Solution Can Be Deployed on Customer's Enterprise Network; Offers Owners Complete Control Over Building Information, Teams and Processes to Deliver Projects on Time and on Budget

SAN RAFAEL, Calif., Feb. 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Autodesk, Inc. (Nasdaq: ADSK), the world's leading design software and digital content company, today announced Autodesk(R) Buzzsaw(R) Server Edition (SE), a version of the most popular project portfolio management solution for the building industry that can be installed on a customer's network. As with Autodesk's hosted Buzzsaw offering, the network server-based version provides unprecedented project visibility and control throughout all phases of building -- planning, design, construction, management and improvements. This comprehensive view into multiple ongoing projects empowers customers to take action and make decisions that reduce costs and time delays associated with the complexities of building projects. Buzzsaw SE also optimizes performance by facilitating better communication among project team members, minimizing rework, and reducing errors and omissions.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000518/SFTH083LOGO )

"We are delighted that Autodesk has a version of Buzzsaw that can be deployed on our network," said Dean Miyao, senior store designer, Corporate Construction and Design, Safeway, Inc. "With Buzzsaw SE, we fully expect to see greater time and cost efficiencies in areas such as procurement, resource management and project collaboration."

Organizations that choose Buzzsaw SE over Autodesk's hosted offering typically have several specific characteristics. In these organizations, which include retailers, manufacturers, government agencies and utilities, homebuilders and top engineering firms, project visibility and control is essential, as collaboration typically takes place across multiple departments. Also, due to their size, they have large information technology budgets and IT departments that require more control, security and business continuity. These companies also have significant existing technology investments, so integration and customization are both high priorities. Buzzsaw Server Edition facilitates the demands of these companies by providing additional system control, flexibility, and integration options and reducing total cost of ownership to manage a large portfolio of projects. Buzzsaw Server Edition offers a project portfolio management solution that addresses the specific requirements of large companies that manage numerous properties, need to improve collaboration on major projects, and desire internal IT control of their portfolio management solution. Companies can also leverage their existing IT investment to more easily integrate project portfolio management with their internal systems.

"As a server-based solution, Buzzsaw SE delivers all the valuable benefits of our hosted product while delivering a superior level of customizability and flexibility in deployment, configuration and integration," said Amar Hanspal, senior director of Autodesk Collaboration Services. "Buzzsaw SE will also allow organizations to optimize their infrastructure investment because it is built to work effectively with standard storage area networks, backup and disaster recovery technologies. Buzzsaw SE is the perfect solution for our customers that need the option of deploying the product on their own network."

Autodesk Buzzsaw SE offers many of the same benefits as Autodesk's hosted offering. Customers can use dashboards and reports to access real-time intelligence on all major project activities and outstanding deliverables. Autodesk Buzzsaw SE enables users to centralize important project documents and communications, ensuring that all project team members have the most current information. By centralizing all information, enabling online markup and review, and providing instant email notification, Autodesk Buzzsaw SE helps project teams work more efficiently together to reduce cycle times and improve productivity.

Autodesk Buzzsaw SE also offers a familiar and intuitive user interface that provides quick and easy access to crucial information for any member of the extended project team. This easy-to-use interface has helped it to become the leading project portfolio management application in the AEC community. Just as with the hosted version, Buzzsaw SE is based on Microsoft(R) Windows(R) technology and offers high performance and rapid data delivery because it was designed from the foundation up as an Internet application. With its multi-tier architecture, Buzzsaw SE delivers superior flexibility in deployment and ongoing solution management, all while providing the high levels of security, scalability and reliability for which Buzzsaw is well known. Buzzsaw SE provides enterprise IT groups complete control of the system within their own network environment. Buzzsaw SE puts software configuration, maintenance and upgrade policies in the hands of the customer's internal IT executives.

About Autodesk

Autodesk is the world's leading design software and digital content company, offering customers progressive business solutions through powerful technology products and services. Autodesk helps customers in the building, manufacturing, infrastructure, digital media, and wireless data services fields increase the value of their digital design data and improve efficiencies across their entire project lifecycle management processes. For more information about the company, see http://www.autodesk.com .

NOTE: Autodesk and Buzzsaw are registered trademarks of Autodesk, Inc. in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders.

CONTACT: Brian Baker of Autodesk, +1-415-507-6411, or brian.baker@autodesk.com.

SOURCE Autodesk, Inc. -0- 02/11/2004 /CONTACT: Brian Baker of Autodesk, +1-415-507-6411, or brian.baker@autodesk.com/ /Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000518/SFTH083LOGO AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org PRN Photo Desk, +1-888-776-6555 or +1-212-782-2840/ /Web site: http://www.autodesk.com/ (ADSK) CO: Autodesk, Inc. ST: California IN: CPR STW MLM SU: PDT JB-EB -- SFW071 -- 2291 02/11/2004 08:31 EST http://www.prnewswire.com