KnowNow and Accius Deliver Web-based Whiteboard Collaboration Platform to Natsource

Energy and Environmental Brokers Share Real-time Market Updates, Enabling Instant Matching of Buyers with Sellers

SUNNYVALE, Calif., March 8, 2004 -- KnowNow(TM) Inc., a leading provider of Internet-based publish-subscribe solutions, and Accius Systems Corp. announced today that Natsource LLC has deployed a KnowNow-enabled Web-based electronic whiteboard solution for real-time online collaboration between brokers. With price fluctuations in commodities occurring every second and bids being made by traders around the globe, brokers are often at a disadvantage in trying to keep up with constantly changing market information. Through the KnowNow-Accius solution, brokers operating in Natsource's Calgary and New York offices have immediate visibility into bids and offers across all regions and can immediately notify trading parties when attractive pricing becomes available.

"Before implementing the KnowNow-Accius solution, our brokers would step away from the market, or be engaged in closing a trade, and come back and not know where the market was or how current their prices were," said Steve Touchstone, head of Natural Gas Trading of Natsource. "With the new Web-based platform, brokers are no longer required to physically be in the same room to get up-to-date market data, and our two offices can work in tandem and match customers in a much faster timeframe. The solution is fast, convenient, and has enabled our brokers to increase profits by operating more efficiently."

Web-based Electronic Whiteboard Offers Stability, Reliability

The KnowNow-enabled electronic whiteboard solution built by Accius is a two-way communication tool, enabling brokers to instantly broadcast bids and offers from customers to the whiteboard display running on every broker's desktop regardless of the office location. Likewise, brokers can instantaneously view the best bid or offer in the marketplace and match buyers with appropriate sellers. Additionally, the Web browser-based application allows administrators to define contracts and commodities by expiration, region and basis point, enabling brokers to easily find information relevant to the trading desk they work.

"We looked at several solutions over the years, and none of them were stable enough to use on an ongoing basis," said Tim Mallon, IT director at Natsource. "The KnowNow-Accius electronic whiteboard is the most stable and reliable of all the solutions we tried, and we're already capturing tremendous benefits from its use throughout the company."

"KnowNow's Live Server and LiveBrowser enable us to develop solutions to deliver server-driven events directly to the browser without losing the deployment and management benefits of a thin-client browser architecture," said Douglas Moore, president of Accius.

Accius' KnowNow-enabled electronic whiteboard leverages KnowNow's LiveBrowser(TM) Connector to perform live data and notification delivery. With the LiveBrowser Connector, development and implementation of the electronic whiteboard was achieved in a quick timeframe, and required no changes to Natsource's existing infrastructure.

In comparison to other similar applications, some of which are mainframe-based and can be difficult to implement and maintain a connection to, the KnowNow-Accius solution operates over HTTP to capture and distribute information in real time. The zero-install Web browser approach enables Natsource to deploy the solution across multiple offices while reducing support calls. In addition to having immediate access to changing market data, brokers can easily sort contracts by location; the prices are color-coded to indicate price freshness, an important feature the brokers need.

Working Together to Deliver Real-time Information Solutions

KnowNow works closely with partners like Accius to bring publish-subscribe solutions to the Internet, integrating real-time information delivery with familiar productivity applications that benefit users in a wide range of industries. KnowNow's easy-to-implement solutions work with existing back-end corporate systems and end-user applications so they typically deliver a return on investment in days, rather than months or years.

"Our work with Accius has resulted in tremendous advantages to companies like Natsource, where immediate access to highly time-sensitive information is imperative," said Jnan Dash, KnowNow's chief technology officer. "Our jointly-developed solutions give clients a more reliable, cost-effective alternative that is much easier to deploy than expensive, customized system integration projects. Many of our customers in financial services and other industries are realizing extremely quick returns on their investments."

About KnowNow

KnowNow is a leading provider of Internet-based publish-subscribe solutions that connect people, applications, and services in real time. KnowNow solutions enable businesses to become event-driven, leveraging the power of real-time information while reducing latency and operating costs. Headquartered in Sunnyvale, KnowNow is privately held, with backing from premier venture capital firms including Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers, Levensohn Venture Partners, Palomar Ventures, TPG Ventures and Wachovia Strategic Ventures. For more information, visit http://www.knownow.com or contact KnowNow at 1-877-561-5669.

About Accius

Accius Systems Corp. was founded on the belief that good people, good design and good process are necessary to deliver innovative Information Technology solutions on budget and on time to satisfy customers. Accius specializes in providing application development, integration and support services necessary to make customized Internet applications truly successful to companies in the financial and energy services sectors. For more information, please visit http://www.accius.com or contact Accius at 1-888-315-1873.

NOTE: KnowNow LiveSheet, KnowNow and the KnowNow logo are trademarks of KnowNow, Inc. All other company and product names mentioned are the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

SOURCE KnowNow Inc.
Web Site: http://www.knownow.com