of Red Brick Warehouse provides nearly limitless
possibilities in multiple table joins, while still offering the inherent
benefits of a star schema-patterned data model," said Philip Kim, project
manager at ALTA Analytics.  "With the new ability to use RISQL extensions in
any part of a query or view, the flexibility of Red Brick Warehouse 5.0
extends well beyond any other database.
    "Performance is better in every respect," added Kim.  "Database building
and loading is easier than ever, because of both the lightning performance of
the TMU program and the more flexible schema layout.  Load and refresh times
are still the fastest I've seen of any RDBMS."

    Pricing and Availability
    Red Brick Warehouse 5.0 is available immediately.  Pricing in North
America begins at US$50,000, based on system configuration.  Red Brick
Warehouse 5.0 is fully compatible with previous versions of Red Brick
Warehouse, and will be provided as a no-charge upgrade to all Red Brick
customers with current service contracts.
    Red Brick Data Mining Option requires Red Brick Warehouse 5.0 and pricing
in North America begins at US$75,000.  Red Brick Data Mining Builder pricing
in North America begins at US$5,000.  Red Brick Data Mining Option is
scheduled to be available in November 1996.  Red Brick Data Mining Builder is
scheduled to be available in December 1996.
    Red Brick Warehouse 5.0 can be purchased directly from Red Brick or
through authorized Red Brick value-added resellers, system integrators,
consulting partners and distributors worldwide.  Red Brick also has joint
marketing and licensing agreements with several hardware manufacturers.
Information can be obtained through Red Brick Systems direct sales offices in
the United States and United Kingdom, or by calling 800-777-2585 in the U.S.
or 0800 967 920 in the U.K.
    About Red Brick Systems, Inc.
    Red Brick Systems, Inc. is the leading provider of data warehouse products
and service.  The company, based in Los Gatos, Calif., specializes in software
products used for fast, accurate and confident business
decision-making on large client/server databases.
    NOTE:  Information about Red Brick is available on the World Wide Web at
http://www.redbrick.com.  News releases and corporate background information
may also be retrieved by fax.  For an index of available materials, please
call 800-758-5804, and enter PIN #105756.
    Red Brick and logo and RISQL are registered trademarks, and Red Brick,
STARindex, STARjoin, TARGETindex and The Data Warehouse Company are
trademarks, of Red Brick Systems, Inc. All other trademarks and registered
trademarks are the property of their respective holders.

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