Netscape Unveils Netscape FastTrack Server

Web Server Software Offers Advanced Features in Easy-To-Set-Up-And-Use Package

Like Netscape Navigator 2.0, Beta Available for Easy Download on the Internet

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (March 5, 1996) -- Netscape Communications Corporation (NASDAQ: NSCP) today announced Netscape FastTrack Server, Netscape's new high performance Web server software that delivers advanced server capabilities in an easy-to-setup-and-use package. Available for free downloading in beta form, Netscape FastTrack Server includes support for Java and JavaScript programming languages for creating and managing live content. The commercial release of the new software will come with Netscape Navigator Gold 2.0 client software, providing users with a full Internet publishing software solution for US$295.

With Netscape FastTrack Server, users can quickly and easily install their first Web server, configure the components of an Internet site and create documents. Easy-to-use tools, including a Set Up Wizard and an Installation Guide, help users through the process, enabling people of all Internet skill levels to get sites up and running in minutes. Netscape Navigator Gold makes it easy for users to create home pages, so they can get content up on the server quickly. Netscape FastTrack Server is ideal for individuals in small companies or departments of larger organizations who are looking to leverage the power of the Internet for enhanced communications, collaboration and data access.

"Netscape FastTrack server makes it easy for small businesses, individuals and work groups to create and run their own Web site," said Mike Homer, vice president of marketing at Netscape. "Because it is the first server to support Java and JavaScript, Netscape FastTrack server provides users with the platform they need to create and publish live content on their internal network or the Internet. Netscape is also making Netscape FastTrack Server available for free downloading and testing so that people can immediately begin building their own Web sites."

Netscape FastTrack Server includes installation features to make set up quick and easy. Among these are:

• Installation and Setup Wizard, which guides the user with a set of easy to answer questions and steps the user through the installation process
• Configuration Agent that automatically detects a user's network environment and settings and configures the server to handle standard TCP/IP networking protocols and Microsoft Windows networking protocols.

Netscape FastTrack Server includes Java, JavaScript and the rich set of Netscape open application programming interfaces, allowing users to create Internet sites that feature exciting live online content and applications. It also provides users with an easy upgrade path to the new industrial-strength Netscape Enterprise Server software, which offers advanced document management, network management and enterprise administration features for running full-scale Intranet applications. Netscape FastTrack Server is built on a next-generation, high-performance server architecture, delivering performance that significantly exceeds that of existing servers.

Industry-leading security features are included in Netscape FastTrack Server through the Secure Sockets Layer 3.0 (SSL 3.0) open protocol, which provides client-side certificate authentication and advanced Internet-ready access control. This feature enables MIS managers to encrypt and control user authentication and limit publishing rights to a Web site.

The inclusion of Netscape Navigator Gold 2.0 aids users in creating and managing content and applications once their site is up and running. Netscape Navigator Gold, now available in beta, is the premier version of Netscape Navigator that combines all of the features of Netscape Navigator 2.0 -- including Web browsing, interactive email and threaded discussion groups -- with personal Internet publishing capabilities. It includes many easy-to-use features that help users create and access HTML documents for Web sites, threaded discussion groups and electronic mail.

Netscape Navigator Gold provides Netscape FastTrack users with such features as:

• Easy-to-use Editing Environment with "what you see is what you get" (WYSIWYG) results. To edit, users simply click on any part of a template page and drag-and-drop text, images and more elaborate items such as Live Objects and links onto their own home page
• One Button Publishing to facilitate Internet publishing of finished pages. One button publishing makes it easy to transfer onto the Internet at the touch of a button all the files, links, images and pages used to create a site.

The graphical server management tools in Netscape FastTrack Server make managing and tracking Web sites intuitive and easy. These include:

• Netscape Navigator Gold, which offers easy point and click administration and maintenance as well as advanced features such as support for frames, Java and JavaScript
• Server Manager, a task-oriented server administration tool
• Extensive Online Help including an HTML-based help system and a remote help guide that walks the user through answers to common server administration questions.

Netscape FastTrack Server will be available this week for free beta testing on Windows NT and major UNIX operating systems. It is based on open standards, enabling users to choose the hardware, operating system and networking software they want to use to set up their first server. Netscape FastTrack Server can be downloaded from the Netscape Internet site at http://home.netscape.com. The product will sell for US$295 with Netscape Navigator Gold 2.0 and US$495 with Netscape LiveWire, a professional visual development environment.

Netscape Communications Corporation is a leading provider of open software for linking people and information over enterprise networks and the Internet. The company offers a full line of clients, servers, development tools and commercial applications to create a complete platform for next-generation, live online applications. Traded on NASDAQ under the symbol "NSCP," Netscape Communications Corporation is based in Mountain View, California.

Additional information on Netscape Communications Corporation is available on the Internet at http://home.netscape.com/, by sending email to info@netscape.com or by calling 415-528-2555 (corporate users) or 415-528-3777 (individuals).

Netscape Communications, the Netscape Communications logo, Netscape and Netscape Navigator are trademarks of Netscape Communications Corporation. All other product names are trademarks of their respective companies.