Marconi implements Netcool network suite

SAN FRANCISCO - Micromuse Inc.(Nasdaq: MUSE), a provider of fault and service-level management software, today announced that Marconi plc has selected the Netcool suite of applications to provide realtime monitoring of network faults and service availability.

Marconi provides advanced communication solutions, key technologies, and services for telecommunications service providers, ISPs, as well as public and private networks worldwide.

Marconi will deploy Netcool/OMNIbus for Voice Networks and other components of the Netcool suite at its new Network Operations Center (NOC) in Liverpool, England. The Liverpool NOC was recently completed to handle Marconi's expanded portfolio of managed network services for European telecommunications operators and IT service providers.

The NOC, which manages Marconi's synchronous digital hierarchy (SDH/SONET) technology, System X telco switches, and other network devices, will use the Netcool suite of applications to provide a complete integrated fault management solution for its platform infrastructure.

Marconi selected the Netcool suite for its off-the-shelf ability to correlate event information and provide realtime updates on network faults from multi-vendor, multi-technology networks across the infrastructure, efficiently allowing network managers to create relationships between faults and the availability of services.

Abilitec, a systems integrator, will be responsible for deploying the Netcool suite and will provide network and managed service integration of the system with Marconi's NOC, including comprehensive training, consultancy and support services.

About the Netcool Suite
Micromuse's Netcool software suite collects management data from more than 200 management environments and network devices, including voice, data and Internet. Fault data is rapidly processed and filtered by theNetcool ObjectServerT, an in-memory database. The Netcool application allows operators to build views of service availability in realtime, helping them manage networks more efficiently. Because it is scalable and deploys rapidly, the Netcool business model allows service providers to expand their networks as their markets grow.

About Marconi plc
Marconi plc is a global communications and IT company, with 49,000 employees world-wide and sales in more than 100 countries. It supplies communications solutions and technologies for the Internet.

About Micromuse
Micromuse Inc. (Nasdaq: MUSE) Netcool is a registered trademark of Micromuse.