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Product Information

Sophisticated Circuits Ships Rebound! 2.0 Software Upgrade

-- Significant Upgrade for ADB Auto-Restart Device Offers Smarter Application Crash Detection and Recovery, Crash Avoidance and Advanced Logging --

WOODINVILLE, Wash., July 21, 1999 -- Sophisticated Circuits, Inc. today announced it is shipping Rebound! 2.0, a significant software upgrade for its popular ADB auto-restart device, with advancements in automatic crash detection, recovery and prevention, plus new advanced logging and event messaging features. The Rebound! 2.0 software upgrade is available immediately from the Sophisticated Circuits' Web site at <http://www.sophisticated.com/>. The software-only upgrade is priced at $19.95 for currently registered users or free to anyone who purchased Rebound! in 1999 with proof of purchase. New Rebound! units complete with version 2.0 software are available for $99 directly from Sophisticated Circuits at <http://www.sophisticated.com/>.

"We have consistently strived to make computers easier to use by creating tools that make them more reliable," explained Jonathan Feinstein of Sophisticated Circuits. "This upgrade takes us a large step closer towards our goal of a completely self-maintaining computer. The result is an extremely cost-effective, powerful hardware/software system that provides the maximum up-time for any computer with the minimum effort, even if the administrator is on vacation."

Smart Recovery

Rebound! 2.0 continuously watches all running applications and detects when one unexpectedly quits. It can also relaunch a single failed application, leaving the rest of the system operating normally. If an application repeatedly fails over a short period, Rebound! can restart the entire system.

Additionally, Rebound! 2.0's new "bookmarking" capability offers administrators the option of restoring the system exactly the way it was before a crash. Anytime Rebound! 2.0 restarts the system, it can automatically relaunch all applications that were running on the computer at the time it crashed.

This all-encompassing application monitoring rounds out Rebound!'s automatic detection and recovery capabilities to three complete levels:

  • system-level crash detection;
  • application crash detection;
  • advanced application monitoring for software supporting SCI's "application timers."

"With three different methods of tracking, Rebound! 2.0 can respond appropriately to almost every type of application and system failure," explained Jonathan Feinstein of Sophisticated Circuits. "This translates into fewer hassles and more up-time. It also follows our philosophy of attempting the least disruptive response first, so that services that have not been affected by the failure are not unnecessarily disrupted."

Status Information When & Where You Need It

Rebound! 2.0's new log interface keeps a detailed log of system activity, including crashes, restarts and application launches and quits. In addition to logging, Rebound! 2.0 can now immediately forward high-priority alerts via e-mail or a pager (when integrated with PageNow! from Mark/Space Softworks). Rebound! can also send copies of log entries to other computers, allowing logs to be gathered in one central location -- a huge advantage for administrators responsible for machines at multiple remote sites. An included W*API plug-in allows administrators to view Web server logs from any browser. Rebound! is fully AppleScriptable, allowing other applications to send log entries, and allowing administrators to create customized automatic error responses.

Crash Avoidance

Rebound! 2.0 includes scheduled periodic restarts of the computer, to prevent crucial problems before they occur. Automatic system restarts provide regular "house cleaning" to help eliminate common problems and performance degradation caused by gradual memory leaks or fragmentation during long, uninterrupted use.

Advanced Monitoring Has Wide Industry Support

Reound!'s advanced application monitoring using patent-pending "Application Watchdog Timers" to detect several additional error conditions which can cause an application to fail without actually quitting. Third-party developers add a few simple routines to their programs to let Rebound! monitor their internal workings.

A free, open-source PowerKey Tickler WebServer Plug-in is available that adds this support to any W*API-compatible application. Most major Mac server-related software vendors currently support Sophisticated Circuits' Application Watchdog Timer technology in their products, including: Apple Computer, Inc.; StarNine Technologies, Inc.; Maxum Development Corp.; Imagina, Inc.; Purity Software, Inc.; Tenon Intersystems; Stalker Software, Inc.; Spider Island Software; MDG Computer Services, Inc.; Social Engineering Inc.; and Fog City Software.

Price and Availability

The Rebound! 2.0 software upgrade is available immediately from the Sophisticated Circuits' Web site at <http://www.sophisticated.com/>. The software-only upgrade is priced at $19.95 for currently registered users or free to anyone who purchased Rebound! in 1999 with proof of purchase. New Rebound! units complete with version 2.0 software are available for $99 directly from Sophisticated Circuits at <http://www.sophisticated.com/>.

About Sophisticated Circuits

Founded in 1984, Sophisticated Circuits, Inc. is a privately held corporation located in Woodinville, WA. Sophisticated Circuits, Inc. develops elegant, highly integrated hardware/software tools which make the lives of computer professionals easier by enhancing the reliability, remote access and automation capabilities of servers and personal computers. Further information on Sophisticated Circuits may be obtained by accessing Sophisticated Circuits' Web site at <http://www.sophisticated.com/>, calling 800-769-3773, or sending e-mail to info@sophisticated.com. International inquiries can also reach Sophisticated Circuits by calling +425-485-7979, or sending a fax to +425-485-7172.

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Rebound! is a trademark, and PowerKey is a registered trademark of Sophisticated Circuits, Inc. All other brands and products referenced herein are the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.