Opsware Wins Network Computing's 2005 Well-Connected Award; Opsware N

    Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

    SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 9, 2005--Opsware Inc. (Nasdaq:OPSW), the leading provider of IT automation and utility computing software, today announced that the Opsware Network Automation System (NAS) has been selected for Network Computing's 2005 Well-Connected Award in the Best Infrastructure Configurator category. Opsware NAS outperformed Voyence and Intelliden, winning on the basis of superior feature set, scalability and ease of use. Opsware NAS continues to be consistently ranked the top solution for network automation in all comparative reviews. Winners were chosen from a select group of more than 134 finalists in 44 categories, showcasing the best products and services evaluated over the past 12 months in Network Computing's Real-World Labs.
    In a hands-on testing process, Opsware NAS outperformed other vendors based on its intuitive interface, superior control over configurations, and open architecture. Judged on its performance, Network Computing selected Opsware NAS for its "no-nonsense command-line roots, scalability, extensive list of supported devices, easy-to-use GUI, and focus on helping operators."
    Opsware NAS is based on Rendition Networks' award-winning TrueControl product, which Opsware acquired in February 2005. Opsware NAS is the leading network device automation product, with deployments across a broad range of major vertical markets, including financial services, insurance, government, defense, telecommunications, service providers, healthcare, technology and retail. NAS tracks and regulates changes in real-time across routers, switches, firewalls, and load balancers to provide greater accountability and insight for network changes. The product automates IT's strategic priorities including regulatory and process compliance policies such as Sarbanes-Oxley, COBIT, ITIL and security administration. Opsware's Server Automation System combined with the award-winning Network Automation System provides IT with the most comprehensive IT automation solution available today.
    "The Well-Connected Awards are the only industry awards given by technologists based on real-world product testing and evaluation. These awards take the pulse of the technology industry and reflect the best of what IT has to offer," said Fritz Nelson, VP and Group Publisher of the Network Computing Enterprise Architecture Group. "This is an important distinction from any other award program -- the products selected in the Well-Connected Awards are unique because they have been graded with the same criteria IT professionals use to make purchasing decisions -- truly the most outstanding products and services available."
    "Network Computing's Real World Labs are a proving ground for technology such as Opsware NAS, where only the most technically advanced solutions earn the distinction of being named a Well-Connected Award winner," said Eric Johnson, vice president of development at Opsware. "Opsware NAS earned the highest marks for configuration management and compliance and auditing capabilities, acknowledging Opsware's leadership position in IT automation and proven ability to deliver the greatest value of all products tested."

    About Network Computing

    For IT, By IT, Network Computing (http://www.networkcomputing.com), published by CMP Media LLC, Manhasset, N.Y., is dedicated to providing critical analysis of technologies, vendors and products to 220,000 IT Managers and Staff who are accountable for strategic technology purchase decisions. In 2003, Network Computing won a total of four awards from the American Society of Business Publications Editors (ASBPE), including a national award in the Best Technical Article category.

    About Opsware Inc. (Nasdaq:OPSW)

    Opsware Inc. is the world's leading IT automation and utility computing software company. The growth of the Internet is driving a shift from client/server computing to Web architecture. With this shift comes an overwhelming proliferation of servers, networking devices and applications, creating massive complexity that makes an automated IT model a necessity. Opsware automates the complete IT lifecycle and delivers utility computing by enabling IT to automatically provision, patch, configure, secure, change, scale, audit, recover, consolidate, migrate, and reallocate servers, network devices and applications. Over 250 of the world's largest companies, outsourcers and government agencies use Opsware to deliver this new, automated model of IT. For more information on Opsware Inc., please visit our Web site at www.opsware.com.

    Opsware is a service mark and trademark of Opsware Inc. All other product names, service marks, and trademarks mentioned herein are trademarks of their respective owners.

    This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding the benefits and capabilities of our software products. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from these statements, including the risk that the assumptions underlying our current business strategy may change, that our experience operating as a software company is limited, and that the products may not perform as described. More information about these and other factors that could affect our business and financial results is included in our Form 10-K filed with the SEC on April 15, 2005 under the headings "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and the Forms 10-Q and 8-K that we file during the fiscal year.

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CONTACT: Opsware Inc. Ken Tinsley, 408-212-5241 (Investors) ktinsley@opsware.com or Barokas PR (for Opsware) Karli Overmier, 206-264-8220 (Press) karli@barokas.com or Network Computing Tracey Passuello, 516-562-5647 (Press) tpassuel@cmp.com

KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: HARDWARE SOFTWARE NETWORKING PRODUCT SOURCE: Opsware Inc.

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