TRUSTED INFORMATION SYSTEMS INC
8-K, 1998-02-25
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM 8-K


                                 CURRENT REPORT


                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934


                     Date of Report (Date of earliest event
                                   reported):

                                February 24, 1998



                        TRUSTED INFORMATION SYSTEMS, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)



     Delaware                    000-21067                      51-0375640
(State of Incorporation)  (Commission File Number)            (IRS Employer
                                                           Identification No.)




                       3060 Washington Boulevard (Rt. 97)
                            Glenwood, Maryland 21738
               (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)



                                 (301) 854-6889
                         (Registrant's telephone number)



                                       1
<PAGE>


Item 5.  Other Events.

     On February 23, 1998, Networks Associates,  Inc. ("Network Associates") and
Trusted Information Systems,  Inc. ("TIS") announced that they have entered into
an  Agreement  and Plan of Merger  dated as of February  22,  1998 (the  "Merger
Agreement"),  which is filed herewith, pursuant to which Thor Acquisition Corp.,
a wholly-owned  subsidiary of Network  Associates,  will merge with and into TIS
(the "Merger").

     Under the terms of the  Merger  Agreement,  each  outstanding  share of TIS
common stock will be exchanged for .323 of a share of Network  Associates common
stock,  outstanding  TIS stock options will be exchanged for Network  Associates
stock  options  (adjusted  for  the  exchange  ratio)  and  TIS  will  become  a
wholly-owned subsidiary of Network Associates. The transaction will be accounted
for as a pooling of interests.  The Merger,  which is expected to be consummated
within  60 to 90 days of the  date  hereof,  is  subject  to  customary  closing
conditions,  regulatory  approvals and the approval of the  shareholders of TIS.
Pending  filing and clearance of requisite  proxy  materials with the Securities
and Exchange Commission, TIS has not yet set a date for a special meeting of its
shareholders to approve the merger.

     In connection  with the Merger  Agreement,  Stephen T. Walker and Martha A.
Branstad  (both  directors  and  the  two  largest   stockholders  of  TIS  with
approximately  32% of TIS'  currently  outstanding  common  stock)  entered into
Voting Agreements pursuant to which they agreed,  among other things, to vote in
favor of the Merger.  In addition,  the Company granted to Network  Associates a
stock  option to  acquire  up to 19.9% of TIS'  outstanding  common  stock at an
axercise price of $20 per share,  payable in cash or Network  Associates  common
stock.  During  its  term,  the  option  is  exerciseable,  in whole or in part,
immediately  prior to  consummation  of certain  change of control  transactions
inolving TIS and parties other than Network Associates.

     Network  Associates  and TIS issued a joint press  release  announcing  the
Merger on February  23,  1998,  which is filed  herewith as Exhibit  99.1 and is
incorporated herein by reference.

Item 7.  Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits.

(c) Exhibits.

2.1  Agreement and Plan of Merger dated  February 22, 1998 by and among Networks
     Associates,  Inc., Thor Acquisition Corp. and Trusted Information  Systems,
     Inc.*

99.1 Joint press release of Networks  Associates,  Inc. and Trusted  Information
     Systems, Inc. dated December 1, 1997.



* The Registrant will supply the Securities and Exchange Commission upon request
with copies of any  exhibit or  Schedule  to Exhibit  2.1 which is not  included
herein.



                                       2
<PAGE>



                                   SIGNATURES


         Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,
the  Registrant  has duly  caused  this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.


Date:  February 24, 1998            Trusted Information Systems, Inc.



                                    /s/ Stephen T. Walker
                                    By:       Stephen T. Walker
                                    Title:    Chief Executive Officer




                                       3
<PAGE>


                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


2.1  Agreement and Plan of Merger dated  February 22, 1998 by and among Networks
     Associates,  Inc., Thor Acquisition Corp. and Trusted Information  Systems,
     Inc.*

99.1 Joint press release of Networks  Associates,  Inc. and Trusted  Information
     Systems, Inc. dated February 23, 1998.



* The Registrant will supply the Securities and Exchange Commission upon request
with copies of any  exhibit or  Schedule  to Exhibit  2.1 which is not  included
herein.




                                       4
<PAGE>



                                             
                      AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF REORGANIZATION


         This AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF  REORGANIZATION  is made and entered into as
of February 22, 1998, among Networks  Associates,  Inc., a Delaware  corporation
("Parent"),  Thor Acquisition  Corp., a Delaware  corporation and a wholly-owned
subsidiary of Parent ("Merger Sub"), and Trusted  Information  Systems,  Inc., a
Delaware corporation ("Company").

                                    RECITALS

         A. Upon the terms and subject to the  conditions of this  Agreement (as
defined  in  Section  1.2 below) and in  accordance  with the  Delaware  General
Corporation  Law  ("Delaware  Law"),  Parent and Company  intend to enter into a
business combination transaction.

         B. The Board of Directors of Company (i) has determined that the Merger
(as  defined  in  Section  1.1) is  consistent  with and in  furtherance  of the
long-term  business  strategy of Company and fair to, and in the best  interests
of, Company and its stockholders,  (ii) has approved this Agreement,  the Merger
and  the  other  transactions  contemplated  by this  Agreement  and  (iii)  has
determined to recommend that the  stockholders of Company adopt and approve this
Agreement and approve the Merger.

         C.  Concurrently  with  the  execution  of  this  Agreement,  and  as a
condition and inducement to Parent's  willingness to enter into this  Agreement,
certain   affiliates  of  Company  are  entering   into  Voting   Agreements  in
substantially  the form  attached  hereto  as  Exhibit  A (the  "Company  Voting
Agreements").

         D.  Concurrently  with  the  execution  of  this  Agreement,  and  as a
condition and inducement to Parent's  willingness to enter into this  Agreement,
Company shall execute and deliver a Stock Option Agreement in favor of Parent in
substantially  the form attached  hereto as Exhibit B (the "Company Stock Option
Agreement").  The Board of Directors  of Company has approved the Company  Stock
Option Agreement.

     E. The parties  intend,  by executing  this  Agreement,  to adopt a plan of
reorganization within the meaning of Section 368 of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986, as amended (the "Code").

     F. It is also intended by the parties  hereto that the Merger shall qualify
for accounting treatment as a pooling of interests.

         NOW,  THEREFORE,  in  consideration  of  the  covenants,  promises  and
representations set forth herein, and for other good and valuable consideration,
the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged,  the parties agree
as follows:

                                       5
<PAGE>


                                    ARTICLE I
                                   THE MERGER

         1.1 The Merger.  At the Effective  Time (as defined in Section 1.2) and
subject  to and  upon  the  terms  and  conditions  of  this  Agreement  and the
applicable  provisions of Delaware Law, Merger Sub shall be merged with and into
Company (the  "Merger"),  the separate  corporate  existence of Merger Sub shall
cease and Company shall  continue as the surviving  corporation.  Company as the
surviving  corporation after the Merger is hereinafter  sometimes referred to as
the "Surviving Corporation."

         1.2  Effective  Time;  Closing.  Subject  to  the  provisions  of  this
Agreement, the parties hereto shall cause the Merger to be consummated by filing
a Certificate  of Merger with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware in
accordance  with the relevant  provisions of Delaware Law (the  "Certificate  of
Merger")  (the  time of such  filing  (or such  later  time as may be  agreed in
writing by Company and Parent and specified in the  Certificate of Merger) being
the  "Effective  Time") as soon as  practicable on or after the Closing Date (as
herein defined).  Unless the context otherwise requires, the term "Agreement" as
used herein refers collectively to this Agreement and Plan of Reorganization and
the Certificate of Merger.  The closing of the Merger (the "Closing") shall take
place  at  the  offices  of  Wilson  Sonsini  Goodrich  &  Rosati,  Professional
Corporation,  at a time and date to be specified by the parties,  which shall be
no later than the second  business day after the  satisfaction  or waiver of the
conditions set forth in Article VI, or at such other time,  date and location as
the parties hereto agree in writing (the "Closing Date").

         1.3 Effect of the  Merger.  At the  Effective  Time,  the effect of the
Merger shall be as provided in this Agreement and the  applicable  provisions of
Delaware Law.  Without  limiting the  generality of the  foregoing,  and subject
thereto, at the Effective Time all the property, rights, privileges,  powers and
franchises  of Company and Merger Sub shall vest in the  Surviving  Corporation,
and all debts, liabilities and duties of Company and Merger Sub shall become the
debts, liabilities and duties of the Surviving Corporation.

         1.4      Certificate of Incorporation; Bylaws.

                  (a) At the Effective Time, the Certificate of Incorporation of
Merger Sub, as in effect  immediately  prior to the Effective Time, shall be the
Certificate  of  Incorporation  of the Surviving  Corporation  until  thereafter
amended  as  provided  by law  and  such  Certificate  of  Incorporation  of the
Surviving  Corporation;  provided,  however,  that  at the  Effective  Time  the
Certificate of  Incorporation of the Surviving  Corporation  shall be amended so
that  the  name of the  Surviving  Corporation  shall  be  "Trusted  Information
Systems, Inc."

                  (b) The Bylaws of Merger Sub, as in effect  immediately  prior
to the  Effective  Time,  shall be, at the  Effective  Time,  the  Bylaws of the
Surviving Corporation until thereafter amended.

                                       6
<PAGE>

         1.5  Directors  and  Officers.  The initial  directors of the Surviving
Corporation  shall be the  directors  of  Merger  Sub  immediately  prior to the
Effective Time, until their respective  successors are duly elected or appointed
and qualified.  The initial officers of the Surviving  Corporation  shall be the
officers of Merger Sub  immediately  prior to the  Effective  Time,  until their
respective successors are duly appointed.

     1.6 Effect on Capital Stock. At the Effective Time, by virtue of the Merger
and without any action on the part of Merger Sub,  Company or the holders of any
of the following securities:

                  (a) Conversion of Company  Common Stock.  Each share of Common
Stock, $0.01 par value per share, of Company (the "Company Common Stock") issued
and outstanding  immediately  prior to the Effective Time, other than any shares
of Company  Common  Stock to be  canceled  pursuant to Section  1.6(b),  will be
canceled  and  extinguished  and  automatically  converted  (subject to Sections
1.6(e) and (f)) into the right to receive 0.3230 (the  "Exchange  Ratio") shares
of Common Stock of Parent (the  "Parent  Common  Stock")  upon  surrender of the
certificate  representing  such  share of  Company  Common  Stock in the  manner
provided  in  Section  1.7  (or in the  case  of a  lost,  stolen  or  destroyed
certificate, upon delivery of an affidavit (and bond, if required) in the manner
provided in Section 1.9).

                  (b) Cancellation of Parent-Owned  Stock. Each share of Company
Common  Stock held by Company  or owned by Merger  Sub,  Parent or any direct or
indirect wholly owned  subsidiary of Company or of Parent  immediately  prior to
the Effective  Time shall be canceled and  extinguished  without any  conversion
thereof.

                  (c) Stock  Options;  Employee  Stock  Purchase  Plans.  At the
Effective  Time, all options to purchase  Company Common Stock then  outstanding
under Company's  Amended and Restated  Employee Stock Option Plan (the "Employee
Option Plan"),  Company's  Amended and Restated 1996 Directors Stock Option Plan
(the  "Directors'  Plan") and Amended and  Restated  1996 Stock Option Plan (the
"1996 Option Plan" and together with the Employee Option Plan and the Directors'
Plan, the "Company Stock Option Plans") shall be assumed by Parent in accordance
with Section 5.8 hereof.  Rights  outstanding  under  Company's  Employee  Stock
Purchase Plan (the "ESPP") shall be treated as set forth in Section 5.8.

                  (d) Capital  Stock of Merger Sub.  Each share of Common Stock,
$0.01 par value per share,  of Merger Sub (the "Merger Sub Common Stock") issued
and outstanding  immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be converted into
one validly issued,  fully paid and nonassessable  share of Common Stock,  $0.01
par value per share, of the Surviving  Corporation.  Each certificate evidencing
ownership of shares of Merger Sub Common Stock shall evidence  ownership of such
shares of capital stock of the Surviving Corporation.

                  (e) Adjustments to Exchange Ratio. The Exchange Ratio shall be
adjusted to reflect  appropriately the effect of any stock split,  reverse stock
split,  stock  dividend  (including any dividend or  distribution  of securities
convertible  into Parent Common Stock or Company Common Stock),  reorganization,
recapitalization,  reclassification  or other like change with respect to Parent
Common Stock or Company  Common Stock  occurring on or after the date hereof and
prior to the Effective Time.

                                       7
<PAGE>

                  (f) Fractional Shares. No fraction of a share of Parent Common
Stock will be issued by virtue of the Merger, but in lieu thereof each holder of
shares of Company Common Stock who would  otherwise be entitled to a fraction of
a share of Parent  Common  Stock (after  aggregating  all  fractional  shares of
Parent  Common  Stock that  otherwise  would be received by such  holder)  shall
receive from Parent an amount of cash  (rounded to the nearest whole cent) equal
to the product of (i) such  fraction,  multiplied  by (ii) the  average  closing
price of one share of Parent Common Stock for the five (5) most recent days that
Parent  Common Stock has traded ending on the trading day  immediately  prior to
the Effective Time, as reported on the Nasdaq National Market System ("Nasdaq").

         1.7      Surrender of Certificates.
             
                    (a) Exchange Agent.  Parent shall select a bank or trust
company reasonably acceptable to Company to act as the exchange agent (the 
"Exchange Agent") in the Merger.

                  (b)  Parent  to  Provide  Common  Stock.  Promptly  after  the
Effective  Time,  Parent shall make available to the Exchange Agent for exchange
in accordance  with this Article I, the shares of Parent  Common Stock  issuable
pursuant to Section 1.6 in exchange  for  outstanding  shares of Company  Common
Stock, and cash in an amount sufficient for payment in lieu of fractional shares
pursuant to Section 1.6(f) and any dividends or  distributions  to which holders
of shares of Company Common Stock may be entitled pursuant to Section 1.7(d).

                  (c) Exchange  Procedures.  Promptly after the Effective  Time,
Parent  shall cause the  Exchange  Agent to mail to each holder of record (as of
the Effective Time) of a certificate or certificates (the "Certificates"), which
immediately  prior to the  Effective  Time  represented  outstanding  shares  of
Company  Common Stock whose shares were  converted  into shares of Parent Common
Stock pursuant to Section 1.6, cash in lieu of any fractional shares pursuant to
Section  1.6(f) and any  dividends  or other  distributions  pursuant to Section
1.7(d),  (i) a letter of transmittal in customary form (which shall specify that
delivery shall be effected, and risk of loss and title to the Certificates shall
pass,  only upon delivery of the  Certificates  to the Exchange  Agent and shall
contain  such  other  provisions  as Parent  may  reasonably  specify)  and (ii)
instructions  for use in effecting the surrender of the Certificates in exchange
for certificates representing shares of Parent Common Stock, cash in lieu of any
fractional  shares  pursuant  to  Section  1.6(f)  and any  dividends  or  other
distributions  pursuant to Section 1.7(d).  Upon surrender of  Certificates  for
cancellation  to the  Exchange  Agent or to such other agent or agents as may be
appointed by Parent,  together with such letter of  transmittal,  duly completed
and validly executed in accordance with the instructions thereto, the holders of
such Certificates shall be entitled to receive in exchange therefor certificates
representing  the number of whole shares of Parent Common Stock into which their
shares of Company Common Stock were converted at the Effective Time,  payment in

                                       8
<PAGE>


lieu of fractional  shares which such holders have the right to receive pursuant
to Section 1.6(f) and any dividends or distributions payable pursuant to Section
1.7(d),  and the Certificates so surrendered shall forthwith be canceled.  Until
so  surrendered,  outstanding  Certificates  will be  deemed  from and after the
Effective Time, for all corporate purposes,  subject to Section 1.7(d) as to the
payment of  dividends,  to  evidence  only the  ownership  of the number of full
shares of Parent  Common  Stock into which such shares of Company  Common  Stock
shall have been so converted  and the right to receive an amount in cash in lieu
of the issuance of any fractional  shares in accordance  with Section 1.6(f) and
any dividends or distributions payable pursuant to Section 1.7(d).

                  (d)  Distributions  With  Respect to  Unexchanged  Shares.  No
dividends  or  other  distributions  declared  or made  after  the  date of this
Agreement  with  respect to Parent  Common  Stock  with a record  date after the
Effective  Time will be paid to the  holders of any  unsurrendered  Certificates
with respect to the shares of Parent Common Stock represented  thereby until the
holders  of record  of such  Certificates  shall  surrender  such  Certificates.
Subject to applicable law,  following  surrender of any such  Certificates,  the
Exchange Agent shall deliver to the record holders  thereof,  without  interest,
certificates representing whole shares of Parent Common Stock issued in exchange
therefor  along with payment in lieu of  fractional  shares  pursuant to Section
1.6(f) hereof and the amount of any such dividends or other distributions with a
record date after the  Effective  Time payable with respect to such whole shares
of Parent Common Stock.

                  (e)  Transfers  of  Ownership.  If  certificates  representing
shares of Parent  Common  Stock  are to be issued in a name  other  than that in
which the Certificates surrendered in exchange therefor are registered,  it will
be a condition of the issuance thereof that the Certificates so surrendered will
be properly  endorsed  and  otherwise  in proper form for  transfer and that the
persons  requesting  such  exchange  will  have  paid  to  Parent  or any  agent
designated by it any transfer or other taxes  required by reason of the issuance
of  certificates  representing  shares of Parent  Common Stock in any name other
than  that  of  the  registered  holder  of  the  Certificates  surrendered,  or
established  to the  satisfaction  of Parent or any agent  designated by it that
such tax has been paid or is not payable.

                  (f) No Liability.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in
this Section 1.7, neither the Exchange Agent, Parent, the Surviving  Corporation
nor any party  hereto  shall be  liable  to a holder of shares of Parent  Common
Stock or Company Common Stock for any amount  properly paid to a public official
pursuant to any applicable abandoned property, escheat or similar law.

         1.8 No Further  Ownership Rights in Company Common Stock. All shares of
Parent Common Stock issued in accordance  with the terms hereof  (including  any
cash paid in respect  thereof  pursuant to Section  1.6(f) and 1.7(d))  shall be
deemed to have been issued in full satisfaction of all rights pertaining to such
shares of Company Common Stock,  and there shall be no further  registration  of
transfers  on the  records  of the  Surviving  Corporation  of shares of Company
Common Stock which were outstanding  immediately prior to the Effective Time. If
after the Effective Time Certificates are presented to the Surviving Corporation
for any reason, they shall be canceled and exchanged as provided in this Article
I.

                                       9
<PAGE>

         1.9  Lost,  Stolen  or  Destroyed   Certificates.   In  the  event  any
Certificates shall have been lost, stolen or destroyed, the Exchange Agent shall
issue in exchange  for such lost,  stolen or  destroyed  Certificates,  upon the
making  of an  affidavit  of  that  fact  by the  holder  thereof,  certificates
representing  the shares of Parent Common Stock into which the shares of Company
Common Stock represented by such Certificates were converted pursuant to Section
1.6, cash for fractional  shares, if any, as may be required pursuant to Section
1.6(f) and any dividends or  distributions  payable  pursuant to Section 1.7(d);
provided,  however,  that  Parent  may,  in its  discretion  and as a  condition
precedent to the  issuance of such  certificates  representing  shares of Parent
Common  Stock,  cash and other  distributions,  require  the owner of such lost,
stolen or destroyed  Certificates to deliver a customary  indemnity  against any
claim that may be made against Parent, the Surviving Corporation or the Exchange
Agent with  respect  to the  Certificates  alleged to have been lost,  stolen or
destroyed.

         1.10     Tax and Accounting Consequences.

                  (a) It is intended by the parties hereto that the Merger shall
constitute a  reorganization  within the meaning of Section 368 of the Code. The
parties  hereto adopt this  Agreement as a "plan of  reorganization"  within the
meaning of Sections  1.368-2(g)  and  1.368-3(a) of the United States Income Tax
Regulations.

               (b) It is intended by the  parties  hereto that the Merger  shall
qualify for accounting treatment as a pooling of interests.

         1.11 Taking of Necessary Action;  Further Action. If, at any time after
the Effective  Time,  any further  action is necessary or desirable to carry out
the purposes of this Agreement and to vest the Surviving  Corporation  with full
right, title and possession to all assets, property, rights, privileges,  powers
and  franchises of Company and Merger Sub, the officers and directors of Company
and Merger Sub will take all such  lawful and  necessary  action.  Parent  shall
cause Merger Sub to perform all of its  obligations  relating to this  Agreement
and the transactions contemplated thereby.


                                   ARTICLE II
                    REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF COMPANY

         Company  represents  and warrants to Parent and Merger Sub,  subject to
the exceptions  specifically  disclosed in writing in the disclosure  letter and
referencing a specific  representation supplied by Company to Parent dated as of
the date  hereof and  certified  by a duly  authorized  officer of Company  (the
"Company Schedules"), as follows:


                                       10
<PAGE>

         2.1      Organization of Company.

                  (a) Company and each of its  subsidiaries (i) is a corporation
or other legal entity duly  organized,  validly  existing  and in good  standing
under  the  laws of the  jurisdiction  in which  it is  organized;  (ii) has the
corporate or other power and authority to own,  lease and operate its assets and
property and to carry on its business as now being  conducted;  and (iii) except
as would not be  material  to  Company,  is duly  qualified  or  licensed  to do
business in each  jurisdiction  where the  character  of the  properties  owned,
leased  or  operated  by  it  or  the  nature  of  its  activities   makes  such
qualification or licensing necessary.

                  (b) Company has  delivered to Parent a true and complete  list
of all of Company's  subsidiaries as of the date of this  Agreement,  indicating
the  jurisdiction  of  organization  of each  subsidiary  and  Company's  equity
interest therein.

                  (c) Company has  delivered or made  available to Parent a true
and correct copy of the Certificate of  Incorporation  and Bylaws of Company and
similar governing  instruments of each of its  subsidiaries,  each as amended to
date, and each such instrument is in full force and effect.  Neither Company nor
any of its  subsidiaries  is in  violation  of  any  of  the  provisions  of its
Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws or equivalent governing instruments.

         2.2 Company Capital Structure.  The authorized capital stock of Company
consists of  40,000,000  shares of Common Stock,  $0.01 par value per share,  of
which there were 13,825,196 shares issued and outstanding as of January 31, 1998
(with no shares held in treasury) and 5,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock, $0.01
par  value  per  share,  of which no  shares  are  issued  or  outstanding.  All
outstanding shares of Company Common Stock are duly authorized,  validly issued,
fully paid and nonassessable and are not subject to preemptive rights created by
statute,  the Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws of Company or any agreement
or document to which  Company is a party or by which it is bound.  As of January
31, 1998,  Company had  reserved an  aggregate  of  1,704,956  shares of Company
Common  Stock,  net of  exercises,  for issuance  pursuant to the Company  Stock
Option  Plans and an  aggregate  of 369,273  shares of Company  Common Stock for
issuance  pursuant to the  Company's  ESPP.  As of January 31, 1998,  there were
options  outstanding  to purchase an aggregate  of  1,394,687  shares of Company
Common Stock pursuant to the Company Stock Option Plans. In addition,  as of May
28,  1998,  the Company will be  obligated  to issue  options to purchase  1,250
shares of Common Stock to each outside member of its Board of Directors pursuant
to the Directors'  Plan in connection  with the Company's 1998 annual meeting of
shareholders.  As of May 28,  1998,  the Company also will be obligated to issue
approximately 38,000 shares of Common Stock to employees of the Company pursuant
to the ESPP.  All  shares  of  Company  Common  Stock  subject  to  issuance  as
aforesaid,   upon  issuance  on  the  terms  and  conditions  specified  in  the
instruments  pursuant  to which  they are  issuable,  would be duly  authorized,
validly issued,  fully paid and  nonassessable.  The Company  Schedules list for
each person who held  options to acquire  shares of Company  Common  Stock as of
January 3, 1998,  the name of the holder of such option,  the exercise  price of
such  option,  the number of shares as to which  such  option had vested at such
date,  the vesting  schedule for such option and whether the  exercisability  of
such option will be accelerated in any way by the  transactions  contemplated by
this Agreement, and indicates the extent of acceleration, if any.

                                       11
<PAGE>

         2.3 Obligations  With Respect to Capital Stock.  Except as set forth in
Section 2.2, there are no equity  securities,  partnership  interests or similar
ownership  interests of any class of Company equity security,  or any securities
exchangeable  or  convertible  into or exercisable  for such equity  securities,
partnership  interests  or similar  ownership  interests,  issued,  reserved for
issuance or  outstanding.  Except for securities  Company owns free and clear of
all  claims  and  encumbrances,  directly  or  indirectly  through  one or  more
subsidiaries,  and except for shares of capital stock or other similar ownership
interests of certain  subsidiaries  of Company that are owned by certain nominee
equity  holders  as  required  by the  applicable  law of  the  jurisdiction  of
organization of such subsidiaries,  as of the date of this Agreement,  there are
no equity securities,  partnership  interests or similar ownership  interests of
any class of equity  security  of any  subsidiary  of Company,  or any  security
exchangeable  or  convertible  into or exercisable  for such equity  securities,
partnership  interests  or similar  ownership  interests,  issued,  reserved for
issuance  or  outstanding.  Except as set  forth in  Section  2.2,  there are no
subscriptions,  options,  warrants, equity securities,  partnership interests or
similar  ownership  interests,  calls,  rights  (including  preemptive  rights),
commitments  or  agreements  of any  character  to which  Company  or any of its
subsidiaries is a party or by which it is bound obligating Company or any of its
subsidiaries  to issue,  deliver or sell,  or cause to be issued,  delivered  or
sold,  or  repurchase,  redeem or otherwise  acquire,  or cause the  repurchase,
redemption or acquisition of, any shares of capital stock, partnership interests
or  similar  ownership  interests  of  Company  or any of  its  subsidiaries  or
obligating Company or any of its subsidiaries to grant,  extend,  accelerate the
vesting  of or  enter  into  any  such  subscription,  option,  warrant,  equity
security, call, right, commitment or agreement. As of the date of this Agreement
and except as  described  in Section  2.3 of the  Company  Schedules,  except as
contemplated  by this Agreement,  there are no  registration  rights and, to the
knowledge  of  Company,  there  are no  voting  trusts,  proxies,  rights  plan,
antitakeover  plan or other agreements or  understandings  to which Company is a
party or by which it is bound with  respect to any equity  security of any class
of Company  or with  respect to any equity  security,  partnership  interest  or
similar ownership interest of any class of any of its subsidiaries. Stockholders
of Company will not be entitled to dissenters' rights under applicable state law
in connection with the Merger.

         2.4      Authority.

                  (a) Company has all requisite corporate power and authority to
enter into this Agreement and the Company Option Agreement and to consummate the
transactions contemplated hereby and thereby. The execution and delivery of this
Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby have been
duly  authorized  by all  necessary  corporate  action  on the part of  Company,
subject only to the approval and adoption of this  Agreement and the approval of
the Merger by Company's stockholders and the filing of the Certificate of Merger
pursuant to Delaware Law. A vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding
shares of the Company Common Stock is sufficient for Company's  stockholders  to
approve and adopt this Agreement and approve the Merger.  This Agreement and the
Company Stock Option  Agreement have been duly executed and delivered by Company

                                       12
<PAGE>

and,  execution  and  delivery by Parent and Merger Sub,  constitute a valid and
binding  obligation of Company,  enforceable  against Company in accordance with
its terms,  except as  enforceability  may be limited  by  bankruptcy  and other
similar laws and general  principles  of equity.  The  execution and delivery of
this  Agreement  and the Company  Option  Agreement  by Company do not,  and the
performance of this  Agreement and the Company Option  Agreement by Company will
not, (i) conflict with or violate the Certificate of  Incorporation or Bylaws of
Company or the equivalent  organizational  documents of any of its subsidiaries,
(ii) subject to obtaining  the approval and adoption of this  Agreement  and the
approval of the Merger by Company's  stockholders as contemplated in Section 5.2
and compliance with the requirements set forth in Section 2.4(b) below, conflict
with or violate any law, rule, regulation,  order, judgment or decree applicable
to  Company  or  any of  its  subsidiaries  or by  which  Company  or any of its
subsidiaries  or any of their  respective  properties is bound or affected other
than any conflict or violation  which would not result in material  liability to
the Company,  or (iii) result in any material breach of or constitute a material
default  (or an event that with  notice or lapse of time or both would  become a
material  default)  under,  or impair  Company's  rights or alter the  rights or
obligations  of any  third  party  under,  or  give  to  others  any  rights  of
termination,  amendment,  acceleration  or  cancellation  of,  or  result in the
creation of a material lien or encumbrance on any of the material  properties or
assets of Company or any of its  subsidiaries  pursuant to, any  material  note,
bond,  mortgage,   indenture,   contract,  agreement,  lease,  license,  permit,
franchise, concession, or other instrument or obligation to which Company or any
of its subsidiaries is a party or by which Company or any of its subsidiaries or
its or any of their  respective  assets  are  bound  or  affected.  The  Company
Schedules list all consents, waivers and approvals under any of Company's or any
of its subsidiaries'  agreements,  contracts,  licenses or leases required to be
obtained in connection with the  consummation of the  transactions  contemplated
hereby, which, if individually or in the aggregate not obtained, would result in
a material  loss of  benefits  to Company or  Surviving  Corporation  or, to the
Company's knowledge, Parent as a result of the Merger.

                  (b) No  consent,  approval,  order  or  authorization  of,  or
registration,  declaration  or filing with any court,  administrative  agency or
commission  or other  governmental  authority  or  instrumentality,  foreign  or
domestic ("Governmental  Entity"), is required to be obtained or made by Company
in connection  with the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the Company
Stock Option  Agreement or the  consummation  of the Merger,  except for (i) the
filing of the  Certificate of Merger with the Secretary of State of the State of
Delaware,  (ii) the  filing of the Proxy  Statement/Prospectus  (as  defined  in
Section 2.18) with the Securities and Exchange  Commission ("SEC") in accordance
with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), (iii)
such consents, approvals, orders,  authorizations,  registrations,  declarations
and  filings as may be  required  under  applicable  federal,  foreign and state
securities (or related) laws and the  Hart-Scott-Rodino  Antitrust  Improvements
Act of 1976, as amended (the "HSR Act"), and the securities or antitrust laws of
any foreign  country,  and (iv) such other  consents,  authorizations,  filings,
approvals and registrations  which if not obtained or made would not be material
to  Company or Parent or have a material  adverse  effect on the  ability of the
parties hereto to consummate the Merger.

                                       13
<PAGE>

         2.5      SEC Filings; Company Financial Statements.

                  (a)  Company  has  filed  all  forms,  reports  and  documents
required to be filed by Company with the SEC since October 10, 1996 and has made
available to Parent such forms, reports and documents in the form filed with the
SEC.  All such  required  forms,  reports and  documents  (including  those that
Company may file  subsequent  to the date  hereof) are referred to herein as the
"Company SEC Reports." As of their respective dates, the Company SEC Reports (i)
were prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933,
as amended (the "Securities  Act"), or the Exchange Act, as the case may be, and
the rules and  regulations of the SEC thereunder  applicable to such Company SEC
Reports  and  (ii)  did not at the  time  they  were  filed  (or if  amended  or
superseded by a filing prior to the date of this Agreement,  then on the date of
such filing) contain any untrue  statement of a material fact or omit to state a
material  fact  required to be stated  therein or necessary in order to make the
statements  therein,  in the light of the  circumstances  under  which they were
made, not  misleading.  None of Company's  subsidiaries  is required to file any
forms, reports or other documents with the SEC.

                  (b) Each of the consolidated  financial statements (including,
in each case,  any related notes  thereto)  contained in the Company SEC Reports
(the "Company  Financials"),  including each Company SEC Reports filed after the
date hereof until the Closing,  (i) complied as to form in all material respects
with the published rules and regulations of the SEC with respect  thereto,  (ii)
was prepared in accordance  with United  States  generally  accepted  accounting
principles  ("GAAP")  applied  on a  consistent  basis  throughout  the  periods
involved  (except as may be  indicated  in the notes  thereto or, in the case of
unaudited interim financial  statements,  as may be permitted by the SEC on Form
10-Q  under  the  Exchange  Act) and (iii)  fairly  presented  the  consolidated
financial  position of Company and its  subsidiaries as at the respective  dates
thereof and the consolidated  results of Company's operations and cash flows for
the periods  indicated,  except that the unaudited interim financial  statements
may not  contain  footnotes  and were or are  subject  to normal  and  recurring
year-end  adjustments.  The balance  sheet of Company  contained  in Company SEC
Reports as of  September  26, 1997 is  hereinafter  referred to as the  "Company
Balance Sheet." Except as disclosed in the Company Financials, since the date of
the Company  Balance Sheet neither Company nor any of its  subsidiaries  has any
liabilities  required  under GAAP to be set forth on a balance sheet  (absolute,
accrued,  contingent or otherwise) which are,  individually or in the aggregate,
material to the  business,  results of  operations  or  financial  condition  of
Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole,  except for liabilities  incurred
since the date of the Company  Balance Sheet in the ordinary  course of business
consistent with past practices.

                  (c) Company has heretofore  furnished to Parent a complete and
correct copy of any amendments or  modifications,  which have not yet been filed
with the SEC but which are  required to be filed,  to  agreements,  documents or
other  instruments  which  previously  had been  filed by  Company  with the SEC
pursuant to the Securities Act or the Exchange Act.

                                       14
<PAGE>

         2.6 Absence of Certain Changes or Events. Since the date of the Company
Balance Sheet there has not been: (i) any Material Adverse Effect (as defined in
Section 8.3(c)) on Company,  (ii) any  declaration,  setting aside or payment of
any dividend on, or other  distribution  (whether in cash, stock or property) in
respect of, any of Company's or any of its  subsidiaries'  capital stock, or any
purchase, redemption or other acquisition by Company of any of Company's capital
stock or any other  securities  of Company or its  subsidiaries  or any options,
warrants,  calls or rights to acquire any such shares or other securities except
for repurchases from employees following their termination pursuant to the terms
of their  pre-existing  stock  option or purchase  agreements,  (iii) any split,
combination or  reclassification of any of Company's or any of its subsidiaries'
capital stock,  (iv) any granting by Company or any of its  subsidiaries  of any
increase in compensation or fringe benefits, except for normal increases of cash
compensation in the ordinary  course of business  consistent with past practice,
or any payment by Company or any of its  subsidiaries  of any bonus,  except for
bonuses made in the ordinary  course of business  consistent with past practice,
or any  granting  by  Company  or any of its  subsidiaries  of any  increase  in
severance or termination pay or any entry by Company or any of its  subsidiaries
into   any   currently   effective   employment,   severance,   termination   or
indemnification  agreement or any agreement the benefits of which are contingent
or  the  terms  of  which  are  materially  altered  upon  the  occurrence  of a
transaction  involving Company of the nature  contemplated  hereby, (v) entry by
Company or any of its  subsidiaries  into any licensing or other  agreement with
regard to the acquisition or disposition of any material  Intellectual  Property
(as  defined in  Section  2.9) other than  licenses  in the  ordinary  course of
business  consistent with past practice or any amendment or consent with respect
to any  licensing  agreement  filed or required to be filed by Company  with the
SEC, (vi) any material change by Company in its accounting  methods,  principles
or  practices,  except as required by  concurrent  changes in GAAP, or (vii) any
material  revaluation  by  Company  of  any of its  assets,  including,  without
limitation, writing down the value of capitalized inventory or writing off notes
or accounts receivable other than in the ordinary course of business.

         2.7      Taxes.

                  (a) Definition of Taxes.  For the purposes of this  Agreement,
"Tax" or "Taxes" refers to any and all federal,  state, local and foreign taxes,
assessments and other governmental charges, duties,  impositions and liabilities
relating to taxes,  including  taxes  based upon or measured by gross  receipts,
income,  profits,  sales,  use and  occupation,  and value  added,  ad  valorem,
transfer,  franchise,  withholding,  payroll, recapture,  employment, excise and
property taxes, together with all interest, penalties and additions imposed with
respect to such amounts and any obligations under any agreements or arrangements
with any other person with respect to such amounts and  including  any liability
for taxes of a predecessor entity.

                  (b)      Tax Returns and Audits.

     (i) Company and each of its  subsidiaries  have timely  filed  (taking into
account applicable extensions) all federal and material state, local and foreign
returns,  estimates,  information statements and reports ("Returns") relating to
Taxes required to be filed by Company and each of its subsidiaries  with any Tax
authority,  except such Returns which are not material to Company, and have paid
all Taxes shown to be due on such Returns.

                                       15
<PAGE>

     (ii) Company and each of its  subsidiaries  as of the  Effective  Time will
have  withheld with respect to its employees all federal and state income taxes,
Taxes  pursuant  to the  Federal  Insurance  Contribution  Act  ("FICA"),  Taxes
pursuant to the Federal  Unemployment  Tax Act ("FUTA") and other Taxes required
to be withheld, which amounts are material individually or in the aggregate.

     (iii) Neither  Company nor any of its  subsidiaries  has been delinquent in
the payment of any Tax nor is there any Tax deficiency outstanding,  proposed or
assessed against Company or any of its  subsidiaries,  nor has Company or any of
its subsidiaries  executed any unexpired waiver of any statute of limitations on
or extending the period for the assessment or collection of any Tax.

     (iv) Except as set forth on Schedule 2.7 of the Company Schedules, no audit
or other  examination of any Return of Company or any of its subsidiaries by any
Tax  authority  is  presently  in  progress,  nor  has  Company  or  any  of its
subsidiaries   been  notified  of  any  request  for  such  an  audit  or  other
examination.

     (v) No  adjustment  relating to any Returns  filed by Company or any of its
subsidiaries  has been  proposed in writing  formally or  informally  by any Tax
authority to Company or any of its subsidiaries or any representative thereof.

     (vi) Neither  Company nor any of its  subsidiaries  has any  liability  for
unpaid Taxes which has not been  accrued for or reserved on the Company  Balance
Sheet,  whether  asserted  or  unasserted,  contingent  or  otherwise,  which is
material to Company,  other than any  liability  for unpaid  Taxes that may have
accrued  since the date of the  Company  Balance  Sheet in  connection  with the
operation  of the  business  of Company  and its  subsidiaries  in the  ordinary
course.

     (vii) There is no contract, agreement, plan or arrangement to which Company
is a party as of the date of this  Agreement,  including  but not limited to the
provisions  of this  Agreement,  covering  any  employee  or former  employee of
Company or any of its subsidiaries  that,  individually or  collectively,  could
give rise to the payment of any amount that would not be deductible  pursuant to
Sections 280G, 404 or 162(m) of the Code.

     (viii) Neither  Company nor any of its  subsidiaries  has filed any consent
agreement  under Section 341(f) of the Code or agreed to have Section  341(f)(2)
of the Code apply to any  disposition  of a subsection  (f) asset (as defined in
Section 341(f)(4) of the Code) owned by Company.

                                       16
<PAGE>

     (ix)  Except for any such  agreement  or  arrangement  solely  between  the
Company and its  subsidiaries,  neither  Company nor any of its  subsidiaries is
party to or has any  obligation  under any  tax-sharing,  tax  indemnity  or tax
allocation agreement or arrangement.

     (x) Except as may be required  as a result of the  Merger,  Company and its
subsidiaries  have not been and will not be  required  to include  any  material
adjustment in Taxable income for any Tax period (or portion thereof) pursuant to
Section 481 or Section 263A of the Code or any comparable  provision under state
or foreign Tax laws as a result of  transactions,  events or accounting  methods
employed prior to the Closing.

     (xi) None of  Company's  or its  subsidiaries'  assets  are tax  exempt use
property within the meaning of Section 168(h) of the Code.

     (xii) The Company  Schedules  list (A) any foreign  Tax  holidays,  (B) any
intercompany  transfer pricing agreements,  or other arrangements that have been
established by Company or any of its subsidiaries with any Tax authority and (C)
any  expatriate   programs  or  policies   affecting   Company  or  any  of  its
subsidiaries.

         2.8      Title to Properties; Absence of Liens and Encumbrances.

                  (a) The Company  Schedules  list the real  property  interests
owned by Company or any subsidiary as of the date of this Agreement. The Company
Schedules  list all  material  real  property  leases  to which  Company  or any
subsidiary  is a party  as of the  date of this  Agreement  and  each  amendment
thereto  that is in effect as of the date of this  Agreement.  All such  current
leases are in full force and effect,  are valid and effective in accordance with
their respective terms, and there is not, under any of such leases, any existing
default or event of default  (or event  which with  notice or lapse of time,  or
both,  would  constitute a default) that would give rise to a claim in an amount
greater than $50,000.

                  (b) Each of Company  and its  subsidiaries  has good and valid
title to,  or, in the case of leased  properties  and  assets,  valid  leasehold
interests  in, all of its tangible  properties  and assets,  real,  personal and
mixed,  used or held  for use in its  business,  free and  clear  of any  liens,
pledges,  charges,  claims, security interests or other encumbrances of any sort
("Liens"),  except as reflected in the Company  Financials  and except for liens
for taxes not yet due and payable and such Liens or other imperfections of title
and encumbrances, if any, which are not material in character, amount or extent,
and which do not materially detract from the value, or materially interfere with
the present use, of the property subject thereto or affected thereby.

                                       17
<PAGE>

         2.9      Intellectual Property.

                  (a) Each of Company and its subsidiaries  owns, or is licensed
or  otherwise   possesses  legally  enforceable  rights  to  use,  all  patents,
trademarks,  trade names,  service marks,  copyrights,  and any applications for
such patents,  trademarks,  trade names,  service marks and copyrights,  and all
patent  rights,  trade  secrets,  schematics,   technology,  know-how,  computer
software and tangible or intangible proprietary information or material or other
intellectual  property  or  proprietary  rights  that  are used to  conduct  its
business as currently conducted (collectively, "Intellectual Property"). Each of
Company  and its  subsidiaries  has taken  reasonable  measures  to protect  the
proprietary  nature  of each item of  Intellectual  Property  that it  considers
confidential,  and to maintain in confidence all trade secrets and  confidential
information  that it  presently  owns or uses,  except where the failure to own,
license or possess legally enforceable rights to use such Intellectual  Property
would not, individually or in the aggregate, be expected to result in a material
loss of benefits or loss to the Company's business.

     (i)  Section  2.12(a)(i)  of the  Disclosure  Schedule  lists all  material
patents  and  patent  applications  and  all  material  trademarks,   registered
copyrights,  trade names and service marks owned by, or licensed exclusively to,
Company or any of its  subsidiaries  and which are currently  used in connection
with the business of Company or its subsidiaries, including the jurisdictions in
which each such Intellectual  Property right has been issued or registered or in
which any such application for such issuance or registration has been filed.

     (ii) Section  2.12(a)(ii)  of the  Disclosure  Schedule  lists all material
written  licenses,  sublicenses and other  agreements to which Company or any of
its  subsidiaries  is a party and pursuant to which any person is  authorized to
use any  Intellectual  Property  rights  (excluding  (a)  source or object  code
end-user  licenses  granted to end-users in the ordinary course of business that
permit  use of  software  products  without  a right to  modify,  distribute  or
sublicense  the same  ("End-User  Licenses"))  and (b) licenses,  sublicenses or
other agreements with resellers, distributors,  original equipment manufacturers
and other third party  intermediaries that grant non-exclusive  rights to use or
modify  (for  purposes  of  establishing   program  interfaces)  and  resell  or
sublicense  source  or object  code  which  (A) did not in any  individual  case
represent  $50,000 or more of revenues to the Company in 1997 on a  consolidated
basis,  (B) were in all material  respects in the standard  forms of  agreements
provided  by the  Company  to  Acquiror,  and (C) the  Company  has no reason to
believe  it  will  be  material  to the  Company's  or any of its  subsidiaries'
business or could reasonably be expected to have a material loss to the Company.

     (iii) Section  2.12(a)(iii)  of the Disclosure  Schedule lists all material
written licenses, sublicenses and other agreements as to which Company or any of
its subsidiaries is a party and pursuant to which Company or any such Subsidiary
is authorized to use any third party Intellectual  Property,  including software
("Third Party  Intellectual  Property  Rights")  which are  incorporated  in any
existing  product or service  of Company or any of its  subsidiaries  ("Embedded
Products").

                                       18
<PAGE>

     (iv) Section  2.12(a)(iv)  of the  Disclosure  Schedule  lists all material
written  agreements  or other  arrangements  under  which  Company or any of its
subsidiaries has provided or agreed to provide source code of any product of the
Company or any of its  subsidiaries  to any third  party,  except  for  software
development  kits provided  either to agent  integration  providers or by shrink
wrap licenses.

                  Company has made  available  to Acquiror  correct and complete
copies of all such patents, registrations, applications (owned by Company or any
of its subsidiaries),  and all licenses,  sublicenses and agreements referred to
above and as amended to date.  Except for retail purchases of software,  neither
Company nor any of its  subsidiaries is a party to any oral license,  sublicense
or agreement  which, if reduced to written form,  would be required to be listed
in  Section  2.12 of the  Disclosure  Schedule  under the terms of this  Section
2.12(a).

                  (b)  With  respect  to  each  material  item  of  Intellectual
Property that Company or any of its subsidiaries owns: (i) other than common law
trademarks, and subject to such rights as have been granted by Company or any of
its subsidiaries  under  non-exclusive  license agreements and joint development
agreements  entered into by Company or any of its subsidiaries  (copies of which
have  previously  been made  available  or  disclosed  in writing to  Acquiror),
Company or its subsidiaries  possesses all right, title, interest in and to such
item;  and (ii) such item is not  subject to any  outstanding  judgment,  order,
decree, stipulation or injunction that materially interferes with the conduct of
Company's  or any of its  subsidiaries'  business as currently  conducted.  With
respect  to each  item of  Third  Party  Intellectual  Property  Rights  that is
material  to the  business of the  Company or any of its  subsidiaries:  (i) the
license,  sublicense  or other  agreement  covering  such item is legal,  valid,
binding, enforceable and in full force and effect with respect to Company or its
subsidiaries, and, to Company's knowledge, is legal, valid, binding, enforceable
and in full force and effect  with  respect to each other  party  thereto;  (ii)
neither  Company nor any of its  subsidiaries  is in material  breach or default
thereunder,  and  to  Company's  knowledge  no  other  party  to  such  license,
sublicense or other agreement is in material breach or default  thereunder,  and
no event has  occurred  which with  notice or lapse of time would  constitute  a
material  breach or  default by  Company  or any of its  subsidiaries  or permit
termination, modification or acceleration thereunder by the other party thereto;
(iii) the underlying item of Third Party Intellectual Property is not subject to
any  outstanding  judgment,  order,  decree,  stipulation or injunction to which
Company or any of is subsidiaries is a party or has been specifically named that
materially  interferes with the conduct of Company's or any of its subsidiaries'
business as currently conducted, nor to Company's knowledge subject to any other
outstanding judgment, order, decree,  stipulation, or injunction that materially
interferes with the conduct of Company's or any of its subsidiaries' business as
currently conducted.

                  (c)  Except as set  forth in  Section  2.12 of the  Disclosure
Schedule,  neither Company nor any of its subsidiaries (i) has been named in any
suit,   action  or  proceeding   which  involves  a  claim  of  infringement  or
misappropriation  of any Intellectual  Property right of any third party or (ii)
has  received any written  notice  alleging  any such claim of  infringement  or
misappropriation.  Company has made  available to Acquiror  correct and complete
copies of all such suits,  actions or  proceedings  or written  notices.  To the
Company's  knowledge,  the  manufacturing,  marketing,  licensing or sale of the
products or performance of the service offerings of Company and its subsidiaries
do not currently  infringe,  and have not infringed,  any Intellectual  Property
right of any third party or to Company's  knowledge  any patent  rights of third
parties;  and to the knowledge of Company,  the Intellectual  Property rights of
Company and its subsidiaries are not being infringed by activities,  products or
services of any third party.

                                       19
<PAGE>

                  (d)  Except as set  forth in  Section  2.12 of the  Disclosure
Schedule,  the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company,  and the
consummation of the  transactions  contemplated  hereby,  will neither cause the
Company nor any of its  subsidiaries  to be in  violation  or default  under any
license, sublicense or agreement, nor terminate nor modify nor entitle any other
party to any such  license,  sublicense or agreement to terminate or modify such
license,  sublicense or agreement,  nor limit in any way the Company's or any of
its  subsidiaries'  ability to conduct its business or use or provide the use of
the  Intellectual  Property or  intellectual  property  rights of others,  which
violation, default, termination,  modification or limitation would reasonably be
expected,  individually  or in the  aggregate,  to result in a material  loss of
benefit or loss to the Company.

                  (e) Except for  Embedded  Products  for which the  Company has
valid  non-exclusive  licenses  which  are  disclosed  in  Section  2.12  of the
Disclosure  Schedule and which are adequate  for each of the  Company's  and its
subsidiaries' business as presently conducted and except for usual and customary
rights  retained by the United States  government  with respect to  Intellectual
Property  developed  under research  contracts with the Federal  government (the
"Retained  Fed  Rights"),  the  Company is the sole and  exclusive  owner or the
licensee  of,  with all right,  title and  interest  in and to the  Intellectual
Property  (free  and  clear  of any  liens  or  encumbrances),  and has sole and
exclusive rights (and is not contractually  obligated to pay any compensation to
any third party in respect thereof) to the use and distribution  therefor or the
material  covered thereby in connection with the services or products in respect
of which the Intellectual  Property are being used,  except where the failure to
have such rights would not  reasonably  be expected to result in a material loss
of benefit or loss to the Company.  To the Company's  knowledge,  the government
has never exercised,  and the Company has no notice that the government  intends
to exercise,  its rights to use or provide to others the use of the Retained Fed
Rights  with  respect to the  Intellectual  Property  in a manner  that would be
material to the Company's  non-governmental business. The Retained Fed Rights do
not materially interfere with the conduct of the Company's business.

                  (f) The Company has heretofore delivered to Acquiror copies of
the Company's and each of its subsidiaries' standard forms of End-User Licenses.
Except as disclosed in Section 2.12 of the Disclosure  Schedule  (which describe
the material variations from the standard form of End-User License), neither the
Company nor any of its subsidiaries has entered into any End-User Licenses which
contain terms  materially  different  than as set forth in the standard forms of
such agreements made available to Acquiror.

                                       20
<PAGE>

                  (g)  The  Company  and  each  of its  subsidiaries  has  taken
reasonable   security   measures  to   safeguard   and   maintain  the  secrecy,
confidentiality  and value of, and its  property  rights  in,  all  Intellectual
Property.  All officers,  employees and consultants of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries who have access to proprietary information or Intellectual Property
have  executed  and  delivered  to the  Company  or any of its  subsidiaries  an
agreement regarding the protection of proprietary information and the assignment
to the Company or any of its subsidiaries of all  Intellectual  Property arising
from the services  performed for the Company or any of its  subsidiaries by such
persons.  No current or prior officers,  employees or consultants of the Company
or any  of  its  subsidiaries  claim  any  ownership  interest  in any  material
Intellectual  Property as a result of having been involved in the development of
such  property  while  employed  by or  consulting  to the Company or any of its
subsidiaries,  or  otherwise.  Except  as  set  forth  in  Section  2.12  of the
Disclosure   Schedule  and  except  for  the  Embedded  Products,   all  of  the
Intellectual  Property have been developed by employees of the Company or any of
its subsidiaries, within the scope of their employment.

                  (h) The Company and each of its  subsidiaries  has  sufficient
right, title and interest in and to all material software development tools, not
entirely developed internally, used by the Company or any of its subsidiaries in
the  development of any of the computer  software  included in the  Intellectual
Property.

                  (i) To the  knowledge of the Company's  management,  as of the
date  hereof,  there are no  material  defects  in the  Company's  or any of its
subsidiaries'  software products,  and there are no errors in any documentation,
specifications,  manuals, user guides, promotional material,  internal notes and
memos, technical documentation, drawings, flow charts, diagrams, source language
statements,  demo disks,  benchmark  test results,  and other written  materials
related  to,  associated  with or used or  produced  in the  development  of the
Company's  or any of its  subsidiaries'  software  products  (collectively,  the
"Design Documentation"), which defects or errors would reasonably be expected to
have,  individually  or in the  aggregate,  a  Material  Adverse  Effect  on the
Company.  The occurrence in or use by the computer software  products  currently
sold by the Company or any of its subsidiaries,  of dates on or after January 1,
2000 (the  "Millennial  Dates") will not adversely affect the performance of the
software  with respect to date  dependent  data,  computations,  output or other
functions (including without limitation,  calculating, computing and sequencing)
and the  software  will  create,  sort and  generate  output data  related to or
including Millennial Dates without errors or omissions.

                  (j) No government  funding or university or college facilities
were  used  in the  development  of the  Company's  or any of its  subsidiaries'
software products and the software was not developed pursuant to any contract or
other  agreement  with any person or entity  except  pursuant  to  contracts  or
agreements listed in Section 2.12 of the Disclosure Schedule.

                                       21
<PAGE>

                  (k) To the  knowledge  of the  Company's  management,  Section
2.12(k) of the Disclosure  Schedule list all material warranty claims (including
any  pending  claims)  related  to the  Company's  or  any of its  subsidiaries'
products and the nature of such claims, except for customary product support and
maintenance.  To the knowledge of the Company's management,  except as set forth
in Section  2.12(k) of the Disclosure  Schedule,  neither the Company nor any of
its  subsidiaries  has made any  material  oral or  written  representations  or
warranties with respect to its products or services.

                  (l) Except as set forth on Schedule  2.12(k),  the Company and
its subsidiaries have been and are in compliance with the Export  Administration
Act of 1979, as amended, and all regulations promulgated thereunder.

         2.10     Compliance; Permits; Restrictions.

                  (a)  Neither  Company nor any of its  subsidiaries  is, in any
material  respect,  in conflict  with,  or in default or in violation of (i) any
law, rule, regulation, order, judgment or decree applicable to Company or any of
its  subsidiaries or by which Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their
respective  properties is bound or affected,  or (ii) any material  note,  bond,
mortgage,  indenture,  contract, agreement, lease, license, permit, franchise or
other  instrument or obligation to which Company or any of its subsidiaries is a
party  or by which  Company  or any of its  subsidiaries  or its or any of their
respective properties is bound or affected, except for conflicts, violations and
defaults that (individually or in the aggregate) would not cause Company to lose
any material  benefit or incur any material  liability.  To the knowledge of the
Company, no investigation or review by any Governmental Entity is pending or has
been threatened in a writing  delivered to Company against Company or any of its
subsidiaries, nor, to Company's knowledge, has any Governmental Entity indicated
an intention to conduct an investigation of Company or any of its  subsidiaries.
There is no material agreement,  judgment,  injunction,  order or decree binding
upon  Company  or any of its  subsidiaries  which  has or  could  reasonably  be
expected to have the effect of prohibiting or materially  impairing any business
practice  of Company or any of its  subsidiaries,  any  acquisition  of material
property  by Company or any of its  subsidiaries  or the  conduct of business by
Company as currently conducted.

                  (b) Company and its  subsidiaries  hold, to the extent legally
required, all permits,  licenses,  variances,  exemptions,  orders and approvals
from  governmental  authorities  that  are  material  to and  required  for  the
operation of the business of Company as currently conducted  (collectively,  the
"Company  Permits")  except for any such failure which would not individually or
in the aggregate be material to the Company. Company and its subsidiaries are in
compliance  in all  material  respects  with the terms of the  Company  Permits,
except  where the  failure  to be in  compliance  with the terms of the  Company
Permits would not be material to Company.

         2.11 Litigation.  Except as disclosed in the Company  Schedules,  there
are no claims, suits, actions or proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of the
Company,  threatened  against,  relating to or  affecting  Company or any of its
subsidiaries,  before any court,  governmental department,  commission,  agency,
instrumentality or authority, or any arbitrator that seeks to restrain or enjoin
the  consummation  of the  transactions  contemplated by this Agreement or which
could  reasonable be expected,  either  singularly or in the aggregate  with all
such claims,  actions or  proceedings,  to have a material loss to the Company's
business.  No Governmental  Entity has at any time challenged or questioned in a
writing delivered to Company the legal right of Company to design.  manufacture,
offer or sell any of its products in the present manner or style thereof.

                                       22
<PAGE>

         Except as disclosed in the Company  Schedules,  neither Company nor any
Subsidiary has ever been subject to an audit,  compliance review,  investigation
or like  contract  review by the GSA  office of the  Inspector  General or other
Governmental  Entity or agent thereof in connection with any government contract
(a "Government Audit"), to Company's knowledge no Government Audit is threatened
or reasonably  anticipated,  and in the event of such  Government  Audit, to the
knowledge of the Company no basis exists for a finding of noncompliance with any
material provision of any government contract or a refund of any amounts paid or
owed by any Governmental Entity pursuant to such government  contract.  For each
item disclosed in the Company Schedule  pursuant to this Section 2.11 a true and
complete  copy of all material  correspondence  and  documentation  with respect
thereto has been provided to Parent.

     2.12  Brokers' and Finders'  Fees.  Except for fees payable to J.P.  Morgan
Securities Inc. and Updata Capital,  Inc. pursuant to engagement  letters,  each
dated January 21, 1998,  copies of which have been  provided to Parent,  Company
has not incurred,  nor will it incur, directly or indirectly,  any liability for
brokerage  or finders'  fees or agents'  commissions  or any similar  charges in
connection with this Agreement or any transaction contemplated hereby.

         2.13     Employee Benefit Plans.

                  (a)  Definitions.  With the  exception  of the  definition  of
"Affiliate" set forth in Section  2.13(a)(i) below (which definition shall apply
only to this Section 2.13), for purposes of this Agreement,  the following terms
shall have the meanings set forth below:

     (i) "Affiliate"  shall mean any other person or entity under common control
with Company within the meaning of Section  414(b),  (c), (m) or (o) of the Code
and the regulations issued thereunder;
                           
     (ii)  "Company  Employee  Plan"  shall  mean  any  plan,  program,  policy,
practice,  contract,  agreement or other arrangement providing for compensation,
severance,  termination pay, performance awards, stock or stock-related  awards,
fringe benefits or other employee benefits or remuneration of any kind,  whether
written  or  unwritten  or  otherwise,  funded or  unfunded,  including  without
limitation,  each "employee benefit plan," within the meaning of Section 3(3) of
ERISA  which  is or has been  maintained,  contributed  to,  or  required  to be
contributed to, by Company or any Affiliate for the benefit of any Employee

     (iii) "COBRA" shall mean the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act
of 1985, as amended

                                       23
<PAGE>

     (iv) "DOL" shall mean the Department of Labor;

     (v)  "Employee"  shall  mean any  current,  former,  or  retired  employee,
officer, or director of Company or any Affiliate;

     (vi)  "Employee   Agreement"  shall  mean  each   management,   employment,
severance,  consulting,  relocation,  repatriation,  expatriation,  visas,  work
permit or similar agreement or contract between Company or any Affiliate and any
Employee or consultant;

     (vii) "ERISA"  shall mean the Employee  Retirement  Income  Security Act of
1974, as amended;

     (viii) "FMLA" shall mean the Family Medical Leave Act of 1993, as amended;

     (ix)  "International  Employee Plan" shall mean each Company  Employee Plan
that has been adopted or maintained by Company,  whether informally or formally,
for the benefit of Employees outside the United States;

     (x) "IRS" shall mean the Internal Revenue Service;

     (xi) "Multiemployer  Plan" shall mean any "Pension Plan" (as defined below)
which is a "multiemployer plan," as defined in Section 3(37) of ERISA;

     (xii) "PBGC" shall mean the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation; and

     (xiii)  "Pension  Plan" shall mean each Company  Employee  Plan which is an
"employee pension benefit plan," within the meaning of Section 3(2) of ERISA.

                  (b) Schedule.  The Company  Schedules  contain an accurate and
complete  list  of  each  Company  Employee  Plan  and  each  material  Employee
Agreement.  Company does not have any plan or  commitment  to establish  any new
Company Employee Plan, to modify any Company Employee Plan or Employee Agreement
(except to the extent  required by law or to conform any such  Company  Employee
Plan or Employee  Agreement to the  requirements  of any applicable law, in each
case as  previously  disclosed  to Parent in  writing,  or as  required  by this
Agreement),  or to enter into any Company  Employee  Plan or  material  Employee
Agreement,  nor  does it  have  any  intention  or  commitment  to do any of the
foregoing.

                                       24
<PAGE>

                  (c) Documents. Company has provided to Parent: (i) correct and
complete  copies of all  documents  embodying to each Company  Employee Plan and
each  Employee   Agreement   including  all   amendments   thereto  and  written
interpretations  thereof;  (ii) the three (3) most recent  annual  reports (Form
Series 5500 and all schedules and financial  statements  attached  thereto),  if
any,  required under ERISA or the Code in connection with each Company  Employee
Plan or related trust;  (iii) if the Company  Employee Plan is funded,  the most
recent annual and periodic  accounting of Company Employee Plan assets; (iv) the
most  recent  summary  plan  description  together  with the summary of material
modifications thereto, if any, required under ERISA with respect to each Company
Employee Plan; (v) all IRS  determination,  opinion,  notification  and advisory
letters,  and  rulings  relating  to  Company  Employee  Plans and copies of all
applications  and  correspondence  to or from the IRS or the DOL with respect to
any Company  Employee Plan; (vi) all material  written  agreements and contracts
relating  to  each  Company  Employee  Plan,  including,  but  not  limited  to,
administrative  service agreements,  group annuity contracts and group insurance
contracts;  (vii) all  communications  material  to any  Employee  or  Employees
relating to any Company  Employee Plan and any proposed  Company Employee Plans,
in  each  case,  relating  to  any  amendments,  terminations,   establishments,
increases  or  decreases  in  benefits,  acceleration  of  payments  or  vesting
schedules  or other  events  which would  result in any  material  liability  to
Company;  (viii) all  standard  COBRA  forms and related  notices;  and (ix) all
registration  statements  and  prospectuses  prepared  in  connection  with each
Company Employee Plan.

                  (d) Employee Plan Compliance. (i) Company has performed in all
material  respects all obligations  required to be performed by it under, is not
in default or violation  of, and has no knowledge of any default or violation by
any other party to each Company  Employee Plan,  and each Company  Employee Plan
has been established and maintained in all material  respects in accordance with
its terms and in compliance with all applicable laws,  statutes,  orders,  rules
and  regulations,  including  but not  limited  to ERISA or the Code;  (ii) each
Company  Employee Plan intended to qualify under Section  401(a) of the Code and
each trust  intended  to  qualify  under  Section  501(a) of the Code has either
received a favorable determination letter from the IRS with respect to each such
Plan as to its qualified status under the Code,  including all amendments to the
Code effected by the Tax Reform Act of 1986 and subsequent  legislation,  or has
remaining  a  period  of  time  under  applicable  Treasury  regulations  or IRS
pronouncements  in which to apply for such a  determination  letter and make any
amendments necessary to obtain a favorable  determination;  (iii) no "prohibited
transaction," within the meaning of Section 4975 of the Code or Sections 406 and
407 of ERISA,  and not otherwise exempt under Section 408 of ERISA, has occurred
with respect to any Company  Employee Plan; (iv) there are no actions,  suits or
claims  pending,  or, to the  knowledge  of Company,  threatened  or  reasonably
anticipated  (other  than  routine  claims for  benefits)  against  any  Company
Employee  Plan or against  the assets of any  Company  Employee  Plan;  (v) each
Company Employee Plan can be amended, terminated or otherwise discontinued after
the Effective Time in accordance  with its terms,  without  liability to Parent,
Company or any of its Affiliates  (other than ordinary  administration  expenses
typically incurred in a termination event); (vi) there are no audits,  inquiries
or  proceedings  pending  or, to the  knowledge  of Company  or any  Affiliates,
threatened  by the IRS or DOL with  respect to any Company  Employee  Plan;  and
(vii)  neither  Company nor any  Affiliate is subject to any penalty or tax with
respect to any Company  Employee Plan under Section  402(i) of ERISA or Sections
4975 through 4980 of the Code.

                                       25
<PAGE>

     (e)  Pension  Plans.  Company  does not now,  nor has it ever,  maintained,
established,  sponsored,  participated  in, or contributed  to, any Pension Plan
which is subject to Title IV of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code.

     (f)  Multiemployer  Plans.  At no time has Company  contributed  to or been
requested to contribute to any Multiemployer Plan.

                  (g) No Post-Employment  Obligations.  No Company Employee Plan
provides,  or has any  liability  to provide,  retiree life  insurance,  retiree
health or other retiree  employee welfare benefits to any person for any reason,
except as may be required by COBRA or other applicable statute,  and Company has
never represented,  promised or contracted  (whether in oral or written form) to
any  Employee  (either  individually  or to  Employees  as a group) or any other
person that such Employee(s) or other person would be provided with retiree life
insurance,  retiree health or other retiree employee welfare benefit,  except to
the extent required by statute.

                  (h)  Neither  Company  nor any  Affiliate  has,  prior  to the
Effective  Time,  and in any material  respect,  violated any of the health care
continuation  requirements  of COBRA,  the  requirements  of FMLA or any similar
provisions of state law applicable to its Employees.

                  (i)      Effect of Transaction

     (i) Except as set forth on Section  2.13(i) of the Company  Schedules,  the
execution  of  this  Agreement  and  the   consummation   of  the   transactions
contemplated  hereby  will  not  (either  alone or upon  the  occurrence  of any
additional or subsequent  events) constitute an event under any Company Employee
Plan, Employee  Agreement,  trust or loan that will or may result in any payment
(whether  of  severance  pay  or   otherwise),   acceleration,   forgiveness  of
indebtedness,  vesting, distribution, increase in benefits or obligation to fund
benefits with respect to any Employee.

     (ii) No  payment  or  benefit  which  will or may be made by Company or its
Affiliates  with  respect  to any  Employee  as a  result  of  the  transactions
contemplated  by this Agreement will be  characterized  as an "excess  parachute
payment," within the meaning of Section 280G(b)(1) of the Code.

                  (j) Employment Matters.  Company:  (i) is in compliance in all
material respects with all applicable  foreign,  federal,  state and local laws,
rules and regulations  respecting  employment,  employment practices,  terms and
conditions  of  employment  and wages and hours,  in each case,  with respect to
Employees;  (ii) has withheld all amounts  required by law or by agreement to be
withheld from the wages, salaries and other payments to Employees, which amounts
are  material  individually  or in the  aggregate;  (iii) is not  liable for any
arrears of wages or any taxes or any  penalty  for failure to comply with any of
the foregoing;  and (iv) is not liable for any material  payment to any trust or
other fund or to any governmental or administrative  authority,  with respect to
unemployment  compensation  benefits,  social  security  or  other  benefits  or
obligations for Employees  (other than routine payments to be made in the normal
course of business and  consistent  with past  practice).  There are no pending,
threatened or reasonably anticipated claims or actions against Company under any
worker's  compensation  policy or  long-term  disability  policy.  To  Company's
knowledge,  no  employee  of  Company  has  violated  any  employment  contract,
nondisclosure  agreement or  noncompetition  agreement by which such employee is
bound due to such employee  being  employed by Company and disclosing to Company
or using trade secrets or proprietary information of any other person or entity.

                                       26
<PAGE>

                  (k) Labor. No work stoppage or labor strike against Company is
pending,  threatened  or  reasonably  anticipated.  Company does not know of any
activities or proceedings  of any labor union to organize any  Employees.  There
are no actions,  suits, claims, labor disputes or grievances pending, or, to the
knowledge  of Company,  threatened  or  reasonably  anticipated  relating to any
labor,  safety or  discrimination  matters  involving any  Employee,  including,
without  limitation,   charges  of  unfair  labor  practices  or  discrimination
complaints,  which,  if  adversely  determined,  would,  individually  or in the
aggregate,  result in any material liability to Company. Neither Company nor any
of its subsidiaries has engaged in any unfair labor practices within the meaning
of the National Labor Relations Act.  Company is not presently,  nor has it been
in the past,  a party to, or bound by, any  collective  bargaining  agreement or
union contract with respect to Employees and no collective  bargaining agreement
is being negotiated by Company.

                  (l) International  Employee Plan. Each International  Employee
Plan has been  established,  maintained and administered in material  compliance
with its terms and  conditions and with the  requirements  prescribed by any and
all  statutory or  regulatory  laws that are  applicable  to such  International
Employee  Plan.  Furthermore,   no  International  Employee  Plan  has  unfunded
liabilities,  that as of the Effective  Time, will not be offset by insurance or
fully accrued. Except as required by law, no condition exists that would prevent
Company or Parent from terminating or amending any  International  Employee Plan
at any time for any reason.

         2.14     Environmental Matters.

                  (a) Hazardous Material. Except as would not result in material
liability  to  Company,  no  underground  storage  tanks  and no  amount  of any
substance that has been designated by any  Governmental  Entity or by applicable
federal,  state or local law to be radioactive,  toxic, hazardous or otherwise a
danger  to health  or the  environment,  including,  without  limitation,  PCBs,
asbestos,  petroleum,  urea-formaldehyde  and all substances listed as hazardous
substances pursuant to the Comprehensive  Environmental Response,  Compensation,
and Liability Act of 1980, as amended,  or defined as a hazardous waste pursuant
to the United States Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976, as amended,
and the regulations  promulgated pursuant to said laws, but excluding office and
janitorial  supplies,  (a "Hazardous  Material") are present, as a result of the
actions of Company or any of its  subsidiaries or any affiliate of Company,  or,
to  Company's  knowledge,  as a result  of any  actions  of any  third  party or
otherwise,   in,  on  or  under  any  property,   including  the  land  and  the
improvements, ground water and surface water thereof, that Company or any of its
subsidiaries has at any time owned, operated, occupied or leased.

                                       27
<PAGE>

                  (b) Hazardous Materials Activities. Except as would not result
in a material  liability to Company (in any individual case or in the aggregate)
(i) neither Company nor any of its subsidiaries has transported,  stored,  used,
manufactured,  disposed  of,  released  or exposed  its  employees  or others to
Hazardous  Materials  in violation of any law in effect on or before the Closing
Date,  and (ii)  neither  Company nor any of its  subsidiaries  has disposed of,
transported,  sold,  used,  released,  exposed  its  employees  or  others to or
manufactured  any  product   containing  a  Hazardous   Material   (collectively
"Hazardous Materials Activities") in violation of any rule,  regulation,  treaty
or statute  promulgated by any  Governmental  Entity in effect prior to or as of
the date hereof to  prohibit,  regulate or control  Hazardous  Materials  or any
Hazardous Material Activity.

                  (c) Permits.  Company and its subsidiaries  currently hold all
environmental  approvals,   permits,  licenses,  clearances  and  consents  (the
"Company Environmental  Permits") necessary for the conduct of Company's and its
subsidiaries'  Hazardous Material Activities and other businesses of Company and
its   subsidiaries  as  such  activities  and  businesses  are  currently  being
conducted.

                  (d)   Environmental   Liabilities.   No  action,   proceeding,
revocation proceeding,  amendment procedure,  writ or injunction is pending, and
to Company's knowledge, no action, proceeding,  revocation proceeding, amendment
procedure,  writ or injunction has been  threatened by any  Governmental  Entity
against  Company or any of its  subsidiaries  in a writing  delivered to Company
concerning any Company Environmental Permit, Hazardous Material or any Hazardous
Materials  Activity of Company or any of its subsidiaries.  Company is not aware
of  any  fact  or  circumstance  which  could  involve  Company  or  any  of its
subsidiaries in any environmental litigation or impose upon Company any material
environmental liability.

     2.15 Agreements,  Contracts and Commitments.  Except as otherwise set forth
in the Company Schedules, neither Company nor any of its subsidiaries is a party
to or is bound by:

                  (a)  any  employment  or  consulting  agreement,  contract  or
commitment  with any officer or director or higher  level  employee or member of
Company's Board of Directors, other than those that are terminable by Company or
any of its subsidiaries on no more than thirty days notice without  liability or
financial  obligation,  except to the  extent  general  principles  of  wrongful
termination  law may limit  Company's  or any of its  subsidiaries'  ability  to
terminate employees at will;

                  (b) any agreement or plan, including,  without limitation, any
stock option plan, stock  appreciation right plan or stock purchase plan, any of
the  benefits  of which will be  increased,  or the vesting of benefits of which
will be accelerated,  by the occurrence of any of the transactions  contemplated
by  this  Agreement  or the  value  of any of the  benefits  of  which  will  be
calculated  on  the  basis  of  any of the  transactions  contemplated  by  this
Agreement;

                                       28
<PAGE>

                  (c) any  agreement of  indemnification  or any guaranty  other
than any agreement of  indemnification  entered into in connection with the sale
or license of software products in the ordinary course of business;

                  (d) any  agreement,  contract  or  commitment  containing  any
covenant limiting in any respect the right of Company or any of its subsidiaries
to engage in any line of business or to compete  with any person or granting any
exclusive distribution rights;

                  (e) any agreement,  contract or commitment  currently in force
relating to the disposition or acquisition by Company or any of its subsidiaries
after the date of this  Agreement  of a  material  amount  of assets  not in the
ordinary  course of  business or  pursuant  to which  Company  has any  material
ownership  interest  in any  corporation,  partnership,  joint  venture or other
business enterprise other than Company's subsidiaries;

                  (f) any joint marketing or development  agreement currently in
force under which Company or any of its  subsidiaries  have continuing  material
obligations to jointly  market any product,  technology or service and which may
not be canceled  without penalty upon notice of 90 days or less, or any material
agreement  pursuant to which Company or any of its subsidiaries  have continuing
material obligations to jointly develop any intellectual  property that will not
be owned, in whole or in part, by Company or any of its  subsidiaries  and which
may not be canceled without penalty upon notice of 90 days or less; or

                  (g) any agreement,  contract or commitment  currently in force
to license any third party to  manufacture  or  reproduce  any Company  product,
service or technology except as a distributor in the normal course of business.

         Neither Company nor any of its subsidiaries, nor to Company's knowledge
any  other  party to a  Company  Contract  (as  defined  below),  is in  breach,
violation or default under,  and neither Company nor any of its subsidiaries has
received  written notice that it has breached,  violated or defaulted under, any
of the  material  terms or  conditions  of any of the  agreements,  contracts or
commitments to which Company or any of its  subsidiaries  is a party or by which
it is bound that are required to be disclosed in the Company Schedules  pursuant
to clauses  (a)  through  (h) above or  pursuant to Section 2.9 hereof (any such
agreement,  contract or  commitment,  a "Company  Contract") in such a manner as
would permit any other party to cancel or terminate  any such Company  Contract,
or would permit any other party to seek material  damages or other remedies (for
any or all of such breaches, violations or defaults, in the aggregate).

         2.16  Pooling of  Interests.  To the  knowledge  of  Company,  based on
consultation  with its independent  accountants,  neither Company nor any of its
directors,  officers, affiliates or stockholders has taken or agreed to take any
action  which  would  preclude  Parent's  ability to account for the Merger as a
pooling of interests.

         2.17 Change of Control  Payments.  The Company Schedules set forth each
plan or  agreement  pursuant to which any amounts  may become  payable  (whether
currently  or in the  future) to current or former  officers  and  directors  of
Company as a result of or in connection with the Merger.

                                       29
<PAGE>

         2.18 Statements;  Proxy Statement/Prospectus.  The information supplied
by Company for  inclusion in the  Registration  Statement (as defined in Section
3.4(b)) shall not at the time the  Registration  Statement is filed with the SEC
and at the time it becomes effective under the Securities Act contain any untrue
statement of a material  fact or omit to state any material  fact required to be
stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of
the  circumstances  under which they are made, not  misleading.  The information
supplied by Company for inclusion in the proxy  statement/prospectus  to be sent
to (a) the  stockholders  of Company in connection with the meeting of Company's
stockholders  to consider the approval  and adoption of this  Agreement  and the
approval  of the  Merger  (the  "Company  Stockholders'  Meeting")  (such  proxy
statement/prospectus  as amended or  supplemented  is  referred to herein as the
"Proxy    Statement/Prospectus")    shall   not,   on   the   date   the   Proxy
Statement/Prospectus is first mailed to Company's stockholders or at the time of
the Company  Stockholders'  Meeting,  contain any untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state  any  material  fact  required  to be  stated  therein  or
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances
under  which  they are  made,  not  false or  misleading;  or omit to state  any
material fact  necessary to correct any  statement in any earlier  communication
with  respect to the  solicitation  of  proxies  for the  Company  Stockholders'
Meeting  which has become false or  misleading.  The Proxy  Statement/Prospectus
will  comply as to form in all  material  respects  with the  provisions  of the
Securities Act, the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder. If at
any time prior to the Effective Time any event relating to Company or any of its
affiliates,  officers or  directors  should be  discovered  by Company  which is
required to be set forth in an  amendment  to the  Registration  Statement  or a
supplement  to the Proxy  Statement/Prospectus,  Company shall  promptly  inform
Parent.  Notwithstanding  the  foregoing,  Company  makes no  representation  or
warranty with respect to any information  supplied by Parent or Merger Sub which
is contained in any of the foregoing documents.

         2.19 Board  Approval.  The Board of Directors of Company has, as of the
date of this  Agreement,  determined  (i) that the Merger is fair to, and in the
best interests of Company and its  stockholders,  and (ii) to recommend that the
stockholders of Company approve and adopt this Agreement and approve the Merger.

     2.20 Fairness Opinion.  Company's Board of Directors has received a written
opinion from J. P. Morgan  Securities  Inc. dated as of the date hereof,  to the
effect that as of the date hereof, the Merger and the Exchange Ratio are fair to
Company's  stockholders  from a  financial  point of view and has  delivered  to
Parent a copy of such opinion.

         2.21  Section  203  of  the  Delaware   General   Corporation  Law  Not
Applicable.  The Board of Directors of Company has taken all actions so that the
restrictions  contained in Section 203 of the Delaware  General  Corporation Law
applicable to a "business combination" (as defined in such Section 203) will not
apply to the  execution,  delivery or  performance  of this  Agreement or to the
consummation  of the  Merger  or the  other  transactions  contemplated  by this
Agreement.

                                       30
<PAGE>

         2.22 Customs.  Company has acted with reasonable care to properly value
and classify,  in accordance with applicable tariff laws, rules and regulations,
all goods that Company or any of its subsidiaries  import into the United States
or into any other country (the "Imported Goods"). To Company's knowledge,  there
are currently no material  claims pending  against  Company by the U.S.  Customs
Service  (or other  foreign  customs  authorities)  relating  to the  valuation,
classification or marking of the Imported Goods.


                                   ARTICLE III
                        REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF
                              PARENT AND MERGER SUB

         Parent and Merger Sub represent and warrant to Company,  subject to the
exceptions  specifically  disclosed  in  writing  in the  disclosure  letter and
referencing a specific  representation supplied by Parent to Company dated as of
the date  hereof and  certified  by a duly  authorized  officer  of Parent  (the
"Parent Schedules"), as follows:

         3.1      Organization of Parent and Merger Sub.

                  (a) Each of Parent and Merger  Sub (i) is a  corporation  duly
organized,  validly  existing  and  in  good  standing  under  the  laws  of the
jurisdiction in which it is organized; (ii) has the corporate or other power and
authority to own,  lease and operate its assets and property and to carry on its
business as now being conducted;  and (iii),  except as would not be material to
Parent, is duly qualified or licensed to do business in each jurisdiction  where
the character of the properties owned, leased or operated by it or the nature of
its activities makes such qualification or licensing necessary.

                  (b) Parent has  delivered or made  available to Company a true
and correct copy of the Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws of Parent,  each
as  amended  to date,  and each such  instrument  is in full  force and  effect.
Neither  Parent  nor  any  of its  subsidiaries  is in  violation  of any of the
provisions of its Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws or equivalent governing
instruments.

         3.2 Parent and Merger Sub Capital  Structure.  The  authorized  capital
stock of Parent  consists of 300,000,000  shares of Common Stock, of which there
were  69,920,883  shares  issued and  outstanding  as of December 31, 1997,  and
5,000,000  shares of Preferred  Stock,  of which one share of Series A Preferred
Stock is issued and outstanding.  All outstanding  shares of Parent Common Stock
are duly authorized,  validly issued,  fully paid and  nonassessable and are not
subject to preemptive  rights created by statute,  the Articles of Incorporation
or Bylaws of Parent or any  agreement  or document to which Parent is a party or
by which it is bound. The authorized capital stock of Merger Sub consists of 100
shares of Common Stock,  $0.01 par value,  all of which,  as of the date hereof,
are issued and outstanding  and are held by Parent.  Merger Sub was formed on or
about February 19, 1998, for the purpose of  consummating  the Merger and has no
material assets or liabilities except as necessary for such purpose.

                                       31
<PAGE>

         3.3      Authority.

                  (a) Each of Parent and Merger Sub has all requisite  corporate
power  and  authority  to enter  into,  as  applicable,  this  Agreement  and to
consummate the transactions  contemplated hereby and thereby.  The execution and
delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated
hereby and thereby have been duly authorized by all necessary  corporate  action
on the  part of  Parent  and  Merger  Sub,  subject  only to the  filing  of the
Certificate  of Merger  pursuant to Delaware Law.  This  Agreement has been duly
executed and  delivered  by each of Parent and Merger Sub and,  assuming the due
authorization,  execution  and  delivery by Company,  constitutes  the valid and
binding  obligation  of Parent and Merger Sub,  enforceable  against  Parent and
Merger Sub in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited
by  bankruptcy  and other  similar laws and general  principles  of equity.  The
execution  and delivery of this  Agreement by each of Parent and Merger Sub does
not, and the performance of this Agreement by each of Parent and Merger Sub will
not, (i) conflict with or violate the Certificate of  Incorporation or Bylaws of
Parent or Merger Sub, (ii) conflict with or violate any law,  rule,  regulation,
order,  judgment or decree applicable to Parent or Merger Sub or by which any of
their respective properties is bound or affected or (iii) result in any material
breach of or  constitute  a material  default  (or an event that with  notice or
lapse of time or both would become a material default) under, or impair Parent's
rights or alter the rights or obligations  of any third party under,  or give to
others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, or
result in the creation of a material lien or  encumbrance on any of the material
properties  or assets of Parent or Merger Sub pursuant  to, any  material  note,
bond,  mortgage,   indenture,   contract,  agreement,  lease,  license,  permit,
franchise or other  instrument  or obligation to which Parent or Merger Sub is a
party or by which Parent or Merger Sub or any of their respective properties are
bound or affected.

                  (b) No  consent,  approval,  order  or  authorization  of,  or
registration,  declaration or filing with any Governmental Entity is required to
be obtained or made by Parent or Merger Sub in connection with the execution and
delivery of this Agreement or the consummation of the Merger, except for (i) the
filing  of a Form  S-4 (or any  similar  successor  form  thereto)  Registration
Statement (the  "Registration  Statement")  with the SEC in accordance  with the
Securities  Act, (ii) the filing of the Certificate of Merger with the Secretary
of State of the State of  Delaware,  (iii)  such  consents,  approvals,  orders,
authorizations, registrations, declarations and filings as may be required under
applicable  federal,  foreign and state securities (or related) laws and the HSR
Act and the  securities or antitrust laws of any foreign  country,  and (v) such
other consents,  authorizations,  filings,  approvals and registrations which if
not  obtained  or made  would not be  material  to Parent or  Company  or have a
material  adverse  effect on the ability of the parties hereto to consummate the
Merger.


                                       32
<PAGE>


         3.4      SEC Filings; Parent Financial Statements.

                  (a) Parent has filed all forms, reports and documents required
to be filed by Parent with the SEC since January 1, 1997, and has made available
to Company such forms, reports and documents in the form filed with the SEC. All
such required forms, reports and documents (including those that Parent may file
subsequent  to the date  hereof)  are  referred  to  herein as the  "Parent  SEC
Reports." As of their respective dates, the Parent SEC Reports (i) were prepared
in accordance  with the  requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act,
as the  case  may be,  and  the  rules  and  regulations  of the SEC  thereunder
applicable  to such Parent SEC  Reports,  and (ii) did not at the time they were
filed  (or if  amended  or  superseded  by a  filing  prior  to the date of this
Agreement,  then on the date of such filing)  contain any untrue  statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated  therein or
necessary  in  order  to  make  the  statements  therein,  in the  light  of the
circumstances  under  which they were made,  not  misleading.  None of  Parent's
subsidiaries is required to file any forms,  reports or other documents with the
SEC.

                  (b) The Company's revenue  recognition  practices and policies
have  been  and  will be  consistent  with SOP  97-2.  Each of the  consolidated
financial  statements  (including,  in each case,  any  related  notes  thereto)
contained  in the Parent SEC Reports (the "Parent  Financials"),  including  any
Parent SEC Reports  filed after the date hereof until the Closing,  (i) complied
as to form in all material  respects with the published rules and regulations of
the SEC with respect thereto,  (ii) was prepared in accordance with GAAP applied
on a  consistent  basis  throughout  the  periods  involved  (except  as  may be
indicated in the notes  thereto or, in the case of unaudited  interim  financial
statements,  as may be permitted by the SEC on Form 10-Q under the Exchange Act)
and (iii) fairly presented the consolidated financial position of Parent and its
subsidiaries as at the respective dates thereof and the consolidated  results of
Parent's  operations and cash flows for the periods  indicated,  except that the
unaudited interim financial statements may not contain footnotes and were or are
subject to normal and  recurring  year-end  adjustments.  The  balance  sheet of
Parent  contained in Parent SEC Reports as of December  31, 1997 is  hereinafter
referred to as the "Parent Balance Sheet."

     3.5  Absence  of Certain  Changes  or Events.  Since the date of the Parent
Balance Sheet there has not been any Material Adverse Effect on Parent.

         3.6 Statements; Proxy Statement/Prospectus. The information supplied by
Parent for  inclusion in the  Registration  Statement  shall not at the time the
Registration  Statement  is  filed  with  the  SEC and at the  time  it  becomes
effective under the Securities Act,  contain any untrue  statement of a material
fact or omit to state  any  material  fact  required  to be  stated  therein  or
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances
under which they are made, not misleading.  The  information  supplied by Parent
for inclusion in the Proxy Statement/Prospectus shall not, on the date the Proxy
Statement/Prospectus is first mailed to Company's stockholders or at the time of
the Company  Stockholders'  Meeting  contain any untrue  statement of a material
fact or omit to state  any  material  fact  required  to be  stated  therein  or
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances
under  which  they are  made,  not  false or  misleading;  or omit to state  any
material fact  necessary to correct any  statement in any earlier  communication
with  respect to the  solicitation  of  proxies  for the  Company  Stockholders'
Meeting  which  has  become  false or  misleading.  If at any time  prior to the
Effective Time, any event relating to Parent or any of its affiliates,  officers
or directors should be discovered by Parent which is required to be set forth in
an  amendment  to the  Registration  Statement  or a  supplement  to  the  Proxy
Statement/Prospectus,  Parent shall promptly inform Company. Notwithstanding the
foregoing,  Parent  makes no  representation  or  warranty  with  respect to any
information  supplied  by Company  which is  contained  in any of the  foregoing
documents.

                                       33
<PAGE>

         3.7 Valid Issuance. The Parent Common Stock to be issued in the Merger,
when issued in accordance  with the  provisions of this  Agreement:  (a) will be
validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable; and (b) will not be subject to any
restrictions on resale under the Securities Act, other than restrictions imposed
by Rule 145 promulgated under the Securities Act.


                                   ARTICLE IV
                       CONDUCT PRIOR TO THE EFFECTIVE TIME

         4.1 Conduct of Business by Company.  During the period from the date of
this  Agreement  and  continuing  until the earlier of the  termination  of this
Agreement  pursuant to its terms or the Effective Time,  Company and each of its
subsidiaries  shall, except to the extent that Parent shall otherwise consent in
writing,  carry on its business, in all material respects, in the usual, regular
and ordinary course,  in substantially  the same manner as heretofore  conducted
and in compliance  with all applicable laws and  regulations,  pay its debts and
taxes when due subject to good faith  disputes over such debts or taxes,  pay or
perform other material obligations when due, and use its commercially reasonable
efforts  consistent  with past practices and policies to (i) preserve intact its
present business  organization,  (ii) keep available the services of its present
officers and  employees and (iii)  preserve its  relationships  with  customers,
suppliers,  distributors,  licensors,  licensees,  and others  with which it has
business  dealings.  In addition,  Company will  promptly  notify  Parent of any
material event involving its business or operations.

         In addition,  except as permitted by the terms of this  Agreement,  and
except as  provided  in Article 4 of the  Company  Schedules,  without the prior
written consent of Parent, during the period from the date of this Agreement and
continuing  until the earlier of the  termination of this Agreement  pursuant to
its terms or the Effective  Time,  Company shall not do any of the following and
shall not permit its subsidiaries to do any of the following:

                  (a) Waive any stock repurchase  rights,  accelerate,  amend or
change the period of  exercisability  of options or restricted stock, or reprice
options granted under any employee, consultant, director or other stock plans or
authorize  cash  payments in exchange for any options  granted under any of such
plans;

                                       34
<PAGE>

                  (b) Grant any severance or  termination  pay to any officer or
employee  except  pursuant  to  written  agreements  outstanding,   or  policies
existing,  on the date  hereof and as  previously  disclosed  in writing or made
available to Parent, or adopt any new severance plan;

                  (c)  Transfer or license to any person or entity or  otherwise
extend,  amend or modify  in any  material  respect  any  rights to the  Company
Intellectual  Property, or enter into grants to future patent rights, other than
non-exclusive  licenses in the ordinary  course of business and consistent  with
past practice;

                  (d)  Declare,  set aside or pay any  dividends  on or make any
other  distributions  (whether in cash, stock, equity securities or property) in
respect of any capital stock or split,  combine or reclassify  any capital stock
or issue or  authorize  the issuance of any other  securities  in respect of, in
lieu of or in substitution for any capital stock;

                  (e)  Purchase,   redeem  or  otherwise  acquire,  directly  or
indirectly,  any shares of capital stock of Company or its subsidiaries,  except
repurchases  issued  shared at fair market value in  connection  with  employees
exercised  of options  pursuant to the  Company's  Stock Option Plan of unvested
shares at cost in connection with the termination of the employment relationship
with any employee  pursuant to stock option or purchase  agreements in effect on
the date hereof;

                  (f)  Issue,  deliver,  sell,  authorize,  pledge or  otherwise
encumber or propose any of the  foregoing of, any shares of capital stock or any
securities  convertible into shares of capital stock, or subscriptions,  rights,
warrants  or options to acquire  any shares of capital  stock or any  securities
convertible  into shares of capital  stock,  or enter into other  agreements  or
commitments  of  any  character  obligating  it to  issue  any  such  shares  or
convertible  securities,  other than the  issuance  delivery  and/or sale of (i)
shares of  Company  Common  Stock  pursuant  to the  exercise  of stock  options
therefor  outstanding  as of the  date of this  Agreement,  and (ii)  shares  of
Company Common Stock issuable to  participants  in the ESPP  consistent with the
terms thereof;

                  (g)  Cause,  permit  or  propose  any  amendments  to  its
Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws or other charter documents (or similar
governing instruments of any of its subsidiaries);

                  (h)  Acquire or agree to  acquire by merging or  consolidating
with, or by purchasing any equity  interest in or a portion of the assets of, or
by any other manner, any business or any corporation,  partnership,  association
or other business  organization  or division  thereof,  or otherwise  acquire or
agree  to  acquire  any  assets  which  are  material,  individually  or in  the
aggregate, to the business of Company or enter into any material joint ventures,
strategic partnerships or alliances;

                  (i) Sell, lease, license, encumber or otherwise dispose of any
properties or assets which are material,  individually  or in the aggregate,  to
the business of Company,  except  sales of  inventory in the ordinary  course of
business consistent with past practice;

                                       35
<PAGE>

                  (j) Incur any indebtedness for borrowed money or guarantee any
such  indebtedness  of  another  person,  issue or sell any debt  securities  or
options,  warrants,  calls or other  rights to acquire  any debt  securities  of
Company, enter into any "keep well" or other agreement to maintain any financial
statement  condition or enter into any arrangement having the economic effect of
any of the foregoing other than (i) in connection with the financing of ordinary
course trade payables consistent with past practice or (ii) pursuant to existing
credit facilities in the ordinary course of business;

                  (k) Adopt or amend any employee benefit plan or employee stock
purchase or employee stock option plan, or enter into any employment contract or
collective  bargaining agreement (other than offer letters and letter agreements
entered into in the ordinary  course of business  consistent  with past practice
with employees who are terminable "at will,"),  pay any special bonus or special
remuneration to any director or employee, or increase the salaries or wage rates
or fringe benefits  (including  rights to severance or  indemnification)  of its
directors,  officers, employees or consultants other than in the ordinary course
of business,  consistent with past practice,  or change in any material  respect
any management policies or procedures;

               (l) Make any payments  outside of the ordinary course of business
in excess of $250,000;

                  (m) except in the ordinary course of business,  modify,  amend
or  terminate  any  material  contract  or  agreement  to which  Company  or any
subsidiary thereof is a party or waive, release or assign any material rights or
claims thereunder;

                  (n)  enter  into any  contracts,  agreements,  or  obligations
relating to the  distribution,  sale,  license or marketing by third  parties of
Company's  products or products  licensed by Company  other than in the ordinary
course of business consistent with past practice;

                  (o)  materially  revalue any of its assets or, except as
required by  GAAP,  make  any  change  in  accounting  methods,  principles  or 
practices;

                  (p)  Take  any  action  that  would be  reasonably  likely  to
interfere  with  Parent's  ability  to  account  for the  Merger as a pooling of
interests  whether or not otherwise  permitted by the provisions of this Article
IV;

                    (q)  Engage  in any  action  with the  intent  to  directly 
or  indirectly adversely impact any of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement; or

                    (r) Agree in writing or otherwise  to take any of the 
actions  described in Article 4 (a) through (q) above.

                                       36
<PAGE>

         4.2 Conduct of  Business by Parent.  During the period from the date of
this  Agreement  and  continuing  until the earlier of the  termination  of this
Agreement  pursuant to its terms or the Effective  Time,  except as permitted by
the terms of this  Agreement  and except as  provided in Article 4 of the Parent
Schedules, without the prior written consent of Company (which consent shall not
be unreasonably withheld), during the period from the date of this Agreement and
continuing  until the earlier of the  termination of this Agreement  pursuant to
its terms or the Effective Time, Parent shall not do any of the following:

                  (a)  Declare,  set aside or pay any  dividends  on or make any
other  distributions  (whether in cash, stock, equity securities or property) in
respect of any capital stock or split,  combine or reclassify  any capital stock
or issue or  authorize  the issuance of any other  securities  in respect of, in
lieu of or in substitution for any capital stock;

                  (b)      Take any action that would be reasonably  likely to
interfere  with Parent's  ability to account for the Merger as a pooling of 
interests; or

                  (c) Acquire or enter into any  agreement to acquire a majority
of the voting  securities or substantially  all of the assets of any corporation
or other business entity (other than Company), whether by merger, consolidation,
stock tender or otherwise,  provided, however, that nothing herein shall prevent
Parent from doing any of the foregoing until such time as the consideration paid
by Parent (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of Parent as of
the time such  acquisition is approved by such Board or as of such other time as
such Board may  determine)  to acquire such voting  securities or assets (in any
individual case or in the aggregate) shall exceed $300,000,000.


                                    ARTICLE V
                              ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS

         5.1      Proxy Statement/Prospectus; Registration Statement; 
                  Other Filings; Board Recommendations.

                  (a) As promptly as  practicable  after the  execution  of this
Agreement,  Company and Parent will  prepare,  and file with the SEC,  the Proxy
Statement/Prospectus  and  Parent  will  prepare  and  file  with  the  SEC  the
Registration Statement in which the Proxy  Statement/Prospectus will be included
as a prospectus.  Each of Company and Parent will respond to any comments of the
SEC,  will  use its  respective  commercially  reasonable  efforts  to have  the
Registration  Statement  declared effective under the Securities Act as promptly
as   practicable   after  such   filing  and   Company   will  cause  the  Proxy
Statement/Prospectus   to  be  mailed  to  its   stockholders  at  the  earliest
practicable time after the Registration  Statement is declared  effective by the
SEC.  As  promptly  as  practicable  after the date of this  Agreement,  each of
Company and Parent will prepare and file any other filings  required to be filed
by it under the Exchange Act, the Securities  Act or any other Federal,  foreign
or Blue  Sky or  related  laws  relating  to the  Merger  and  the  transactions
contemplated by this Agreement (the "Other Filings"). Each of Company and Parent
will notify the other  promptly upon the receipt of any comments from the SEC or
its staff or any other government officials and of any request by the SEC or its
staff or any other  government  officials for  amendments or  supplements to the
Registration  Statement,  the Proxy  Statement/Prospectus or any Other Filing or

                                       37
<PAGE>

for  additional  information  and will  supply  the  other  with  copies  of all
correspondence  between  such  party or any of its  representatives,  on the one
hand, and the SEC, or its staff or any other government officials,  on the other
hand,    with    respect   to   the    Registration    Statement,    the   Proxy
Statement/Prospectus, the Merger or any Other Filing. Each of Company and Parent
will cause all documents that it is responsible for filing with the SEC or other
regulatory  authorities  under  this  Section  5.1(a) to comply in all  material
respects with all applicable  requirements  of law and the rules and regulations
promulgated  thereunder.  Whenever  any event occurs which is required to be set
forth in an  amendment  or  supplement  to the Proxy  Statement/Prospectus,  the
Registration  Statement or any Other Filing,  Company or Parent, as the case may
be, will promptly  inform the other of such  occurrence  and cooperate in filing
with the SEC or its staff or any other government  officials,  and/or mailing to
stockholders of Company, such amendment or supplement.

                  (b)  The   Proxy   Statement/Prospectus   will   include   the
recommendation  of the Board of  Directors  of Company in favor of adoption  and
approval of this Agreement and approval of the Merger.

         5.2 Meeting of Company  Stockholders.  Promptly  after the date hereof,
Company will take all action  necessary in accordance  with the Delaware Law and
its Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws to convene the Company Stockholders'
Meeting to be held as promptly as  practicable,  and in any event (to the extent
permissible  under  applicable  law)  within 45 days  after the  declaration  of
effectiveness of the Registration Statement, for the purpose of voting upon this
Agreement  and the  Merger or the  issuance  of shares  of Parent  Common  Stock
pursuant  to  the  Merger,  respectively.  Company  will  use  its  commercially
reasonable  efforts to  solicit  from its  stockholders  proxies in favor of the
adoption and approval of this  Agreement and the approval of the Merger and will
take all other  action  necessary  or advisable to secure the vote or consent of
its stockholders  required by the rules of Nasdaq or Delaware Law to obtain such
approvals.

         5.3      Confidentiality; Access to Information.

                  (a) The  parties  acknowledge  that  Company  and Parent  have
previously executed a Mutual Confidentiality  Agreement, dated as of February 4,
1998 (the "Confidentiality  Agreement"),  which  Confidentiality  Agreement will
continue in full force and effect in accordance with its terms.

                  (b) Access to  Information.  Each of Company  and Parent  will
afford the other and the other's accountants,  counsel and other representatives
reasonable  access  during normal  business  hours to their  properties,  books,
records  and  personnel  and during the period  prior to the  Effective  Time to
obtain all information concerning the business,  including the status of product
development efforts,  properties,  results of their operations and personnel, as
the other may reasonably request. No information or knowledge obtained by Parent
in any  investigation  pursuant to this  Section 5.3 will affect or be deemed to
modify any  representation or warranty contained herein or the conditions to the
obligations of the parties to consummate the Merger.


                                       38
<PAGE>


         5.4      No Solicitation.

                  (a)  From  and  after  the date of this  Agreement  until  the
Effective Time or  termination  of this Agreement  pursuant to its terms Company
and its  subsidiaries  will not, nor will they  authorize or permit any of their
respective officers or directors or employees or any investment banker, attorney
or other  advisor or  representative  retained  by any of them to,  directly  or
indirectly, (i) solicit, initiate or encourage the submission of any Acquisition
Proposal (as  hereinafter  defined) or (ii)  participate  in any  discussions or
negotiations regarding, or furnish to any person any non-public information with
respect to, or take any other action to  facilitate  any inquiries or the making
of any proposal that  constitutes  or may reasonably be expected to lead to, any
Acquisition  Proposal.  Company and its subsidiaries  will immediately cease any
and all  existing  activities,  discussions  or  negotiations  with any  parties
conducted heretofore with respect to any Acquisition Proposal.  Without limiting
the foregoing,  it is understood that any action taken by any officer,  director
or  employee of Company or any of its  subsidiaries  or any  investment  banker,
attorney  or  other  advisor  or   representative  of  Company  or  any  of  its
subsidiaries  that if taken by the  Company  would  constitute  a breach  by the
Company  of the  immediately  preceding  two  sentences  shall be deemed to be a
breach  of  this  Section  5.4 by  Company.  For  purposes  of  this  Agreement,
"Acquisition  Proposal" means any inquiry,  proposal or offer from any person or
"group" (as defined  under  Section  13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and
regulations  thereunder)  relating  to any  direct or  indirect  acquisition  or
purchase of a substantial amount of assets of Company or any of its subsidiaries
(other  than the  purchase  of  Company's  products  in the  ordinary  course of
business) or more than a 20% interest in the total voting  securities of Company
or any of its  subsidiaries  or any  tender  offer  or  exchange  offer  that if
consummated  would  result in any person or "group"  (as defined  under  Section
13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder) beneficially
owning  20% or more of the total  voting  securities  of  Company  or any of its
subsidiaries  or  any  merger,  consolidation,  business  combination,  sale  of
substantially  all the assets,  recapitalization,  liquidation,  dissolution  or
similar transaction involving Company or any of its subsidiaries, other than the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

                  (b)  Neither  the  Board  of  Directors  of  Company  nor  any
committee  thereof shall (i) withdraw or modify, or propose publicly to withdraw
or  modify,  in a manner  adverse  to Parent  or Merger  Sub,  the  approval  or
recommendation  by  such  Board  of  Directors  or any  such  committee  of this
Agreement  or the  Merger or (ii)  cause  Company  to enter  into any  letter of
intent, agreement in principle, acquisition agreement or other similar agreement
(an  "Acquisition  Agreement")  with  respect to any  Acquisition  Proposal.  In
addition,  from and after the date of this  Agreement  until the  earlier of the
Effective Time and termination of this Agreement pursuant to its terms,  Company
and its  subsidiaries  will not, nor will they  authorize or permit any of their
respective officers,  directors or employees or any investment banker,  attorney
or other  advisor or  representative  retained  by any of them to,  directly  or
indirectly,   make  or  authorize  any  public   statement,   recommendation  or
solicitation in support of any Acquisition Proposal.

                                       39
<PAGE>

                  (c) In  addition  to the  obligations  of Company set forth in
paragraphs  (a) and (b) of this Section 5.4,  Company as promptly as practicable
shall  advise  Parent  orally  and in  writing  of any  request  for  non-public
information  which  Company  reasonably  believes  would lead to an  Acquisition
Proposal or of any Acquisition Proposal, or any inquiry with respect to or which
Company  reasonably should believe would lead to any Acquisition  Proposal,  the
material terms and conditions of such request,  Acquisition Proposal or inquiry,
and the identity of the person making any such request,  Acquisition Proposal or
inquiry.  Company  will keep  Parent  informed in all  material  respects of the
status and details (including material amendments or proposed amendments) of any
such request, Acquisition Proposal or inquiry.

                  (d) Nothing contained in this Section 5.4 or elsewhere in this
Agreement  shall  prohibit  Company  from  (i)  taking  and  disclosing  to  its
stockholders  a position  contemplated  by Rules 14d-9 and 14e-2(a)  promulgated
under the Exchange Act or (ii) making any  disclosure to Company's  stockholders
if, in the good faith  judgment  of the  majority of the members of the Board of
Directors of Company, after consultation with independent legal counsel, failure
to so disclose would be inconsistent with applicable laws; provided that none of
Company nor its Board of Directors nor any committee  thereof shall  withdraw or
modify, or publicly propose to withdraw or modify,  its position with respect to
this  Agreement or the Merger or approve or recommend,  or propose to approve or
recommend, an Acquisition Proposal.

         5.5 Public Disclosure. Parent and Company will consult with each other,
and to the  extent  practicable,  agree,  before  issuing  any press  release or
otherwise making any public statement with respect to the Merger, this Agreement
or an Acquisition Proposal and will not issue any such press release or make any
such public statement prior to such  consultation,  except as may be required by
law or any listing agreement with a national  securities  exchange.  The parties
have agreed to the text of the joint  press  release  announcing  the signing of
this Agreement.

         5.6      Reasonable Efforts; Notification.

                  (a) Upon the terms and subject to the  conditions set forth in
this  Agreement,  each of the parties  agrees to use all  reasonable  efforts to
take, or cause to be taken, all actions,  and to do, or cause to be done, and to
assist and  cooperate  with the other  parties in doing,  all things  necessary,
proper or advisable to consummate and make  effective,  in the most  expeditious
manner practicable,  the Merger and the other transactions  contemplated by this
Agreement,  including using reasonable efforts to accomplish the following:  (i)
the taking of all reasonable  acts  necessary to cause the conditions  precedent
set forth in Article VI to be  satisfied,  (ii) the  obtaining of all  necessary
actions or nonactions,  waivers, consents,  approvals, orders and authorizations
from  Governmental  Entities  and the  making  of all  necessary  registrations,
declarations and filings (including registrations, declarations and filings with
Governmental  Entities, if any) and the taking of all reasonable steps as may be
necessary to avoid any suit, claim,  action,  investigation or proceeding by any
Governmental Entity, (iii) the obtaining of all necessary consents, approvals or
waivers from third parties,  (iv) the defending of any suits,  claims,  actions,
investigations or proceedings,  whether judicial or administrative,  challenging
this Agreement or the  consummation  of the  transactions  contemplated  hereby,

                                       40
<PAGE>

including seeking to have any stay or temporary restraining order entered by any
court or other Governmental  Entity vacated or reversed and (v) the execution or
delivery of any additional  instruments necessary to consummate the transactions
contemplated  by, and to fully carry out the  purposes  of, this  Agreement.  In
connection  with and without  limiting the  foregoing,  Company and its Board of
Directors  shall, if any state takeover statute or similar statute or regulation
is  or  becomes  applicable  to  the  Merger,  this  Agreement  or  any  of  the
transactions  contemplated  by this  Agreement,  use all  reasonable  efforts to
ensure that the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement
may be consummated as promptly as practicable on the terms  contemplated by this
Agreement  and otherwise to minimize the effect of such statute or regulation on
the  Merger,   this  Agreement  and  the   transactions   contemplated   hereby.
Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, nothing in this Agreement shall
be deemed to require Parent or Company or any subsidiary or affiliate thereof to
agree to any divestiture by itself or any of its affiliates of shares of capital
stock or of any business,  assets or property, or the imposition of any material
limitation on the ability of any of them to conduct  their  businesses or to own
or exercise control of such assets, properties and stock.

                  (b)  Company  shall  give  prompt  notice  to  Parent  of  any
representation  or warranty  made by it  contained  in this  Agreement  becoming
untrue or inaccurate, or any failure of Company to comply with or satisfy in any
material  respect any  covenant,  condition or agreement to be complied  with or
satisfied by it under this Agreement, in each case, such that the conditions set
forth in Section  6.3(a) or 6.3(b) would not be  satisfied,  provided,  however,
that  no  such  notification  shall  affect  the  representations,   warranties,
covenants or agreements of the parties or the  conditions to the  obligations of
the parties under this Agreement.

                  (c)  Parent  shall  give  prompt  notice  to  Company  of  any
representation  or warranty made by it or Merger Sub contained in this Agreement
becoming untrue or inaccurate,  or any failure of Parent or Merger Sub to comply
with or satisfy in any material respect any covenant,  condition or agreement to
be complied  with or satisfied by it under this  Agreement,  in each case,  such
that  the  conditions  set  forth in  Section  6.2(a)  or  6.2(b)  would  not be
satisfied,  provided,  however,  that  no such  notification  shall  affect  the
representations,  warranties,  covenants  or  agreements  of the  parties or the
conditions to the obligations of the parties under this Agreement.

         5.7 Third Party  Consents.  As soon as  practicable  following the date
hereof, Parent and Company will each use its commercially  reasonable efforts to
obtain any consents, waivers and approvals under any of its or its subsidiaries'
respective agreements,  contracts, licenses or leases required to be obtained in
connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.

         5.8      Stock Options and Employee Benefits.

                  (a) At the Effective Time, each outstanding option to purchase
shares of Company Common Stock (each a "Company Stock Option") under the Company
Stock Option Plans, whether or not exercisable,  will be assumed by Parent. Each
Company Stock Option so assumed by Parent under this  Agreement will continue to

                                       41
<PAGE>

have,  and be  subject  to,  the same  terms  and  conditions  set  forth in the
applicable  Company Stock Option Plan  immediately  prior to the Effective  Time
(including,  without limitation,  any repurchase rights or vesting  provisions),
except that (i) each Company  Stock Option will be  exercisable  (or will become
exercisable  in  accordance  with its terms) for that number of whole  shares of
Parent  Common  Stock  equal to the  product  of the number of shares of Company
Common  Stock that were  issuable  upon  exercise of such  Company  Stock Option
immediately  prior to the  Effective  Time  multiplied  by the  Exchange  Ratio,
rounded down to the nearest  whole  number of shares of Parent  Common Stock and
(ii) the per share exercise price for the shares of Parent Common Stock issuable
upon exercise of such assumed Company Stock Option will be equal to the quotient
determined by dividing the exercise  price per share of Company  Common Stock at
which  such  Company  Stock  Option  was  exercisable  immediately  prior to the
Effective Time by the Exchange Ratio, rounded up to the nearest whole cent.

                  (b) It is  intended  that  Company  Stock  Options  assumed by
Parent shall qualify  following the Effective Time as incentive stock options as
defined in Section 422 of the Code to the extent Company Stock Options qualified
as incentive  stock  options  immediately  prior to the  Effective  Time and the
provisions of this Section 5.8 shall be applied consistent with such intent.

                  (c) At the Effective Time, each outstanding purchase right (an
"Assumed  Purchase  Right")  under  the ESPP  shall be deemed  to  constitute  a
purchase right to acquire,  on the same terms and conditions as were  applicable
under the ESPP  immediately  prior to the Effective  Time, a number of shares of
Parent Common Stock  determined as provided in the ESPP except that the purchase
price of such shares of Parent  Common Stock under each Assumed  Purchase  Right
shall be the  lower  of (i) the  quotient  determined  by  dividing  eighty-five
percent  (85%)  of the fair  market  value of the  Company  Common  Stock on the
offering date of each assumed offering by the Exchange Ratio or (ii) eighty-five
percent  (85%)  of the fair  market  value of the  Parent  Common  Stock on each
exercise date of the assumed  offering  occurring  after the Effective  Time. As
soon as  practicable  after the  Effective  Time,  Parent  shall  deliver to the
participants  in the ESPP  appropriate  notice setting forth such  participants'
rights pursuant  thereto and that the purchase rights pursuant to the ESPP shall
continue in effect on the same terms and conditions.

         5.9 Form S-8.  Parent agrees to file a  registration  statement on Form
S-8 for the  shares of Parent  Common  Stock  issuable  with  respect to assumed
Company  Stock  Options and Assumed  Purchase  Right  within five days after the
Effective Time and intends to maintain the  effectiveness  of such  registration
statement  thereafter  for so long as any of such options or other rights remain
outstanding.

         5.10     Indemnification.

                  (a) From and after the  Effective  Time,  Parent will and will
cause  the  Surviving  Corporation  to  fulfill  and honor in all  respects  the
obligations  of  Company  pursuant  to any  indemnification  agreements  between
Company  and  its  directors  and  officers  as  of  the  Effective   Time  (the
"Indemnified  Parties")  and  any  indemnification  provisions  under  Company's
Certificate  of  Incorporation  or Bylaws as in effect on the date  hereof.  The

                                       42
<PAGE>

Certificate  of  Incorporation  and By-laws of the  Surviving  Corporation  will
contain provisions with respect to exculpation and  indemnification  that are at
least  as  favorable  to the  Indemnified  Parties  as  those  contained  in the
Certificate  of  Incorporation  and  Bylaws of  Company as in effect on the date
hereof, which provisions will not be amended, repealed or otherwise modified for
a period of six years from the Effective Time in any manner that would adversely
affect  the rights  thereunder  of  individuals  who,  immediately  prior to the
Effective Time, were directors, officers, employees or agents of Company, unless
such  modification is required by law. The foregoing  parties are expressly made
third party beneficiaries to the provisions of this Section 5.10.

                  (b) For a period of six years after the Effective Time, Parent
will cause the Surviving Corporation to use its commercially  reasonable efforts
to  maintain  in  effect,  if  available,  directors'  and  officers'  liability
insurance  covering  those  persons  who  are  currently  covered  by  Company's
directors' and officers' liability insurance policy on terms comparable to those
applicable to the current directors and officers of Company; provided,  however,
that in no event will Parent or the Surviving  Corporation be required to expend
annual  premiums in excess of $200,000 for such coverage (or such coverage as is
available for such annual premium of $200,000).

         5.11 Nasdaq  Listing.  Parent agrees to authorize for listing on Nasdaq
the shares of Parent Common Stock  issuable,  and those  required to be reserved
for issuance, in connection with the Merger, upon official notice of issuance.

         5.12 Company Affiliate Agreement. Set forth on the Company Schedules is
a list of  those  persons  who may be  deemed  to be,  in  Company's  reasonable
judgment, affiliates of Company within the meaning of Rule 145 promulgated under
the  Securities  Act (each a "Company  Affiliate").  Company will provide Parent
with such information and documents as Parent  reasonably  requests for purposes
of reviewing such list. Company will use its commercially  reasonable efforts to
deliver or cause to be delivered  to Parent,  as promptly as  practicable  on or
following  the date hereof,  from each Company  Affiliate an executed  affiliate
agreement in  substantially  the form attached hereto as Exhibit C (the "Company
Affiliate Agreement"),  each of which will be in full force and effect as of the
Effective  Time.  Parent will be entitled  to place  appropriate  legends on the
certificates  evidencing  any Parent  Common  Stock to be  received by a Company
Affiliate pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, and to issue appropriate stop
transfer  instructions  to the  transfer  agent  for the  Parent  Common  Stock,
consistent with the terms of the Company Affiliate  Agreement.  The Company will
also use  reasonable  effort to cause  Steve  Smaha to execute a Company  Voting
Agreement.

         5.13  Regulatory  Filings;  Reasonable  Efforts.  As  soon  as  may  be
reasonably  practicable,  Company  and  Parent  each  shall file with the United
States Federal Trade  Commission  (the "FTC") and the Antitrust  Division of the
United  States  Department  of Justice  ("DOJ")  Notification  and Report  Forms
relating to the transactions  contemplated herein as required by the HSR Act, as
well  as  comparable  pre-merger  notification  forms  required  by  the  merger
notification or control laws and regulations of any applicable jurisdiction,  as
agreed to by the parties.  Company and Parent each shall promptly (a) supply the
other with any  information  which may be required in order to  effectuate  such
filings  and (b) supply  any  additional  information  which  reasonably  may be
required by the FTC, the DOJ or the competition or merger control authorities of
any other jurisdiction and which the parties may reasonably deem appropriate.

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<PAGE>


                                   ARTICLE VI
                            CONDITIONS TO THE MERGER

         6.1 Conditions to  Obligations of Each Party to Effect the Merger.  The
respective  obligations  of each  party to this  Agreement  to effect the Merger
shall be  subject to the  satisfaction  at or prior to the  Closing  Date of the
following conditions:

               (a) Company Stockholder Approval.  This Agreement shall have been
approved and adopted, and the Merger shall have been duly approved, by
the requisite vote under applicable law, by the stockholders of
Company.

                  (b) Registration Statement Effective; Proxy Statement;  Nasdaq
Listing. The SEC shall have declared the Registration  Statement  effective.  No
stop order suspending the  effectiveness  of the  Registration  Statement or any
part thereof shall have been issued and no proceeding  for that purpose,  and no
similar proceeding in respect of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus, shall have been
initiated  or  threatened  in writing by the SEC. The shares to be issued in the
Merger and under the  Company  Stock Plan shall be  approved  for listing on the
Nasdaq National Market.

                  (c) No Order;  HSR Act.  No  Governmental  Entity  shall  have
enacted, issued, promulgated, enforced or entered any statute, rule, regulation,
executive  order,   decree,   injunction  or  other  order  (whether  temporary,
preliminary or permanent)  which is in effect and which has the effect of making
the Merger  illegal or otherwise  prohibiting  consummation  of the Merger.  All
waiting  periods,  if  any,  under  the  HSR Act  relating  to the  transactions
contemplated  hereby  will have  expired or  terminated  early and all  material
foreign  antitrust  approvals  required  to be  obtained  prior to the Merger in
connection with the transactions contemplated hereby shall have been obtained.

                  (d) Tax Opinions.  Parent and Company shall each have received
written  opinions from their  respective tax counsel (Wilson Sonsini  Goodrich &
Rosati, Professional Corporation, and Piper & Marbury, L.L.P., respectively), in
form and  substance  reasonably  satisfactory  to them,  to the effect  that the
Merger will constitute a reorganization  within the meaning of Section 368(a) of
the Code and that each of Parent,  Merger Sub and Company  shall be treated as a
party to this  Agreement  and such  opinions  shall  not  have  been  withdrawn;
provided,  however,  that if the  counsel to either  Parent or Company  does not
render such opinion,  this condition shall nonetheless be deemed to be satisfied
with respect to such party if counsel to the other party renders such opinion to
such  party.  The  parties  to this  Agreement  agree  to make  such  reasonable
representations  as requested by such counsel for the purpose of rendering  such
opinions.

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<PAGE>

         6.2 Additional  Conditions to Obligations of Company. The obligation of
Company to consummate and effect the Merger shall be subject to the satisfaction
at or prior to the  Closing  Date of each of the  following  conditions,  any of
which may be waived, in writing, exclusively by Company:

                  (a)  Representations  and Warranties.  The representations and
warranties of Parent and Merger Sub  contained in this  Agreement (i) shall have
been true and correct in all material  respects as of the date of this Agreement
and (ii) shall be true and  correct in all  material  respects  on and as of the
Closing Date except for changes  contemplated  by this  Agreement and except for
those  representations  and  warranties  which  address  matters  only  as  of a
particular  date (which  shall have been true and correct as of such  particular
date),  with the same force and effect as if made on and as of the Closing Date.
Solely  for  the  purpose  of  the   application  of  clause  (ii)  above,   all
representations  and  warranties of Parent set forth in this  Agreement that are
qualified as to materiality (including without limitation by the word "material"
in the phrases  "material adverse change" or "material adverse effect") shall be
deemed to be not so qualified.  Company  shall have received a certificate  with
respect to the foregoing signed on behalf of Parent by an authorized  officer of
Parent.

                  (b) Agreements and Covenants. Parent and Merger Sub shall have
performed or complied in all material respects with all agreements and covenants
required by this  Agreement to be performed or complied with by them on or prior
to the Closing  Date,  and Company  shall have  received a  certificate  to such
effect signed on behalf of Parent by an authorized officer of Parent.

                  (c) Material  Adverse  Effect.  No Material  Adverse Effect
with respect to Parent shall have occurred since the date of this Agreement.

         6.3 Additional  Conditions to the Obligations of Parent and Merger Sub.
The  obligations  of Parent and Merger Sub to  consummate  and effect the Merger
shall be subject to the  satisfaction at or prior to the Closing Date of each of
the following conditions, any of which may be waived, in writing, exclusively by
Parent:

     (a) Representations  and Warranties.  The representations and warranties of
Company  contained in this Agreement (i) shall have been true and correct in all
material  respects as of the date of this  Agreement  and (ii) shall be true and
correct  in all  material  respects  on and as of the  Closing  Date  except for
changes contemplated by this Agreement and except for those  representations and
warranties  which address matters only as of a particular date (which shall have
been true and  correct  as of such  particular  date),  with the same  force and
effect as if made on and as of the  Closing  Date,  except,  with  regard to the
foregoing clauses (i) and (ii), in such cases (other than the representations in
Sections  2.2,  2.3,  2.20 and 2.21) where the failure to be so true and correct
would not have a Material  Adverse Effect on Company.  Solely for the purpose of
the  application  of clause (ii) above,  all  representations  and warranties of
Company  set  forth in this  Agreement  that  are  qualified  as to  materiality
(including  without  limitation by the word "material" in the phrases  "material
adverse  change"  or  "material  adverse  effect")  shall be deemed to be not so
qualified.  Parent  shall  have  received  a  certificate  with  respect  to the
foregoing signed on behalf of Company by an authorized officer of Company.

                                       45
<PAGE>

     (b) Agreements  and Covenants.  Company shall have performed or complied in
all  material  respects  with all  agreements  and  covenants  required  by this
Agreement  to be  performed  or  complied  with by it at or prior to the Closing
Date,  and Parent shall have  received a  certificate  to such effect  signed on
behalf of Company by the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer
of Company.

     (c) Material  Adverse  Effect.  No Material  Adverse Effect with respect to
Company shall have occurred since the date of this Agreement.

     (d) Noncompetition Agreements.  Stephen T. Walker shall have entered into a
Noncompetition  Agreement substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit D
and such agreement shall be in full force and effect.

     (e) Affiliate Agreements. Each of the Company Affiliates shall have entered
into the Company Affiliate Agreement and each of such agreements will be in full
force and effect as of the Effective Time.

     (f) Opinion of Accountants. Parent shall have received letters from each of
Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P. and Ernst & Young LLP,  respectively,  dated within two
(2) business days prior to the Effective Time, regarding that firm's concurrence
with Parent's  management's  and Company's  management's  conclusions  as to the
appropriateness  of  pooling  of  interest   accounting  for  the  Merger  under
Accounting  Principles  Board  Opinion No. 16, if the Merger is  consummated  in
accordance with this Agreement.

     (g)  Consents.  Company  shall have  obtained  all  consents,  waivers  and
approvals  required in  connection  with the  consummation  of the  transactions
contemplated  hereby in connection with the agreements,  contracts,  licenses or
leases set forth on Schedule 6.3(g).


                                   ARTICLE VII
                        TERMINATION, AMENDMENT AND WAIVER

         7.1 Termination.  This Agreement may be terminated at any time prior to
the  Effective  Time,  whether  before or after the  requisite  approvals of the
stockholders of Company or Parent:

                  (a)      by mutual  written  consent  duly  authorized  by the
Boards of  Directors of Parent and Company;

                  (b) by either  Company or Parent if the Merger  shall not have
been consummated by July 31, 1998 for any reason;  provided,  however,  that the
right to  terminate  this  Agreement  under  this  Section  7.1(b)  shall not be
available to any party whose action or failure to act has been a principal cause
of or  resulted in the failure of the Merger to occur on or before such date and
such action or failure to act constitutes a breach of this Agreement;

                                       46
<PAGE>

                  (c) by either Company or Parent if a Governmental Entity shall
have issued an order,  decree or ruling or taken any other  action,  in any case
having the effect of permanently restraining, enjoining or otherwise prohibiting
the  Merger,  which  order,  decree,   ruling  or  other  action  is  final  and
nonappealable;

                  (d) by either  Company or Parent if the  required  approval of
the  stockholders of Company  contemplated by this Agreement shall not have been
obtained  by reason of the failure to obtain the  required  vote at a meeting of
Company  stockholders  duly  convened  therefor  or at any  adjournment  thereof
(provided that the right to terminate  this Agreement  under this Section 7.1(d)
shall  not  be  available  to  Company  where  the  failure  to  obtain  Company
stockholder  approval  shall have been caused by the action or failure to act of
Company  and such  action or failure to act  constitutes  a breach by Company of
this Agreement);

                  (e) by Parent if (i) the Board of  Directors of Company or any
committee thereof shall have withdrawn or modified in a manner adverse to Parent
its approval or  recommendation  of the Merger or this  Agreement,  (ii) Company
shall   have   failed  to  include   in  the  Proxy   Statement/Prospectus   the
recommendation  of the Board of Directors of Company in favor of approval of the
Merger and this  Agreement,  (iii) the Board of Directors of Company  shall have
failed to  reconfirm  such  recommendation  within  five  business  days after a
written  request  to do so,  (iv)  the  Board of  Directors  of  Company  or any
committee thereof shall have recommended any Acquisition Proposal, (v) the Board
of Directors of Company or any  committee  thereof shall have resolved to do any
of the  foregoing or (vi) the Company or any of its officers or directors  shall
participate in any discussions or negotiations in breach of Section 5.4;

                  (f) by Company, upon a breach of any representation, warranty,
covenant or agreement on the part of Parent set forth in this  Agreement,  or if
any  representation  or warranty of Parent shall have become  untrue,  in either
case such that the  conditions  set forth in Section  6.2(a) or  Section  6.2(b)
would  not be  satisfied  as of the time of such  breach  or as of the time such
representation  or warranty  shall have  become  untrue,  provided  that if such
inaccuracy  in Parent's  representations  and  warranties or breach by Parent is
curable by Parent through the exercise of its commercially  reasonable  efforts,
then Company may not  terminate  this  Agreement  under this Section  7.1(f) for
thirty  days after  delivery of written  notice  from  Company to Parent of such
breach, provided Parent continues to exercise commercially reasonable efforts to
cure such  breach (it being  understood  that  Company  may not  terminate  this
Agreement  pursuant to this paragraph (f) if it shall have  materially  breached
this  Agreement  or if such  breach by Parent is cured  during  such  thirty day
period); or

                                       47
<PAGE>

                  (g) by Parent, upon a breach of any representation,  warranty,
covenant or agreement on the part of Company set forth in this Agreement,  or if
any  representation  or warranty of Company shall have become untrue,  in either
case such that the  conditions  set forth in Section  6.3(a) or  Section  6.3(b)
would  not be  satisfied  as of the time of such  breach  or as of the time such
representation  or warranty  shall have become  untrue,  provided,  that if such
inaccuracy in Company's  representations  and warranties or breach by Company is
curable by Company through the exercise of its commercially  reasonable efforts,
then Parent may not  terminate  this  Agreement  under this  Section  7.1(g) for
thirty  days after  delivery  of written  notice  from Parent to Company of such
breach,  provided Company continues to exercise commercially  reasonable efforts
to cure such  breach (it being  understood  that Parent may not  terminate  this
Agreement  pursuant to this paragraph (g) if it shall have  materially  breached
this  Agreement  or if such  breach by Company is cured  during  such thirty day
period).

         7.2 Notice of Termination;  Effect of  Termination.  Any termination of
this Agreement  under Section 7.1 above will be effective  immediately  upon the
delivery of written notice of the terminating party to the other parties hereto.
In the event of the  termination  of this  Agreement as provided in Section 7.1,
this Agreement  shall be of no further force or effect,  except (i) as set forth
in this Section 7.2,  Section 7.3 and Article 8  (miscellaneous),  each of which
shall survive the termination of this  Agreement,  and (ii) nothing herein shall
relieve any party from  liability for any willful breach of this  Agreement.  No
termination  of this  Agreement  shall  affect the  obligations  of the  parties
contained  in the  Confidentiality  Agreement,  all of which  obligations  shall
survive termination of this Agreement in accordance with their terms.

         7.3      Fees and Expenses.

                  (a) General. Except as set forth in this Section 7.3, all fees
and expenses  incurred in connection  with this  Agreement and the  transactions
contemplated  hereby shall be paid by the party incurring such expenses  whether
or not the Merger is  consummated;  provided,  however,  that Parent and Company
shall share equally all fees and expenses, other than attorneys' and accountants
fees and  expenses,  incurred in relation to the  printing  and filing (with the
SEC) of the Proxy  Statement/Prospectus  (including  any  preliminary  materials
related thereto) and the Registration  Statement (including financial statements
and exhibits) and any amendments or supplements thereto.

                  (b)  Company  Payments.  In the event that this  Agreement  is
terminated by Parent pursuant to Section 7.1(d) or (e),  Company shall promptly,
but in no event  later  than two days  after the date of such  termination,  pay
Parent  a  fee  equal  to  $9,000,000  in  immediately   available   funds  (the
"Termination Fee"); provided, however, that such payment shall not be due if (i)
in the case of  termination  under  Section  7.1(d),  the  failure to obtain the
required  stockholder  approval is  primarily  the result of a Material  Adverse
Effect on Parent or (ii) in the case of termination  under Section 7.1(e) if any
of the specified  actions are taken primarily as a result of a Material  Adverse
Effect on Parent.  Company  acknowledges  that the agreements  contained in this
Section  7.3(b) are an integral part of the  transactions  contemplated  by this
Agreement, and that, without these agreements,  Parent would not enter into this
Agreement;  accordingly,  if  Company  fails  promptly  to pay the  amounts  due
pursuant to this Section  7.3(b) , and, in order to obtain such payment,  Parent
commences a suit which results in a judgment against Company for the amounts set
forth in this Section 7.3(b),  Company shall pay to Parent its reasonable  costs
and expenses  (including  attorneys'  fees and expenses) in connection with such
suit,  together with interest on the amounts set forth in this Section 7.3(b) at
the prime rate of The Chase  Manhattan  Bank in effect on the date such  payment
was required to be made.

                                       48
<PAGE>

                  (c)      Payment of the fees  described in  Section 7.3(b)
above shall not be in lieu of damages incurred in the event of breach of this 
Agreement.

         7.4 Amendment. Subject to applicable law, this Agreement may be amended
by the  parties  hereto at any time by  execution  of an  instrument  in writing
signed on behalf of each of Parent and Company.

         7.5  Extension;  Waiver.  At any time prior to the  Effective  Time any
party  hereto may, to the extent  legally  allowed,  (i) extend the time for the
performance of any of the obligations or other acts of the other parties hereto,
(ii) waive any inaccuracies in the  representations  and warranties made to such
party contained  herein or in any document  delivered  pursuant hereto and (iii)
waive  compliance  with any of the  agreements or conditions  for the benefit of
such party contained herein.  Any agreement on the part of a party hereto to any
such  extension or waiver shall be valid only if set forth in an  instrument  in
writing signed on behalf of such party. Delay in exercising any right under this
Agreement shall not constitute a waiver of such right.


                                  ARTICLE VIII
                               GENERAL PROVISIONS

         8.1 Non-Survival of Representations and Warranties. The representations
and  warranties of Company,  Parent and Merger Sub  contained in this  Agreement
shall  terminate at the Effective  Time,  and only the  covenants  that by their
terms survive the Effective Time shall survive the Effective Time.

         8.2 Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in
writing  and shall be deemed  given if  delivered  personally  or by  commercial
delivery service, or sent via telecopy (receipt confirmed) to the parties at the
following  addresses or telecopy  numbers (or at such other  address or telecopy
numbers for a party as shall be specified by like notice):

                  (a)      if to Parent or Merger Sub, to:

                           Trusted Information Systems, Inc.
                           3060 Washington Road
                           Glenwood, Maryland  21738
                           Attention:  Stephen T. Walker
                           Telephone No.: (301) 854-6889
                           Telecopy No.:   (301) 854-5755





                                       49
<PAGE>

                           with a copy to:

                           Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, P.C.
                           650 Page Mill Road
                                    Palo Alto, California 94304-1050
                           Attention:  Jeffrey D. Saper, Esq.
                                          Kurt J. Berney, Esq.
                           Telephone No.:  (650) 493-9300
                           Telecopy No.:    (650) 493-6811

                           if to Company, to:

                  (b)      Networks Associates, Inc.
                           2805 Bowers Avenue
                           Santa Clara, California  95051
                           Attention:  Probhat K. Goyal
                           Telephone No.:   (408) 988-3932
                           Telecopy No.:    (408) 988-6054

                           with a copy to:

                           Piper & Marbury, L.L.P.
                           1200 Nineteenth Street, N.W.
                           Washington, D.C. 20036
                           Attention: Edwin M. Martin, Jr., Esq.
                           Telephone No.:   (202) 861-6315
                           Telecopy No.:    (202)  223-2085

         8.3      Interpretation; Knowledge.

                  (a) When a reference  is made in this  Agreement  to Exhibits,
such  reference  shall  be to an  Exhibit  to this  Agreement  unless  otherwise
indicated.  When a  reference  is made  in  this  Agreement  to  Sections,  such
reference shall be to a Section of this Agreement unless otherwise indicated the
words "include,"  "includes" and "including" when used herein shall be deemed in
each  case to be  followed  by the  words  "without  limitation."  The  table of
contents and headings  contained in this  Agreement are for  reference  purposes
only and  shall not  affect in any way the  meaning  or  interpretation  of this
Agreement.  When  reference is made herein to "the business of" an entity,  such
reference  shall be deemed to include the  business  of all direct and  indirect
subsidiaries of such entity. Reference to the subsidiaries of an entity shall be
deemed to include all direct and indirect subsidiaries of such entity.

                  (b) For purposes of this Agreement the term "knowledge"  means
with respect to a party hereto, with respect to any matter in question, that any
of the Chief Executive  Officer,  Chief Financial  Officer or Controller of such
party, has actual knowledge of such matter.

                                       50
<PAGE>

                  (c) For purposes of this Agreement, the term "Material Adverse
Effect" when used in connection with an entity means any change, event or effect
that  is  materially  adverse  to the  business,  assets  (including  intangible
assets),  financial  condition or results of  operations  of such entity and its
subsidiaries taken as a whole, except for those changes, events and effects that
(i) are directly  caused by conditions  affecting the United States economy as a
whole or affecting the industry in which such entity competes as a whole,  which
conditions do not affect such entity in a  disproportionate  manner, or (ii) are
related to or result from announcement or pendency of the Merger.

         8.4  Counterparts.  This  Agreement  may be  executed  in  one or  more
counterparts,  all of which shall be considered  one and the same  agreement and
shall become effective when one or more counterparts have been signed by each of
the parties and  delivered  to the other  party,  it being  understood  that all
parties need not sign the same counterpart.

         8.5 Entire Agreement; Third Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement and the
documents  and  instruments  and other  agreements  among the parties  hereto as
contemplated by or referred to herein,  including the Company  Schedules and the
Parent  Schedules (a)  constitute  the entire  agreement  among the parties with
respect to the subject  matter  hereof and supersede  all prior  agreements  and
understandings,  both  written and oral,  among the parties  with respect to the
subject matter hereof,  it being understood that the  Confidentiality  Agreement
shall  continue in full force and effect until the Closing and shall survive any
termination of this Agreement; and (b) are not intended to confer upon any other
person any rights or  remedies  hereunder,  except as  specifically  provided in
Section 5.10.

         8.6 Severability.  In the event that any provision of this Agreement or
the  application  thereof,  becomes  or is  declared  by a  court  of  competent
jurisdiction  to be  illegal,  void  or  unenforceable,  the  remainder  of this
Agreement  will  continue in full force and effect and the  application  of such
provision to other persons or circumstances will be interpreted so as reasonably
to effect the intent of the parties hereto. The parties further agree to replace
such  void or  unenforceable  provision  of  this  Agreement  with a  valid  and
enforceable  provision that will achieve, to the extent possible,  the economic,
business and other purposes of such void or unenforceable provision.

         8.7 Other Remedies; Specific Performance.  Except as otherwise provided
herein,  any and all remedies  herein  expressly  conferred upon a party will be
deemed  cumulative with and not exclusive of any other remedy conferred  hereby,
or by law or equity  upon such  party,  and the  exercise  by a party of any one
remedy will not preclude the exercise of any other  remedy.  The parties  hereto
agree  that  irreparable  damage  would  occur  in  the  event  that  any of the
provisions  of this  Agreement  were not  performed  in  accordance  with  their
specific terms or were  otherwise  breached.  It is accordingly  agreed that the
parties  shall be  entitled  to seek an  injunction  or  injunctions  to prevent
breaches of this Agreement and to enforce  specifically the terms and provisions
hereof in any court of the United States or any state having jurisdiction,  this
being in  addition to any other  remedy to which they are  entitled at law or in
equity.

                                       51
<PAGE>

         8.8 Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in
accordance  with the laws of the State of Delaware,  regardless of the laws that
might otherwise govern under applicable  principles of conflicts of law thereof;
provided that issues  involving  the corporate  governance of any of the parties
hereto shall be governed by their  respective  jurisdictions  of  incorporation.
Each of the parties hereto irrevocably consents to the exclusive jurisdiction of
any state or federal  court  within the  Northern  District  of  California,  in
connection  with any matter  based upon or arising out of this  Agreement or the
matters   contemplated   herein,  other  than  issues  involving  the  corporate
governance of any of the parties hereto,  agrees that process may be served upon
them in any manner  authorized by the laws of the State of  California  for such
persons and waives and covenants not to assert or plead any objection which they
might otherwise have to such jurisdiction and such process.

         8.9 Rules of Construction. The parties hereto agree that they have been
represented  by counsel during the  negotiation  and execution of this Agreement
and, therefore, waive the application of any law, regulation, holding or rule of
construction  providing that  ambiguities in an agreement or other document will
be construed against the party drafting such agreement or document.

         8.10  Assignment.  No party may assign either this  Agreement or any of
its rights,  interests,  or  obligations  hereunder  without  the prior  written
approval of the other parties. Subject to the preceding sentence, this Agreement
shall be binding  upon and shall inure to the benefit of the parties  hereto and
their respective successors and permitted assigns.

         8.11  WAIVER OF JURY  TRIAL.  EACH OF  PARENT,  COMPANY  AND MERGER SUB
HEREBY IRREVOCABLY  WAIVES ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION,  PROCEEDING
OR COUNTERCLAIM (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE) ARISING OUT OF OR
RELATING TO THIS  AGREEMENT  OR THE ACTIONS OF PARENT,  COMPANY OR MERGER SUB IN
THE NEGOTIATION, ADMINISTRATION, PERFORMANCE AND ENFORCEMENT HEREOF.


                                       52
<PAGE>


         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
executed  by their  duly  authorized  respective  officers  as of the date first
written above.


                                  NETWORKS ASSOCIATES, INC.

                                  By:      /s/  William Larson
                                  Name:    William Larson
                                  Title:   Chairman and Chief Executive Officer


                                  THOR ACQUISITION CORP.

                                  By:      /s/  William Larson
                                  Name:    William Larson
                                  Title:   Chairman and Chief Executive Officer


                                  TRUSTED INFORMATION SYSTEMS, INC.

                                   By:      /s/  Stephen T. Walker
                                   Name:    Stephen T. Walker
                                   Title:   Chief Executive Officer




                                       53
<PAGE>



For Immediate Release               Contact:Jennifer Keavney
                                    Network Associates
                                    (408) 346-3278

                                    Nathan Tyler
                                    Copithorne & Bellows
                                    (415) 975-2223

                                    Gina Dubbe
                                    Trusted Information Systems
 
                                   (301) 854-5353

                NETWORK ASSOCIATES TO ACQUIRE TRUSTED INFORMATION
                                     SYSTEMS

   New Network Security and Management Powerhouse Expands; Deliver Industry's
          Most Complete, End-to-End Network Security Suite of Products

SANTA CLARA, Calif., February 23, 1998-Network  Associates,  Inc. (Nasdaq: NETA)
and Trusted Information Systems, Inc. (TIS) (Nasdaq:  TISX) announced today that
they have signed a definitive  agreement  where Network  Associates will acquire
TIS in a stock-for-stock pooling of interest merger valued at over $300 million.

         Under the terms of the transaction, Network Associates will offer 0.323
shares for each share of TIS stock.  Both boards have  approved the merger,  and
the companies plan to complete the  transaction  within  approximately  90 days,
subject  to  regulatory  reviews,  approval  of  TIS'  shareholders,  and  other
customary closing  conditions.  Network  Associates was formed late last year by
the merger of McAfee Associates and Network General.  In December 1997,  Network
Associates  acquired  Pretty  Good  Privacy  (PGP)  -  the  leader  in  software
encryption.

         With this  transaction,  Network  Associates  is the  largest  security
software  company in the industry.  Network  Associates  delivers the industry's
most comprehensive suite of integrated security products encompassing enterprise
encryption,  authentication,   intrusion  detection,  anti-virus,  and  firewall
protection.  The convergence of these  technologies from Network  Associates and
TIS creates an unparalleled suite of security products for enterprise  networks.
According  to the  Computer  Security  Institute's  and Zona  Market  Research's
recently  released  1998  Information  Security  Market  Survey,  TIS'  Gauntlet
firewall  technology was the second most widely used firewall product.  The same
report  found  that 60 percent  of all  corporate  sites  surveyed  use  Network
Associates for their anti-virus  security.  Today,  Network  Associates'  McAfee
anti-virus  security software is used by over 25 million users and more than 80%
of the Fortune  100.  The Company  also has more than four  million  users in 50
countries  of  its  PGP  encryption  and  authentication   technology  which  is
considered  the  worldwide  de  facto  standard  for  Internet  email  and  file
encryption.

         TIS provides a full line of security  products and services  including:
Gauntlet  firewalls to protect  network  connections;  Gauntlet  Global  Virtual
Private Networks to secure electronic communications  worldwide;  Stalker misuse
detection  solutions  to ensure the  integrity  of servers  which,  when used in
conjunction with Network Associates' CyberCop,  extends this level of protection
to networks;  and TIS Consulting and Training services to facilitate a company's
network running smoothly.

                                        1
<PAGE>


         TIS' RecoverKey  encryption  technology  provides  flexible,  scalable,
user-controlled  key  recovery,   and  has  been  implemented  by  multinational
organizations  for their global  networks.  TIS is a founding  member of the Key
Recovery  Alliance,  an organization of over 60 international  companies working
together to facilitate the worldwide commercial use of strong encryption.

         "This  announcement  represents  a  fundamental  shift in the way large
customers will implement  security  technology," said Bill Larson,  chairman and
CEO of Network  Associates.  "Network Associates is the first company to deliver
this caliber of technology and this breadth of security products. The ability to
tie all of these components together in a centralized  management environment is
critical to customer  success,  and Network  Associates  is the only  company to
combine security with industry-leading network management capabilities."

         "TIS has built its success on the vision that true  security  solutions
are dependent on tight  integration at several  levels of the corporate  network
infrastructure,"  said Stephen Walker, CEO of TIS. "This agreement builds on the
foundation set forth by TIS and reflects a crucial step in the evolution of true
enterprise-scale security networks."

         There will be a  conference  call with Bill Larson and  Stephen  Walker
today at 8:30  a.m.  Eastern  Standard  Time.  Participants  should  call  (800)
205-6214  and ask for the Network  Associates  conference.  There will be second
conference  call with Bill  Larson and  Stephen  Walker  for press and  industry
analysts at 2:15 p.m.  Eastern  Standard Time.  Participants for this conference
should call (800) 369-3142 in the US and (402) 592-0385 for international media.

         Trusted  Information  Systems  was  founded  in  1983  and is a  global
provider of Multi-Dimensional  Security solutions of enterprise  networks.  TIS'
operations span the globe with offices throughout the United States,  Europe and
the Pacific Rim, and resellers in more than 30 countries around the world.

         With headquarters in Santa Clara,  Calif.,  Network  Associates,  Inc.,
formed by the merger of McAfee  Associates  and  Network  General,  is a leading
supplier of  enterprise  network  security  and  management  solutions.  Network
Associates'  product offering includes four individual  software  suites--McAfee
Total  Virus  Defense,  PGP  Total  Network  Security,   Sniffer  Total  Network
Visibility  and McAfee  Total  Service  Desk--which  are  designed to  centrally
managed  from  within  the  Network  Associates'  Net Tools  unified  management
environment.  For more information,  Network  Associates can be reached at (408)
988-3832 or on the web at http://www.nai.com.

                                       2
<PAGE>

                                      # # #

This news  release  contains  forward-looking  statements  within the meaning of
Section 27A of the  Securities  Act of 1933, as amended,  and Section 21E of the
Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934,  as amended  (including  with  respect to the
consummation of the transaction and the integration of various security products
in an  integrated  management  environment).  Because such  statements  apply to
future events,  they are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause the
actual results to differ materially,  including without limitation,  integration
risks  related  to  the  proposed  transaction,   the  risk  that  the  proposed
transaction will not be consummated,  and the risk that the anticipated benefits
of the  transaction  will not be realized.  Important  factors which could cause
actual results to differ materially are described in Network Associates' reports
on Form 10-K and 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

                                       3
<PAGE>


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