E! Networks to Optimize End-User Experience With Metapa's Cluster DataBase

August 11, 2004 - (HostReview.com) - - Sun Microsystems, Inc. (www.sun.com), and Metapa Inc., a leading provider of high-performance analytic infrastructure software, today announced that E! Networks, the world's largest producer and distributor of entertainment news and lifestyle-related programming, has chosen to deploy their integrated data warehousing solution. E! Networks, leveraging Metapa's breakthrough Cluster DataBase (CDB) solution for the Sun Solaris Operating System (OS) on Sun Fire servers based on AMD Opteron processors, aims to achieve unprecedented price/performance results for its enterprise class data warehouse system.

"Deploying a unified data warehouse has always been a strategic goal of E!, but with the total cost of ownership associated with traditional solutions, it hasn't been practical," said Jeff Mayzurk, vice president of technology for E! Networks. "Metapa and Sun provided a truly unique solution allowing us to implement an enterprise class data warehouse with the price/performance level that makes our initiative possible."

The combined Metapa and Sun solution at E! Networks can integrate both detailed online and offline operational data into a single, consolidated data warehouse capable of supporting sophisticated business level reporting and analysis. Additionally, the solution can provide the Business Intelligence infrastructure necessary for key E! Networks executives and television programming personnel to better understand and optimize programming for both its customers and partners.

"Metapa and Sun are excited to announce E! Networks as a joint customer and a flagship example of how companies can capitalize on the performance advantages and operational returns of open source and commodity computing for data warehousing," said Dave Powell, president and CEO of Metapa.

"E! Networks' application is a great validation of Sun's offering for the x86 server market that focuses on simplifying and reducing the total cost of ownership for enterprise IT initiatives," said John Loiacono, executive vice president of Software at Sun.

E! Networks is the world's largest producer and distributor of entertainment news and lifestyle-related programming. The company operates E! Entertainment Television, the 24-hour network with programming dedicated to the world of entertainment; The Style Network where life gets a new look, and E! Online, located at http://www.eonline.com.

Metapa (www.metapa.com) is the leader in enabling customers to move Business Intelligence (BI) applications to open-source, commodity technology. Founded in April 2000, Metapa is led by an experienced team of executives from the industry's leading Internet infrastructure and enterprise software companies.