i2 and IBM Demonstrate Scalability of Retail Industry Solutions in IBM Laboratories
i2 Replenishment Planner Running on IBM eServer Platform Processes 93
million location/SKU/day Replenishments in a Controlled Environment
DALLAS and WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. -- June 20, 2002 - i2 Technologies (Nasdaq:
ITWO) and IBM (NYSE: IBM) today reported benchmarking results demonstrating
the linear scalability of i2 Replenishment Planner. These tests were
performed on the IBM DB2 Universal Database (UDB) version 7.2
Enterprise-Extended Edition (EEE) on eServer pSeries 680 at IBM facilities
in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., and completed within a typical daily batch processing
window.
The ability to manage a growing number of SKU/locations in a scalable manner
is a critical requirement for any retail forecasting and replenishment
solution. i2 Replenishment Planner`s distributed parallel architecture
combined with IBM servers and databases is designed to scale linearly by
adding incremental system resources as volumes grow.
In IBM`s benchmarking environment, i2 Replenishment Planner generated a
time-phased replenishment plan equivalent to an INFOREM plan for 93 million
location/SKU/day. A total of 15 million SKU/locations were planned, of which
six million SKU/locations were planned for 14 days, and nine million
SKU/locations for one day.
i2 Replenishment Planning solution is designed to support time-phased
planning, which gives retailers the visibility to see and respond to future
constraints in their supply chain, instead of reacting to these constraints
as they occur. Many replenishment planning solutions do not have the
capability to plan over multiple time periods. i2 Replenishment Planner is
designed to be a scalable, multi-tier, multiple time period, constraint
based replenishment solution that incorporates the best features of i2
INFOREM. i2 purchased INFOREM from IBM in 2000.
"Traditionally, enterprises have licensed solutions with little visibility
into the solution`s ability to scale beyond a basic pilot or point
implementation." said Karen Peterson, vice president and research director,
Gartner. "Benchmarking exercises are a critical requirement in order to
determine a solution`s ability to meet complex business needs in a
time-effective manner. Benchmarking in the retail industry is especially
important because retailers process an enormous amount of data that is
highly variable and sometimes volatile."
"The i2 and IBM solution is designed to improve the retailer`s ability to
manage their businesses to forecast and meet customer needs," said Paul
Govoni, IBM Retail & CPG Solutions Business Executive. "In tests at IBM`s
facility in which i2 Replenishment Planner`s scalability was demonstrated,
results also highlighted the capabilities of IBM DB2 7.2 EEE database and
eServer pSeries 680 platform in supporting a scalable replenishment planning
solution for volume retailers."
In addition to linear scalability, i2 Replenishment Planner is designed to
offer rich functionality for retailers. i2 Replenishment Planner is a next
generation retail solution incorporating the best practices of retail
replenishment from INFOREM combined with advanced constraint-based
multi-tier planning and optimization techniques. Replenishment Planner is
designed to analyze sales data, calculate time-phased forecasts and create
SKU level demand plans. It can calculate safety stock levels for stores and
associated distribution centers while balancing required service levels with
inventory investments. It can also help companies evaluate inventory levels,
lead times, ordering policies and storage and handling constraints in the
supply chain, to determine optimal replenishment plans and suggested orders.
"Through benchmarking exercises such as this, i2 is able to evaluate and
improve software quality with the ultimate goal of continually delivering
solutions that bring value to our retail customers," said Dr. Pallab
Chatterjee, i2 president, Solutions Operations. "The tests with IBM
illustrate how i2 applications are designed to increase in performance as
computing resources are increased. i2 maintains strong relationships with
industry leaders including IBM in order to ensure we`re consistently
delivering the most capable value chain solutions available."
About i2
i2 is the leading provider of value chain management solutions. i2`s value
chain management solutions help companies plan and execute all of the
activities involved in managing supply and demand. These solutions span the
entire scope of value chain interactions, including supplier relationship
management, demand chain management, supply chain management and demand
chain management. Established in 1988, i2 is the only software solutions
provider that measures, audits and reports total value provided to its
customers, with a mission to deliver $75 billion in value by 2005. Learn
more at www.i2.com.
About IBM
IBM is the world`s largest information technology company, with 80 years of
leadership in helping businesses innovate. Drawing on resources from across
IBM and key Business Partners, IBM offers a wide range of services,
solutions and technologies that enable customers, large and small, to take
full advantage of the new era of e-business. For more information about IBM,
visit www.ibm.com.
i2 Cautionary Language
This press release may contain forward-looking statements that involve risks
and uncertainties including forward-looking statements regarding the
scalability of i2 solutions on IBM`s servers, the customer`s ability to
implement or integrate i2 solutions successfully and in a timely fashion,
receive expected functionality and performance, or achieve benefits
attributable to i2 solutions. These forward-looking statements involve risks
and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ from those
projected. For a discussion of factors, which could impact i2`s financial
results and cause actual results to differ materially from those in
forward-looking statements, please refer to i2`s recent filings with the
SEC, particularly the Form 10-K filed April 1, 2002 and Form 10-Q filed
April 29, 2002. i2 assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking
information contained in this news release.
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