Press Release

Vertex Turns to DataDirect for Standards-Based Data Connectivity in its Tax Processing Automation SystemBEDFORD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apr. 15, 2009-- DataDirect Technologies, the unparalleled leader in data connectivity and mainframe integration and an operating company of Progress Software Corporation (NASDAQ: PRGS), and Vertex Inc., a leading provider of enterprise corporate tax solutions, acknowledge Tax Day by sharing how Vertex relies on DataDirect Connect^® for ODBC database drivers to meet the diverse and complex data connectivity needs of its Vertex Communications Tax Q Series^® system.

Vertex Communications Tax Q Series is a complete tax calculation solution for telecom and cable services providers within a client/server IT environment. The system automatically and accurately calculates taxes based on information passed from an organization’s billing system. The Vertex Communications Tax Q Series identifies taxable transactions based on the latest tax rules and regulations and then calculates applicable taxes and returns the result to the billing application.

Having built database connectivity solutions for various commercial products, Vertex was in the market for a technology partner that could deliver the superior performance expected from their own solutions across multiple platforms, while reducing the overhead costs associated with maintaining its own data connectivity solution. Because of constant changes to tax legislation and compliance requirements, Vertex must update its products on a frequent basis. If a change to the system impacts the database layer, the development team had to duplicate the change across all databases and associated data access software. This approach caused ongoing maintenance demands, taking valuable time and resources away from core business functions. With DataDirect Connect for ODBC drivers, Vertex was able to use a single, consistent interface to access all data sources and meet their data connectivity requirements with ease.

“Broad platform support is a key value proposition we offer customers. With a robust partner ecosystem, our technology spans generations of IT advancements – from COBOL to SOA – so we’d always had the challenge of our products having to be deployed on different hardware connecting to many different data sources,” said John Hart, Enterprise Software Architect at Vertex. “With DataDirect Connect for ODBC drivers, we have established a common standards-based connectivity architecture across multiple database types and versions, allowing our Vertex Communications Tax Q Series development team to redirect their attention to revenue-generating activity and customer support.”

DataDirect Connect for ODBC drivers are a comprehensive suite of ODBC drivers that provide reliable, high-performance connectivity to all major platforms and databases, including Oracle, DB2, Microsoft SQL Server, Sybase and Informix. Using a unique wire protocol design, DataDirect Connect for ODBC drivers eliminate the need for database client-library software. By removing the client layer, time consuming and complicated deployment issues related to installing and maintaining different versions of the client software for different databases, database versions and operating systems are eliminated. Incorporating the wire protocol design in the driver has been shown to increase data access speeds by as much as five times that of other drivers, and makes applications much easier to configure, deploy and maintain.

“From a performance standpoint, we were really attracted to the wire protocol design of the DataDirect Connect for ODBC database drivers,” continued Hart. “Additionally, the strong technical relationship DataDirect has with the top database vendors keep them abreast of advancements and new features in database technology, so we don’t have to be.”

About Vertex Inc.

With more than 30 years of experience, Vertex Inc. is the leading provider of enterprise corporate tax solutions and process management services worldwide. Vertex solutions help companies streamline and integrate tax provision and compliance processes, and leverage information to discover new strategic tax savings across every major line of business tax, including income, sales, consumer use, value added, communications, and payroll. To serve its customers, Vertex works in partnership with the world’s leading providers of ERP software and related services. Founded in 1978, Vertex is a privately held company that employs more than 600 professionals at its headquarters in the U.S. (Berwyn, PA) and its offices in Europe (London), Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Phoenix, San Francisco, Sarasota, and Washington, DC. For more information about Vertex, visit www.vertexinc.com.

About DataDirect Technologies

DataDirect Technologies is the software industry’s only comprehensive provider of software for connecting the world’s most critical business applications to data and services, running on any platform, using proven and emerging standards. Developers worldwide depend on DataDirect^® products to connect their applications to an unparalleled range of data sources using standards-based interfaces such as ODBC, JDBC^TM and ADO.NET, XQuery and SOAP. More than 300 leading independent software vendors and thousands of enterprises rely on DataDirect Technologies to simplify and streamline data connectivity for distributed systems and to reduce the complexity of mainframe integration. DataDirect Technologies is an operating company of Progress Software Corporation (NASDAQ: PRGS). For more information, visit www.datadirect.com.

DataDirect and DataDirect Connect are trademarks or registered trademarks of Progress Software Corporation or one of its subsidiaries or affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. Java and all Java based marks are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the U.S. and other countries. Any other trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

Source: DataDirect Technologies

Media:
DataDirect Technologies
April Harned, 646-246-0484
april.harned@datadirect.com