ECCS INC
S-2/A, 1997-08-07
COMPUTER INTEGRATED SYSTEMS DESIGN
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<PAGE>   1
 
   
     AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON AUGUST 7, 1997
    
 
   
                                                      REGISTRATION NO. 333-32931
    
================================================================================
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                            ------------------------
 
   
                                AMENDMENT NO. 1
    
                                    FORM S-2
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                     UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                            ------------------------
 
                                   ECCS, INC.
             (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                                  <C>
                     NEW JERSEY                                           22-2288911
              (STATE OF INCORPORATION)                                 (I.R.S. EMPLOYER
                                                                      IDENTIFICATION NO.)
</TABLE>
 
                                ONE SHEILA DRIVE
                         TINTON FALLS, NEW JERSEY 07724
                                 (908) 747-6995
         (ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, AND TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING
            AREA CODE, OF REGISTRANT'S PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES)
 
                                 GREGG M. AZCUY
                     PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
                                   ECCS, INC.
                                ONE SHEILA DRIVE
                         TINTON FALLS, NEW JERSEY 07724
                                 (908) 747-6995
               (NAME, ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, AND TELEPHONE
               NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE, OF AGENT FOR SERVICE)
                            ------------------------
 
                                   COPIES TO:
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                                  <C>
                DAVID J. SORIN, ESQ.                                 ROBERT ROSENMAN, ESQ.
               WILLIAM J. THOMAS, ESQ.                             MARGO R. NEEDLEMAN, ESQ.
                 BUCHANAN INGERSOLL                                 CRAVATH, SWAINE & MOORE
                   COLLEGE CENTRE                                      825 EIGHTH AVENUE
                500 COLLEGE ROAD EAST                            NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10019-7475
             PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY 08540                                (212) 474-1000
                   (609) 987-6800
</TABLE>
 
                            ------------------------
 
                        CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
================================================================================================================
                                                                               PROPOSED MAXIMUM
                                                              PROPOSED MAXIMUM    AGGREGATE        AMOUNT OF
              TITLE OF SHARES                  AMOUNT TO BE    OFFERING PRICE      OFFERING       REGISTRATION
            TO BE REGISTERED(3)               REGISTERED(1)     PER SHARE(2)       PRICE(2)          FEE(3)
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                          <C>              <C>              <C>              <C>
Common Stock, $.01 par value................    2,300,000          $4.875        $11,212,500         $3,398
================================================================================================================
</TABLE>
    
 
   
(1) Includes 300,000 shares subject to the Underwriters' over-allotment option.
    
 
(2) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee in
    accordance with Rule 457 under the Securities Act of 1933 based on the
    average of the high and low prices per share of Common Stock of the
    Registrant as reported on the Nasdaq SmallCap Market on August 4, 1997.
 
   
(3) The Company has previously registered 2,281,375 shares, including 281,375
    shares subject to the Underwriters' over-allotment option, for which a
    registration fee of $3,370 was previously paid.
    
                            ------------------------
 
    THE REGISTRANT HEREBY AMENDS THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON SUCH DATE OR
DATES AS MAY BE NECESSARY TO DELAY ITS EFFECTIVE DATE UNTIL THE REGISTRANT SHALL
FILE A FURTHER AMENDMENT WHICH SPECIFICALLY STATES THAT THIS REGISTRATION
STATEMENT SHALL THEREAFTER BECOME EFFECTIVE IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 8(a) OF
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 OR UNTIL THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT SHALL BECOME
EFFECTIVE ON SUCH DATE AS THE COMMISSION, ACTING PURSUANT TO SAID SECTION 8(a),
MAY DETERMINE.
================================================================================
<PAGE>   2
 
     INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS SUBJECT TO COMPLETION OR AMENDMENT. A
     REGISTRATION STATEMENT RELATING TO THESE SECURITIES HAS BEEN FILED WITH THE
     SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION. THESE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE SOLD NOR
     MAY OFFERS TO BUY BE ACCEPTED PRIOR TO THE TIME THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
     BECOMES EFFECTIVE. THIS PROSPECTUS SHALL NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR
     THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY NOR SHALL THERE BE ANY SALE OF THESE
     SECURITIES IN ANY STATE IN WHICH SUCH OFFER, SOLICITATION OR SALE WOULD BE
     UNLAWFUL PRIOR TO REGISTRATION OR QUALIFICATION UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS
     OF ANY SUCH STATE.
 
   
                  SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED AUGUST 7, 1997
    
 
   
PROSPECTUS
    
 
                                2,000,000 SHARES
 
                                      LOGO
 
                                  COMMON STOCK
 
                         ------------------------------
 
     Of the 2,000,000 shares of Common Stock offered hereby, 1,875,832 shares
are being sold by ECCS, Inc. ("ECCS" or the "Company") and 124,168 shares are
being sold by the Selling Shareholders. The Company will not receive any of the
proceeds from the sale of shares by the Selling Shareholders. See "Principal and
Selling Shareholders." The Company's Common Stock is traded on the Nasdaq
SmallCap Market under the symbol "ECCS." On August 4, 1997, the last reported
sale price of the Common Stock on the Nasdaq SmallCap Market was $4.875 per
share. See "Price Range of Common Stock."
                         ------------------------------
 
       SEE "RISK FACTORS" BEGINNING ON PAGE 6 FOR A DISCUSSION OF CERTAIN
          FACTORS THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY PROSPECTIVE PURCHASERS
                      OF THE COMMON STOCK OFFERED HEREBY.
                         ------------------------------
 
THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES AND
    EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION NOR HAS THE
       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES
          COMMISSION PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS
              PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS
                              A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
====================================================================================================
                                      PRICE                            PROCEEDS       PROCEEDS TO
                                        TO                                TO            SELLING
                                      PUBLIC        UNDERWRITING      COMPANY(2)      SHAREHOLDERS
                                                   DISCOUNTS AND
                                                   COMMISSIONS(1)
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                              <C>              <C>              <C>              <C>
Per Share.......................        $                $                $                $
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total(3)........................        $                $                $                $
====================================================================================================
</TABLE>
 
(1) The Company and the Selling Shareholders have agreed to indemnify the
    Underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the
    Securities Act of 1933. See "Underwriting."
 
(2) Before deducting expenses of the Offering payable by the Company, estimated
    at $407,370.
 
   
(3) The Company has granted the several Underwriters an option, exercisable
    within 30 days of the date hereof, to purchase up to 300,000 additional
    shares of Common Stock solely to cover over-allotments, if any. If such
    option is exercised in full, the total Price to Public, Underwriting
    Discounts and Commissions, and Proceeds to Company will be $[          ],
    $[          ] and $[          ], respectively. See "Underwriting."
    
 
     The shares of Common Stock are offered by the several Underwriters, subject
to receipt and acceptance of such shares by them. The Underwriters reserve the
right to reject any order in whole or in part. It is expected that the shares of
Common Stock will be ready for delivery on or about [          ], 1997.
                         ------------------------------
 
                                UNTERBERG HARRIS
 
                                               , 1997
<PAGE>   3
 
                      [THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]
 
                                        2
<PAGE>   4
 
     CERTAIN PERSONS PARTICIPATING IN THE OFFERING MAY ENGAGE IN TRANSACTIONS
THAT STABILIZE, MAINTAIN, OR OTHERWISE AFFECT THE PRICE OF THE COMMON STOCK,
INCLUDING PURCHASES OF COMMON STOCK TO STABILIZE THE MARKET PRICE OF THE COMMON
STOCK, PURCHASES OF COMMON STOCK TO COVER SOME OR ALL OF A SHORT POSITION IN THE
COMMON STOCK MAINTAINED BY THE UNDERWRITERS AND THE IMPOSITION OF PENALTY BIDS.
FOR A DESCRIPTION OF THESE ACTIVITIES, SEE "UNDERWRITING."
 
     IN CONNECTION WITH THIS OFFERING, CERTAIN UNDERWRITERS AND SELLING GROUP
MEMBERS MAY ENGAGE IN PASSIVE MARKET MAKING TRANSACTIONS IN THE COMMON STOCK ON
NASDAQ IN ACCORDANCE WITH RULE 103 OF REGULATION M. SEE "UNDERWRITING."
 
                           FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
 
     The statements contained in this Prospectus that are not historical facts
are forward-looking statements (as such term is defined in the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). Such forward-looking statements may
be identified by, among other things, the use of forward-looking terminology
such as "believes," "expects," "may," "will," "should" or "anticipates" or the
negative thereof or other variations thereon or comparable terminology, or by
discussions of strategy that involve risks and uncertainties. From time to time,
the Company or its representatives have made or may make forward-looking
statements, orally or in writing. Such forward-looking statements may be
included in various filings made by the Company with the Commission, or press
releases or oral statements made by or with the approval of an authorized
executive officer of the Company. These forward-looking statements, such as
statements regarding anticipated future revenues, capital expenditures, research
and development expenditures and other statements regarding matters that are not
historical facts, involve predictions. The Company's actual results, performance
or achievements could differ materially from the results expressed in, or
implied by, these forward-looking statements. With respect to the mix of the
Company's revenues, there can be no assurances that the Company will have the
resources or personnel required for the development and marketing of proprietary
products. There also can be no assurances that proprietary product sales will
increase sufficiently, if at all, in order to lower product costs of sales.
Finally, there can be no assurances that any increase in the Company's sales of
Synchronix or Synchronection will result in improved gross margins or that other
factors, including but not limited to price pressures, will not negatively
impact gross margins. Potential risks and uncertainties that could affect the
Company's future operating results include, but are not limited to, the factors
set forth under "Risk Factors" herein, economic conditions, including economic
conditions related to the computer industry.
                            ------------------------
 
     "RAID 10 Performance Manager," "Intelligent Rebuild," "Split Mirror,"
"Examodule," "Synchronix," "Inverse Mirroring," "Synchronism," "Synchronection,"
"Split Volume" and "Easy Backup" are United States trademarks of the Company.
All other trade names, trademarks or service marks appearing in this Prospectus
are the property of their respective owners and are not the property of the
Company.
 
                                        3
<PAGE>   5
 
                               PROSPECTUS SUMMARY
 
     The following summary is qualified in its entirety by, and should be read
in conjunction with, the more detailed information and financial statements and
notes thereto included elsewhere in this Prospectus. Except as otherwise
specified, all information in this Prospectus: (i) assumes no exercise of the
Underwriters' over-allotment option; and (ii) assumes the conversion of all
outstanding shares of Series B and Series C Preferred Stock (the "Convertible
Preferred Stock") into an aggregate of 3,770,590 shares of Common Stock upon
consummation of this Offering. The issued and outstanding Convertible Preferred
Stock shall automatically and mandatorily convert into shares of Common Stock
upon the consummation of this Offering. See "Description of Capital Stock" and
"Underwriting."
 
                                  THE COMPANY
 
     ECCS provides intelligent solutions to store, protect and access mission
critical information for the Open Systems and related markets. The Company
designs, manufactures and sells high performance, fault tolerant data storage
solutions for a wide range of customer requirements. ECCS' flagship product,
Synchronix, which the Company began selling in 1996, is a full feature RAID
(redundant array of independent disks) product family designed for use in NT and
UNIX clustered environments, including Tandem's ServerNet. The Company's
products are compatible with most Open System computing platforms and enable
customers to store, protect and access data and to centralize data management
functions across an organization's disparate computer environments.
 
     Networked computing environments that store large volumes of data, perform
intensive processing or involve frequent user access to data can be
characterized as "data-intensive." Organizations are increasingly deploying
mission critical applications and services as core business resources. In
addition, Internet and on-line server-related businesses have created a
significant need for greater storage capacity. The data-intensity of the
networked environment is expected to continue to increase substantially due to
the development of new applications and on-line services and the increasing use
of stored digital graphics, voice and video, requiring dramatically more data
capacity than equivalent alphanumeric information. Once the concern primarily of
financial institutions and government, the need for fault tolerant data
availability has expanded to include most commercial enterprises.
 
     ECCS' core technology provides data intensive environments with protection
against the loss of critical data and provides performance and reliability
characteristics of a mainframe, at a fraction of the cost. The Company's
products offer users (i) fast data transfer rates by spreading and retrieving
data simultaneously among various disk drives, (ii) fault tolerance through the
use of redundant components that can be "hot swapped" during repair and (iii)
high storage capacity.
 
     ECCS sells its data storage systems through alternate channel partners,
including Unisys Corporation ("Unisys") and Tandem Computers Incorporated
("Tandem"), and by direct sales to commercial end users and the Federal
government. The Company's products are used by companies in many industries,
including the financial services, retail, media and telecommunications
industries.
 
     From its founding until 1994, the Company's principal business was the
value added resale of NCR products, primarily to AT&T business units. During
1994, as a result of AT&T's earlier acquisition of NCR and subsequent change in
its purchasing policies, the Company undertook a product development initiative
to reposition the Company as a provider of proprietary mass storage enhancement
products. A number of products have resulted from these efforts including
Synchronix and Synchronection, a fault tolerant network file server. During the
six months ended June 30, 1997, approximately 94% of the Company's sales were
derived from sales of the Company's proprietary products.
 
   
     ECCS' objective is to further establish and solidify its position in the
rapidly growing Open Systems data storage market. In particular, the Company's
strategic focus centers around serving users whose mission critical applications
require high performance and high reliability storage products. The Company's
strategy incorporates the following key elements: develop and broaden OEM
relationships with market leaders; establish first mover position in emerging
clustering technologies; continue direct sales to end users; and protect its
position as an innovative technology provider.
    
 
                                        4
<PAGE>   6
 
                                  THE OFFERING
 
Common Stock offered
  By the Company.....................       1,875,832 shares
  By the Selling Shareholders........         124,168 shares
Common Stock to be outstanding after
the   Offering.......................      10,137,454 shares(1)
Use of Proceeds......................      For the payment of accrued preferred
                                           stock dividends and general corporate
                                           purposes, including working capital,
                                           marketing expenses associated with
                                           alternate channel partner
                                           development, the expansion of sales
                                           and marketing activities, product
                                           development, and the implementation
                                           of an enterprise management system.
Nasdaq SmallCap Market Symbol........      ECCS
- ---------------
(1) Excludes an aggregate of 2,089,181 shares of Common Stock reserved for
    issuance under the Company's stock option plans and other stock options and
    warrants, of which 1,726,907 shares are issuable upon the exercise of stock
    options and warrants outstanding as of June 30, 1997 at a weighted average
    exercise price of $2.69. Such amount also excludes an aggregate of 55,344
    shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance under the Company's 1995
    Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
 
                      SUMMARY CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA
                     (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE DATA)
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                              SIX MONTHS ENDED
                                                   YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31,                       JUNE 30,
                                      ---------------------------------------------------    ------------------
                                       1992       1993       1994       1995       1996       1996       1997
                                      -------    -------    -------    -------    -------    -------    -------
                                                                                                (UNAUDITED)
<S>                                   <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>
STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS DATA:
Net sales...........................  $43,483    $51,574    $42,738    $31,174    $22,604    $12,838    $17,840
Gross profit........................   10,026     13,430      6,175      7,918      7,439      4,107      4,992
Operating income (loss).............    2,739      2,228     (7,218)    (3,172)      (495)      (218)       810
Net income (loss) applicable to
  common shares.....................  $ 1,411    $ 1,053    $(6,790)   $(3,738)   $(1,017)   $  (461)   $   544
Primary net income (loss) per
  share(1)..........................  $  0.64    $  0.32    $ (1.63)   $ (0.88)   $ (0.23)   $ (0.11)   $  0.10
Fully diluted net income per
  share.............................  $  0.52    $  0.30         --         --         --         --    $  0.08
Shares used in computing primary net
  income (loss) per share...........    2,189      3,313      4,160      4,232      4,346      4,322      5,236
</TABLE>
    
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                   AS OF JUNE 30, 1997
                                                                                -------------------------
                                                                                                 AS
                                                                                ACTUAL       ADJUSTED(2)
                                                                                -------     -------------
<S>                                                                             <C>         <C>
BALANCE SHEET DATA:
  Cash........................................................................  $ 1,339        $ 9,345
  Working capital.............................................................    5,096         13,102
  Total assets................................................................   16,393         24,399
  Loans payable...............................................................    1,859          1,859
  Total shareholders' equity..................................................    7,045         15,051
</TABLE>
 
- ---------------
(1) See Note 2 to Consolidated Financial Statements for information concerning
    the computation of net income (loss) per share.
 
(2) Reflects the conversion of all outstanding shares of Convertible Preferred
    Stock into an aggregate of 3,770,590 shares of Common Stock upon
    consummation of this Offering and the sale of 1,875,832 shares of Common
    Stock offered hereby by the Company after deducting underwriting discounts
    and estimated offering expenses payable by the Company. See "Use of
    Proceeds," "Capitalization" and "Underwriting."
 
                                        5
<PAGE>   7
 
                                  RISK FACTORS
 
LIMITED HISTORY OF OPERATIONS AS A PROPRIETARY SELLER AND HISTORY OF LOSSES
 
     From its founding until 1994, the Company's principal business was the sale
of NCR products to AT&T business units as a value added reseller ("VAR"). During
1994, as a result of AT&T's acquisition of NCR and subsequent change in its
purchasing policies, the Company undertook a product development initiative to
reposition the Company as a provider of proprietary mass storage enhancement
products. Accordingly, the Company has a limited operating history within its
current line of business. The Company incurred net losses of $3,659,000 and
$769,000 for the years ended December 31, 1995 and December 31, 1996,
respectively. There can be no assurance that the Company will achieve profitable
levels of operations in the future. See "Management's Discussion and Analysis of
Results of Operations and Financial Condition -- Results of Operations."
 
SUBSTANTIAL RELIANCE ON CERTAIN KEY CUSTOMERS
 
     The Company's customer base is highly concentrated, with its top 10
customers in 1995 and 1996 accounting in the aggregate for approximately 85% and
90%, respectively, of net sales. Sales to such customers comprised 91% of net
sales in the six-month period ended June 30, 1997. Sales to Unisys accounted for
approximately 30% and 12% of net sales in 1996 and the six-month period ended
June 30, 1997, respectively. Sales to the U. S. Air Force, through a Federal
integrator, accounted for 25% and 51% of net sales in 1996 and the six-month
period ended June 30, 1997, respectively. Sales to Tandem accounted for 11% of
net sales in the six-month period ended June 30, 1997. The Company believes that
a substantial portion of its net sales and gross profits will continue to be
derived from sales to a concentrated group of customers. In general, there are
no ongoing written commitments by customers to purchase products from the
Company. All product sales by the Company are made on a purchase order basis. A
significant reduction in orders from any of the Company's largest customers
could have material adverse effect on the Company's results of operations. There
can be no assurance that the Company's largest customers will continue to place
orders with the Company or that orders of its customers will continue at their
previous levels. See "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Results of
Operations and Financial Condition -- Results of Operations."
 
RAPID TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE AND CONTINUED DEMAND FOR COMPANY'S PRODUCTS
 
     The market for the Company's mass storage enhancement products, including
RAID, is characterized by innovation and rapid technological advances. Both the
needs of potential customers and the technologies available for meeting those
needs can change significantly within a short period of time. The Company's
future success will depend in part on its ability to enhance continually its
current mass storage products and to develop or acquire new mass storage
products that address the needs of its customers. There can be no assurance that
the Company will be successful in developing such new products that respond to
technological changes. Other companies may succeed in developing products that
are better, more efficient or less costly than any that may be developed by the
Company. Such development or rapid technological development by others may
result in the Company's products becoming obsolete before the Company recovers a
significant portion of the research, development and commercialization expenses
incurred with respect to those products or may adversely affect the Company's
competitive position. See "Business -- Competition."
 
     Demand for the Company's services and mass storage enhancement products,
including RAID, depends principally upon the demand for Open Systems-based
networks based on NT, UNIX and LAN operating systems. Although the Company
expects the industry to continue to expand, the Company's business may be
adversely affected by a decline in the sales growth of Open Systems-based
networks targeted by the Company. If the Company fails to anticipate and
properly respond to shifts within the Open Systems marketplace that have or may
have an impact on the demand for Open Systems, the Company's business and
results of operations will be materially adversely effected. See
"Business -- Industry Background" and "-- Research and Development."
 
RISK OF MARKET ACCEPTANCE OF NEW PRODUCTS
 
     Since 1995, the Company has focused substantial product development efforts
on its RAID products, and specifically, on the development of a new product
family, Synchronix, ECCS' next generation, high
 
                                        6
<PAGE>   8
 
availability controller and subsystem. There can be no assurance that the
Company will be successful in continuing to commercialize its Synchronix family
of products.
 
     The Company believes that its success depends, in part, on its ability to
enhance existing products and to develop new products that maintain
technological leadership, meet a wide range of changing customer needs and
achieve market acceptance. Lack of market acceptance for the Company's existing
or new products, the Company's failure to introduce new products in a timely or
cost-effective manner, or its failure to increase functionality of existing
products or remain price competitive, would materially adversely affect the
Company's operating results. There can be no assurance that the Company will be
successful in its product development efforts or, even if successful, whether
such products will achieve market acceptance. See "Business -- Products and
Technology."
 
     The Company designs its RAID products to comply with standards adopted by
the industry and the RAID Advisory Board, which the Company believes are
industry-accepted standards, and the Company works closely with the RAID
Advisory Board to ensure that the Company's RAID standards are compatible with
industry standards. Although the Company knows of no other standard-setting body
currently in existence, there can be no assurance that other standards will not
become industry-accepted standards.
 
EXPANSION OF SALES AND DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS
 
     The Company sells its products through alternate channel partners,
including OEMs, VARs and distributors, and directly to Federal and commercial
end users. The Company intends to increase both its product sales and
distribution by expanding its direct sales activities, engaging additional
alternate channel partners and developing strategic relationships with OEMs that
serve new vertical markets for the Company. Whether the Company can successfully
generate its own sales leads, introduce new products and enter new markets will
depend on its ability to expand its direct sales and support services, expand
its indirect distribution channel, and increase its relationships and alliances
with other companies. There can be no assurance that the Company will be able to
successfully expand its direct sales and support services force, expand its
indirect distribution channel, or establish or maintain successful third party
relationships. Any failure to do so could have a material adverse effect on the
Company's business, operating results and financial condition. See
"Business -- Sales and Marketing."
 
DEPENDENCE ON CERTAIN SOURCES OF SUPPLY
 
     Manufacturing by the Company consists primarily of light assembly, systems
integration, testing and quality assurance. ECCS relies on outside manufacturers
to manufacture and produce the Company's products for use in the Company's
proprietary systems, as well as for the direct sale to end users, and relies on
outside suppliers to supply subassemblies, component parts and computer systems
for resale. Certain components used in the Company's business are available only
from a limited number of sources. Any delays in obtaining component parts could
adversely affect the Company's results of operations. The Company relies on
independent contractors and outside suppliers to manufacture subassemblies to
the Company's specifications. Each of the Company's products undergoes testing
and quality inspection at the final assembly stage. Although the Company has not
experienced material problems with its proprietary systems manufacturers or its
suppliers of subassemblies, there can be no assurance that material problems
will not arise in the future that could significantly impede or interrupt the
Company's business. Although the Company has not experienced significant
problems with its suppliers in the past, there can be no assurance that such
relationships will continue or that, in the event of a termination of its
relationship with its existing suppliers, it would be able to obtain alternative
sources of supply without a material disruption in the Company's ability to
provide products to its customers. Any material disruption in the Company's
supply of products would have a material adverse effect on the Company's results
of operations. See "Business -- Manufacturing and Suppliers."
 
COMPETITION
 
     The Company is engaged in fields within the computer industry characterized
by a high level of competition. Many established computer manufacturers (such as
the Company's own suppliers, which include Unisys), systems integrators and
manufacturers of mass storage enhancement products and networking products
compete with the Company. To the extent that Unisys manufactures or markets
products or services similar to those offered by the Company, the Company's
results of operations would be adversely impacted.
 
                                        7
<PAGE>   9
 
Many of the Company's competitors have financial, technical, manufacturing,
sales, marketing and other resources which are substantially greater than those
of the Company. There can be no assurance that the Company will be able to
continue to compete successfully with existing or new competitors. With respect
to mass storage enhancement products, there are many competitors in each product
category, none of which is dominant in any one product category, but each of
which addresses specific applications and/or markets. With respect to RAID
products and technology, EMC Corp., Data General, Digital Equipment Corporation
and Hyundai's Symbios Logic Division are significant participants in the RAID
market for IBM mainframe computers and have acquired companies which have
products that address the Open Systems market. Most computer systems companies
and companies that offer memory enhancement products also offer RAID, mass
storage and backup products and technologies, or are undertaking development
efforts, which compete or may compete with the Company in the RAID marketplace
for Open Systems-based network computers, including companies considerably
larger and with greater resources than those of the Company. There can be no
assurance that such companies will not enter or expand their presence in the
RAID marketplace for Open Systems-based computers. See
"Business -- Competition."
 
     Competitive pricing pressures exist in the data storage market and have had
and may in the future have an adverse effect on the Company's revenues and
earnings. There also has been, and may continue to be, a willingness on the part
of certain competitors to reduce prices in order to preserve or gain market
share. The Company believes that pricing pressures are likely to continue.
 
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND RISK OF THIRD PARTY CLAIMS OF INFRINGEMENT
 
     The Company's future success depends in part upon its intellectual
property, including patents, trade secrets, know-how and continuing
technological innovation. There can be no assurance that the steps taken by the
Company to protect its intellectual property will be adequate to prevent
misappropriation or that others will not develop competitive technologies or
products. The Company has filed numerous patent applications covering various
aspects of its Synchronix product family. There can be no assurance that patents
will issue from any application filed by the Company or that, if patents do
issue, the claims allowed will be sufficiently broad to prohibit others from
marketing similar products. In addition, there can be no assurance that any
patents issued to the Company will not be challenged, invalidated or
circumvented, or that the rights thereunder will provide a competitive advantage
to the Company. Although the Company believes that its products and technology
do not infringe upon proprietary rights of others, there can be no assurance
that third parties will not assert infringement claims in the future or that
such claims will not be successful. Although the Company continues to implement
protective measures and intends to defend its proprietary rights, policing
unauthorized use of the Company's technology or products is difficult and there
can be no assurance that these measures will be successful. See
"Business -- Intellectual Property and Other Proprietary Rights."
 
FLUCTUATIONS IN QUARTERLY RESULTS
 
     The Company's operating results generally decline during the third quarter,
and the Company expects that they will continue to do so. Due to the relatively
fixed nature of certain of the Company's costs, a decline in net sales in any
fiscal quarter typically results in lower profitability in that quarter. The
expected decline during the third quarter in the Company's net sales is due
primarily to reduced orders by the Federal government during its fourth quarter,
which ends September 30th. The Company does not expect such spending patterns to
be altered in the future.
 
DEPENDENCE UPON KEY PERSONNEL
 
     The success of the Company's operations during the foreseeable future will
depend largely upon the continued services of the executive officers of the
Company, none of whom has entered into an employment agreement with the Company.
See "Management -- Executive Officers and Directors."
 
     The Company's success also depends in part on its ability to manage,
attract and retain qualified professional, technical, manufacturing, managerial
and marketing personnel. Competition for such personnel is intense. There can be
no assurance that the Company will be successful in attracting and retaining the
personnel it requires to develop new and enhanced products and to conduct its
operations successfully. The Company's results of operations could be adversely
affected if the Company were unable to attract, hire, assimilate, train and
manage these personnel, or if net sales fail to increase at a rate sufficient to
absorb the resulting increase in expenses. See "Business -- Sales and Marketing"
and "-- Employees."
 
                                        8
<PAGE>   10
 
CONTROL BY EXISTING SHAREHOLDERS
 
     Upon completion of this Offering, certain officers and directors and their
affiliates will own or control approximately 21.9% of the Company's outstanding
Common Stock (21.3% if the Underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in
full). The current shareholders will have the ability to continue to control the
election of all of the members of the Company's Board of Directors and corporate
actions requiring shareholder approval. Although the Company's certificate of
incorporation does not include any super majority shareholder approval
provisions, even as to corporate actions in which such super majority approval
may be required by law, such as fundamental corporate transactions including
mergers, the current shareholders will have the ability to continue to exert
significant influence. The Company is not aware of any agreement by or among any
of its shareholders to act in concert. See "Principal and Selling Shareholders."
 
VOLATILITY OF STOCK PRICE AND IMPACT OF SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE
 
     The market price of the shares of Common Stock may be highly volatile.
Factors such as actual or anticipated quarterly fluctuation in financial
results, changes in recommendations or earnings estimates by securities
analysts, announcements of technological innovations or new commercial products
or services and the timing of announcements of acquisitions by the Company or
its competitors, as well as market conditions generally, may have a significant
effect on the market price of the Common Stock. Furthermore, the stock market
historically has experienced volatility which has particularly affected the
market prices of securities of many technology companies and which sometimes has
been unrelated to the operating performances of such companies. See "Price Range
of Common Stock."
 
   
     Future sales of Common Stock in the public market following this Offering
could adversely affect the market price of the Common Stock. Upon completion of
this Offering, substantially all outstanding shares of Common Stock will be
freely tradable by persons other than "affiliates" of the Company without
restriction, including 750,000 shares issuable pursuant to an effective
Registration Statement on Form S-8 and 2,000,000 shares of Common Stock eligible
for resale in accordance with the provisions of Rule 144, including, without
limitation, the volume limitations thereunder. 3,752,050 shares beneficially
held by certain current shareholders of the Company are subject to "lock-up"
agreements under which the holders of such shares have agreed not to sell or
otherwise dispose of any shares of Common Stock without the prior written
consent of Unterberg Harris for a period of 90 days following the date of this
Prospectus. Unterberg Harris may, in its sole discretion, and at any time
without notice, release all or a portion of the shares subject to these lock-up
agreements. The holders of certain shares also have certain registration rights.
Sales of substantial amounts of the Common Stock in the public market, whether
by purchasers in the offering or other shareholders of the Company, or the
perception that such sales could occur, may adversely affect the market price of
the Common Stock.
    
 
ANTI-TAKEOVER CONSIDERATIONS
 
     Subsequent to the consummation of the Offering, the Company will have an
authorized class of 3,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock which may be issued by
the Board of Directors on such terms and with such rights, preferences and
designations as the Board may determine. The issuance of additional shares of
preferred stock, depending upon the rights, preferences and designations
thereof, may have the effect of delaying, deterring or preventing a change in
control of the Company. See "Description of Capital Stock -- Preferred Stock"
and "-- Anti-takeover Provisions."
 
ABSENCE OF DIVIDENDS
 
     The Company does not anticipate paying any dividends on its Common Stock in
the foreseeable future. See "Dividend Policy."
 
                                        9
<PAGE>   11
 
                                USE OF PROCEEDS
 
   
     The net proceeds to the Company from the sale of the 1,875,832 shares of
Common Stock offered by the Company are estimated to be approximately $8.0
million, based on an assumed offering price of $4.875 per share and after
deducting the underwriting discounts and estimated offering expenses. The
Company will not receive any proceeds from the sale of shares of Common Stock by
the Selling Shareholders. See "Principal and Selling Shareholders."
    
 
     The Company intends to use approximately $500,000 of the net proceeds to
pay to Convertible Preferred Shareholders dividends on the Convertible Preferred
Stock and the remainder for general corporate purposes, including marketing
expenses associated with alternate channel partner development, the expansion of
its sales and marketing activities, product development, the implementation of
an enterprise management system and the remainder for working capital and
possible acquisitions of businesses, services or technology complementary to the
Company's business. No specific acquisitions are being negotiated or planned as
of the date of this Prospectus.
 
     Pending such uses, the Company intends to invest the net proceeds of this
Offering in short-term, investment-grade, interest-bearing instruments.
 
                                       10
<PAGE>   12
 
                          PRICE RANGE OF COMMON STOCK
 
     The Common Stock was listed on the Nasdaq National Market (the "National
Market") from June 14, 1993, when the Company effected its initial public
offering, until May 29, 1996, on which date the Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc.
("Nasdaq") delisted the Common Stock from the National Market due to the
Company's inability to obtain an exception to the shareholder approval
requirement in connection with the Company's issuance and sale of Series C
Preferred Stock in May 1996. Effective May 29, 1996, the Common Stock of the
Company was listed on the Nasdaq SmallCap Market (the "SmallCap Market"). The
Company's Common Stock is traded on the SmallCap Market under the symbol ECCS.
The following table sets forth, for each of the quarters listed below, the high
and low sales prices per share of Common Stock as reported by (i) the National
Market for each of the quarters ended March 31, 1995 through March 31, 1996 and
for the period from April 1, 1996 through May 28, 1996; and (ii) the SmallCap
Market for each of the quarters ended June 30, 1996 (commencing May 29, 1996)
through June 30, 1997.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                       NATIONAL MARKET: QUARTER ENDED                      HIGH       LOW
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------  -----     -----
    <S>                                                                    <C>       <C>
    March 1995...........................................................  2.625     0.69
    June 1995............................................................  3.25      1.63
    September 1995.......................................................  5.50      2.25
    December 1995........................................................  4.50      1.50
    March 1996...........................................................  3.25      1.75
    June 1996 (through May 28, 1996).....................................  3.875     1.875
</TABLE>
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                       SMALLCAP MARKET: QUARTER ENDED                      HIGH       LOW
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------  -----     -----
    <S>                                                                    <C>       <C>
    June 1996 (commencing May 29, 1996)..................................  3.875     2.50
    September 1996.......................................................  3.625     2.00
    December 1996........................................................  4.75      2.25
    March 1997...........................................................  5.50      3.625
    June 1997............................................................  6.00      4.125
</TABLE>
 
     The prices shown above represent quotations among securities dealers, do
not include retail markups, markdowns or commissions and may not represent
actual transactions.
 
     On August 4, 1997, the last sales price of the Common Stock as reported by
the SmallCap Market was $4.875 per share. The approximate number of shareholders
of record on June 30, 1997 was 106.
 
                                DIVIDEND POLICY
 
     The Company has never declared or paid any dividends on Common Stock. The
Company intends to retain any earnings to fund future growth and the operation
of its business and, therefore, does not anticipate paying any cash dividends in
the foreseeable future. The Company's factoring facility with NationsBanc
Commercial Corporation ("NCC") restricts the Company's ability to pay certain
dividends (not including dividends payable to the Convertible Preferred
Shareholders upon the consummation of this Offering) without NCC's prior written
consent. The Company's line of credit facility with AT&T Commercial Finance
Corporation ("AT&T-CFC") prohibits the payment of dividends. AT&T-CFC has waived
such prohibition in connection with the dividend payments to be made to the
Convertible Preferred Shareholders upon the consummation of this Offering.
 
                                       11
<PAGE>   13
 
                                 CAPITALIZATION
 
     The following table sets forth the capitalization of the Company: (i) as of
June 30, 1997; and (ii) on an as adjusted basis to give effect to the conversion
of all outstanding shares of Convertible Preferred Stock into 3,770,590 shares
of Common Stock and the sale by the Company of 1,875,832 shares of Common Stock
offered hereby (assuming an offering price of $4.875 per share), after deducting
the underwriting discounts and estimated offering expenses payable by the
Company, and the anticipated application of the estimated net proceeds
therefrom.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                              JUNE 30, 1997
                                                                         -----------------------
                                                                         ACTUAL      AS ADJUSTED
                                                                         -------     -----------
                                                                             (IN THOUSANDS)
<S>                                                                      <C>         <C>
Shareholders' equity:
  Preferred stock, $0.01 par value, 3,000,000 shares authorized;
     1,600,000 shares Series B cumulative convertible preferred stock
     and 500,000 shares Series C cumulative convertible preferred
     stock, issued and outstanding; none issued and outstanding on an
     as adjusted basis.................................................  $    21       $    --
  Common stock, $0.01 par value, 20,000,000 shares authorized; issued
     and outstanding on an actual and an as adjusted basis, of
     4,491,032 and 10,137,454, respectively(1).........................       45           101
  Capital in excess of par value -- preferred..........................    4,522            --
  Capital in excess of par value -- common.............................   10,423        22,916
  Retained earnings (deficit)..........................................   (7,966)       (7,966)
                                                                         -------       -------
     Total shareholders' equity........................................    7,045        15,051
                                                                         -------       -------
       Total capitalization............................................  $ 7,045       $15,051
                                                                         =======       =======
</TABLE>
 
- ---------------
(1) Excludes an aggregate of 2,089,181 shares of Common Stock reserved for
    issuance under the Company's stock option plans and other stock options and
    warrants, of which 1,726,907 shares are issuable upon the exercise of stock
    options and warrants outstanding as of June 30, 1997 at a weighted average
    exercise price of $2.69. Such amount also excludes an aggregate of 55,344
    shares reserved for issuance under the Company's 1995 Employee Stock
    Purchase Plan.
 
                                       12
<PAGE>   14
 
                                    DILUTION
 
     The net tangible book value of the Company as of June 30, 1997 was
approximately $6.2 million, or $0.75 per share of Common Stock (assuming the
conversion of all outstanding shares of Convertible Preferred Stock). "Net
tangible book value per share" is equal to the Company's total tangible assets
less total liabilities, divided by the number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding. After giving effect to the sale by the Company of 1,875,832 shares
of Common Stock in this Offering (at the offering price and after deducting
underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable
by the Company), the as adjusted net tangible book value of the Company as of
June 30, 1997 would have been $14.2 million, or $1.40 per share of Common Stock.
This represents an immediate increase in net tangible book value per share of
$0.65 to existing shareholders and immediate dilution in net tangible book value
of $3.48 per share to new investors. The following table illustrates the per
share dilution:
 
<TABLE>
    <S>                                                                    <C>       <C>
    Public offering price per share......................................            $4.88
      Net tangible book value per share at June 30, 1997.................  $0.75
      Increase per share attributable to new investors...................   0.65
    As adjusted net tangible book value per share after the Offering.....             1.40
                                                                                     ------
                                                                                         -
    Net tangible book value dilution per share to new investors..........            $3.48
                                                                                     =======
</TABLE>
 
                                       13
<PAGE>   15
 
                      SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA
 
     The selected consolidated financial data for the five years ended December
31, 1996, are derived from the Company's audited financial statements. The
selected consolidated financial data for the six months ended June 30, 1996 and
1997 have been derived from the unaudited consolidated financial statements of
the Company. The unaudited financial data include all adjustments (consisting
only of normal, recurring adjustments) that the Company considers necessary for
fair presentation of the financial position and results of operations for these
periods. The results of operations for the six months ended June 30, 1997 are
not necessarily indicative of the results for any future period or for the full
year ending December 31, 1997. The following should be read in conjunction with
the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto and "Management's
Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Conditions"
appearing elsewhere in this Prospectus:
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                   SIX MONTHS ENDED
                                            YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,                    JUNE 30,
                                -----------------------------------------------   -------------------
                                 1992      1993     1994(1)    1995      1996      1996        1997
                                -------   -------   -------   -------   -------   -------     -------
                                              (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)(UNAUDITED)
<S>                             <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>         <C>
STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS DATA:
Net sales.....................  $43,483   $51,574   $42,738   $31,174   $22,604   $12,838     $17,840
  Cost of sales...............   33,457    38,144    36,563    23,256    15,165     8,731      12,848
                                -------   -------   -------   -------   -------   -------     -------
Gross profit..................   10,026    13,430     6,175     7,918     7,439     4,107       4,992
  Selling, general and
     administrative
     expenses.................    6,735    10,444    12,415     9,967     6,907     3,652       3,486
  Research and development
     expenses.................      552       758       978     1,123     1,027       673         696
                                -------   -------   -------   -------   -------   -------     -------
Operating income (loss).......    2,739     2,228    (7,218)   (3,172)     (495)     (218)        810
  Net interest expense........      236       586       764       487       274       157         112
                                -------   -------   -------   -------   -------   -------     -------
Income (loss) from operations
  before provision for income
  taxes.......................    2,503     1,642    (7,982)   (3,659)     (769)     (375)        698
  Provision (benefit) for
     income taxes.............      972       531    (1,192)    --        --        --          --
                                -------   -------   -------   -------   -------   -------     -------
Net income (loss).............    1,531     1,111    (6,790)   (3,659)     (769)     (375)        698
  Preferred dividends.........      120        58     --           79       248        86         154
                                -------   -------   -------   -------   -------   -------     -------
Net income (loss) applicable
  to common shares............  $ 1,411   $ 1,053   $(6,790)  $(3,738)  $(1,017)  $  (461)    $   544
                                =======   =======   =======   =======   =======   =======     =======
Net income (loss) per share:
  Primary.....................  $  0.64   $  0.32   $ (1.63)  $ (0.88)  $ (0.23)  $ (0.11)    $  0.10
  Fully diluted...............  $  0.52   $  0.30   $ --      $ --      $ --      $ --        $  0.08
Shares used in computing
  primary net income (loss)
  per share...................    2,189     3,313     4,160     4,232     4,346     4,322       5,236
BALANCE SHEET DATA:
Cash..........................  $   573   $   134   $ 1,670   $ 1,514   $ 4,393   $ 4,800     $ 1,339
Working capital...............    3,281    10,115     2,932     1,134     4,280     4,428       5,096
Total assets..................   20,095    33,948    21,507    12,435    14,552    16,621      16,393
Loans payable.................    3,693     4,803     4,089     1,849     1,762     3,388       1,859
Series B redeemable
  convertible preferred
  stock.......................    --        --        --        1,794     --        --          --
Shareholders' equity..........    2,483    12,373     5,673     2,122     6,177     6,435       7,045
</TABLE>
    
 
- ---------------
(1) Includes $380,000 related to the write-down of certain capitalized software,
    $374,000 related to employee termination costs and $3,500,000 of inventory
    adjustments.
 
                                       14
<PAGE>   16
 
               MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF RESULTS OF
                       OPERATIONS AND FINANCIAL CONDITION
 
OVERVIEW
 
     ECCS provides intelligent solutions to store, protect and access mission
critical information for the Open Systems and related markets. The Company
designs, manufactures and sells high performance, fault tolerant data storage
solutions for a wide range of customer requirements. ECCS' flagship product,
Synchronix, which the Company began selling in 1996, is a full feature RAID
(redundant array of independent disks) product family designed for use in NT and
UNIX clustered environments, including Tandem's ServerNet. The Company's
products are compatible with most Open System computing platforms and enable
customers to store, protect and access data and to centralize data management
functions across an organization's disparate computer environments.
 
     From its founding until 1994, the Company's principal business was the
value added resale of NCR products. Sales to AT&T business units made up a large
portion of such business. During 1994, as a result of AT&T's acquisition of NCR
and subsequent change in its purchasing policies, the Company undertook a
product development initiative to reposition the Company as a provider of
proprietary mass storage enhancement products. In 1995, the Company's sales of
its proprietary products exceeded its sales as a VAR due to both increasing
sales of its own products and decreasing sales as a VAR. Beginning in 1996, a
substantial portion of the Company's revenues has been generated from sales of
its own products.
 
     The Company's revenues are generated from three primary sources: (i)
revenues derived from sales of mass storage enhancement products, which include
sales of all ECCS mass storage enhancement products, including the Synchronix
family of products, and sales of certain third party component products that are
incorporated into such mass storage enhancement systems; (ii) revenues generated
by the Company as a VAR which include the Company's sales to AT&T business units
for non-storage related products; and (iii) revenues derived from services and
other revenue which include Professional Services and maintenance contracts. The
Company believes that revenues derived from maintenance contracts and value
added resales will decrease as more resources are deployed for the development
and marketing of proprietary products.
 
     The following table sets forth, for the periods indicated, the percentage
of net sales derived from each of the product groupings the Company uses to
analyze sales and revenue:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                  SIX MONTHS
                                                       YEAR ENDED DECEMBER           ENDED
                                                               31,                 JUNE 30,
                                                      ----------------------     -------------
                                                      1994     1995     1996     1996     1997
                                                      ----     ----     ----     ----     ----
    <S>                                               <C>      <C>      <C>      <C>      <C>
    ECCS mass storage enhancement products
      (including all ECCS proprietary products and
      certain third party component products).......  36.0%    44.9%    80.0%    75.0%    93.5%
    Value added resales.............................  51.7%    40.0%     8.3%    12.3%     1.3%
    Services and other revenues.....................  12.3%    15.1%    11.7%    12.7%     5.2%
</TABLE>
 
     The year to year percentage increases in sales by the Company of is
proprietary systems, as well as the year to year percentage decreases in sales
by the Company in its capacity as a VAR are due, primarily, to the Company's
repositioning as a provider of its own proprietary mass storage enhancement
systems including storage subsystems.
 
     Most of the Company's proprietary products are manufactured under contract
by Unisys pursuant to the Company's specifications. In accordance with the
Company's instructions, Unisys ships the finished product directly to the
Company's customers. Product sales revenue is recognized upon product shipment.
The Company believes that by outsourcing certain manufacturing requirements, the
Company benefits from the greater purchasing power of the manufacturers,
reduction of inventory carrying costs and the avoidance of certain investments
in plant, property and equipment.
 
                                       15
<PAGE>   17
 
     The Company's cost of revenues relating to product sales consists primarily
of the costs of purchased material, direct labor and related overhead expenses,
and amortization of capitalized software. An increase in proprietary product
sales combined with the anticipated continued reduction in the sale of third
party product, which typically carries lower margins, is expected to lower cost
of revenues as a percentage of sales. Costs of revenues related to services are
comprised primarily of direct labor and related overhead expenses.
 
     The Company's OEM sales to date have been primarily to Unisys. In March
1997, the Company commenced sales of products to Tandem for resale. In addition,
in January 1997, the Company and Tandem announced their intent to jointly
develop a RAID storage connectivity for a System Area Network for the Open
Systems market. The Company and Tandem are seeking to develop a native ServerNet
system connectivity for Synchronix for departmental and enterprise clusters. No
revenues are expected from this arrangement during 1997. There can be no
assurances that a definitive agreement will be reached with Tandem.
 
     The profitability of any particular quarter is significantly affected by
the relative sales levels of each of the Company's primary sales channels: OEM,
Federal and commercial. Gross margins on products shipped to commercial
customers generally provide higher margins, followed by OEM and Federal. To the
extent that the Company is successful in increasing its sales of Synchronix and
Synchronection to the commercial market directly and through OEM arrangements,
the Company believes gross margins should improve accordingly.
 
     Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses consist of salaries,
commissions and travel costs for sales and marketing personnel, trade shows and
expenses associated with the Company's management, accounting, contract and
administrative functions. The Company anticipates that SG&A spending levels will
decrease as a percentage of sales to the extent sales to OEMs increase as a
percentage of sales. Sales to OEMs typically absorb much of the administrative
burden otherwise incurred by the Company.
 
     Since 1994, the Company has increased its research and development activity
in connection with the development of Synchronix and Synchronection. Research
and development expenses consist primarily of salaries and related overhead
expenses paid to engineers and programmers. Research and development expenses
are anticipated to increase substantially to enable the Company to update and
expand upon its existing product offerings and to integrate its products into
systems of future OEMs.
 
     This Management's Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations and
Financial Condition contains forwardlooking statements that involve risks and
uncertainties, many of which may be beyond the Company's control. See "Forward
Looking Statements."
 
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
 
     The following table sets forth for the periods indicated certain financial
data as a percentage of net sales.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                     SIX MONTHS
                                                                                        ENDED
                                                      YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,         JUNE 30,
                                                     -------------------------     ---------------
                                                     1994      1995      1996      1996      1997
                                                     -----     -----     -----     -----     -----
<S>                                                  <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>
Net sales..........................................  100.0%    100.0%    100.0%    100.0%    100.0%
  Cost of sales....................................   85.6      74.6      67.1      68.0      72.0
                                                     -----     -----     -----     -----     -----
Gross profit.......................................   14.4      25.4      32.9      32.0      28.0
  Selling, general & administrative expenses.......   29.0      32.0      30.6      28.5      19.6
  Research & development expenses..................    2.3       3.6       4.5       5.2       3.9
                                                     -----     -----     -----     -----     -----
Operating loss.....................................  (16.9)    (10.2)     (2.2)     (1.7)      4.5
  Net interest expense.............................    1.8       1.5       1.2       1.2       0.6
                                                     -----     -----     -----     -----     -----
Loss before benefit for income taxes...............  (18.7)    (11.7)     (3.4)     (2.9)      3.9
  Benefit for income taxes.........................   (2.8)       --        --        --        --
                                                     -----     -----     -----     -----     -----
Net loss...........................................  (15.9)%   (11.7)%    (3.4)%    (2.9)%     3.9%
                                                     =====     =====     =====     =====     =====
</TABLE>
 
                                       16
<PAGE>   18
 
  Six Months Ended June 30, 1997 and June 30, 1996
 
     Net Sales
 
     Net sales increased by approximately $5,002,000 or 39%, in the six months
ended June 30, 1997, as compared to net sales in the six months ended June 30,
1996. Sales of the Company's proprietary mass storage enhancement systems,
including sales of certain third party component products, accounted for 94% and
75% of net sales in the six month period ended June 30, 1997 and 1996,
respectively. Sales by the Company in its capacity as a VAR accounted for 1% and
12% of net sales in the six months ended June 30, 1997 and 1996, respectively.
Services and other revenues accounted for 5% and 13% of net sales in the six
months ended June 30, 1997 and 1996, respectively. The increase in the 1997
period resulted primarily from an increase in sales of the Company's mass
storage enhancement systems, including sales to Federal customers, as well as
sales through relationships with OEMs, and direct sales to Tandem, offset, in
part, by a decrease in value added resales.
 
     Sales to the U.S. Air Force through a Federal integrator accounted for
approximately 51% and 37% of net sales in the six months ended June 30, 1997 and
1996, respectively. The Company expects that sales to the U.S. Air Force will
continue to comprise a significant portion of the Company's net sales for the
next 12 to 18 months. There can be no assurance that the U.S. Air Force will
continue to purchase from the Company at historical levels, if at all.
 
     Sales to alternate channel partners accounted for approximately 26% and 18%
of net sales in the six months ended June 30, 1997 and 1996, respectively. Sales
to the Company's primary alternate channel partner, Unisys, accounted for 12% of
the Company's net sales in the six months ended June 30, 1997.
 
     During the first quarter of 1997, the Company commenced selling products to
Tandem. Sales to Tandem accounted for 11% of the Company's net sales in the six
months ended June 30, 1997.
 
     Gross Profit
 
     The Company's gross profit increased by approximately $885,000 in the six
months ended June 30, 1997 to approximately $4,992,000, from $4,107,000 in the
six months ended June 30, 1996. The increase in the 1997 period resulted from
increased sales volume. The Company's gross margin decreased to 28% in the six
months ended June 30, 1997, as compared to 32% in the corresponding period of
the prior year. The decrease in gross margin is due primarily to the numerous
orders sold to the U.S. Air Force through a Federal integrator during the first
six months of 1997, a large proportion of which consist of third party
components integrated with the Company's proprietary mass storage enhancement
products. Third party components generally have lower gross margins than the
Company's proprietary product.
 
     Operating Expenses
 
     Selling, general and administrative expenses decreased by $166,000 to
$3,486,000 in the six months ended June 30, 1997 from $3,652,000 in the six
months ended June 30, 1996. Selling, general and administrative expenses
decreased as a percentage of net sales representing 20% and 28% for the six
months ended June 30, 1997 and 1996, respectively. These decreases were
primarily due to certain one-time expenses incurred in 1996 from the Company's
on-going restructuring, including accrued bonuses, recruiting and relocation
expenses, and legal and audit fees.
 
     Research and development expenses increased slightly in the first six
months of 1997 by $23,000 or 3% from $673,000 in the first six months of 1996.
This slight increase is due primarily to the Company's continued investment in
and enhancements to the Company's current mass storage enhancement products.
Such expenses for the six months ended June 30, 1997 and 1996 (combined with the
amount capitalized during the respective periods in accordance with SFAS No. 86)
represented approximately 6% and 7%, respectively, of the Company's net sales.
Research and development projects for which the Company expects to devote
resources in the near future relate to a next generation of the Synchronix
family of products, new interface connectivities, customized OEM products and
the development of a ServerNet product with Tandem.
 
                                       17
<PAGE>   19
 
     Interest Expense
 
     Interest expense for the six months ended June 30, 1997 decreased by
$45,000 as compared to the six months ended June 30, 1996, due principally to a
reduction in fees charged by the Company's primary lender.
 
  Years 1996, 1995 and 1994
 
     Net Sales
 
     Net sales decreased by $8,570,000, or 28%, in 1996 and decreased by
$11,564,000, or 27%, in 1995 as compared to net sales in the respective
preceding years. The decrease in 1996 resulted primarily from a decrease of
value added resales to $1,865,000 or 8% of sales in 1996, from $12,487,000 or
40% of sales in 1995. Such decrease reflects the continued decline in sales to
AT&T business units and substantial reductions in system orders and shipments
which incorporated NCR products. The decline was, in part, offset by increases
in sales of the Company's proprietary mass storage systems, including sales to
both Federal customers and OEMs, such as Unisys. The decrease in 1995, from
1994, resulted primarily from decreased sales to multiple AT&T business units,
and a decrease in commercial sector sales of $1,174,000 offset, in part, by an
increase in Federal sector sales of $3,594,000.
 
     Sales to the Federal government represented 30%, 21%, and 7% of net sales
in 1996, 1995, and 1994, respectively. The U.S. Air Force, an end user of the
Company's products, purchased $5.7 million of products through federal
integrators in 1996. Of such amount, sales pursuant to a contract with Hughes
Data Systems accounted for $3.7 million, or 16%, of net sales. There are no
minimum purchase requirements under this contract. There can be no assurance
that there will be additional sales under this contract.
 
     Sales to alternate channel partners accounted for approximately 38%, 8% and
3% of net sales in 1996, 1995, and 1994, respectively. Sales to the Company's
primary alternate channel partner, Unisys, accounted for 30% of the Company's
net sales in 1996. All sales to Unisys, which began in 1996, were sales of mass
storage enhancement products. Effective May 1, 1995, the Company entered into an
OEM agreement with Unisys. For a description of the terms of such agreement, see
"Business -- Sales and Marketing."
 
     In 1996, 1995 and 1994, purchases by multiple AT&T business units
represented 14%, 51% and 65%, respectively of all purchases from the Company.
All such sales by the Company to AT&T were made on an individual purchase order
basis and, therefore, there were and are no ongoing written commitments by AT&T
to purchase from the Company.
 
     Gross Profit
 
     The Company's cost of sales includes primarily the cost of the Company's
own and other vendors' products and systems. The Company's gross profit
decreased by $479,000 or 6% in 1996, and increased by $1,743,000 or 28% in 1995
as compared to the gross profit earned in the respective preceding year. The
decrease in 1996 resulted from a decrease in net sales, offset by higher gross
margins due to a favorable change in product mix. The favorable change in
product mix was primarily due to increased sales of the Company's own
proprietary systems, which typically have higher gross margins. The increase in
1995 resulted from an increased gross margin percentage on a decreased sales
volume. The Company's gross margin percentage increased to 33% in 1996 as
compared to 25% in 1995 as a result of an increase in sales of the Company's
proprietary products and the higher gross margins associated with these
products.
 
     Operating Expenses
 
     Selling, general and administrative expenses decreased over $3 million from
1995 levels, and, as a percentage of net sales, to 31% in 1996, a decrease of 1%
from the prior year. This decrease was mainly attributable to a reduction in
commissions due to lower sales volume, in addition to management's efforts in
controlling these expenses. Salaries, commissions, bonuses and related employee
benefits and payroll taxes were the largest components of selling, general and
administrative expenses. During 1996 and 1995, the Company's staff was reduced
by 8% and 13%, respectively, largely through attrition.
 
                                       18
<PAGE>   20
 
     Selling, general and administrative expenses increased as a percentage of
net sales in 1995 to 32% from 29% in the prior year. The increase was due
principally to lower than expected sales that were not sufficient to support the
Company's sales and marketing structure.
 
     In 1996, net research and development expenses (after capitalized costs
related to internally developed software in accordance with SFAS No. 86)
decreased by $96,000 or 9% from $1,123,000 in 1995. In 1995, research and
development expenses increased by $145,000 or 15% from $978,000 in 1994.
Research and development expenses represented 5%, 4% and 2% of net sales in
1996, 1995 and 1994, respectively. The year to year increase reflects the
Company's product development initiative to reposition the Company as a provider
of proprietary mass storage enhancement products.
 
     Net Interest Expense
 
     In 1996, net interest expense decreased by $213,000 or 44% from $487,000 in
1995. The decrease was due principally to a combination of decreased inventory
carrying levels offset by an increase in interest income. Net interest expense
decreased in 1995 by $277,000 or 36% from $764,000 in 1994. The decrease was due
principally to decreased inventory carrying levels.
 
     Provision (Benefit) for Income Taxes
 
     The Company's effective tax rate (benefit) was (14.9%) in 1994. No benefit
was recorded for the losses incurred in 1995 or 1996.
 
QUARTERLY NET SALES
 
     The following table summarizes for the quarters indicated the Company's
unaudited net sales (in thousands) derived from each of its primary sources of
revenue. The Company's quarterly net sales breakdown illustrates the improvement
in net sales of mass storage enhancement products each quarter as compared to
the same quarter of the prior year over the last ten quarters. Quarterly results
are affected by seasonal factors, particularly the spending pattern of the
Federal government. Historically, the Company experiences lower sales in the
Company's third quarter due to reduced orders by the Federal government during
the government's fourth quarter, which ends on September 30. If the Company is
successful in its strategy to expand and develop additional OEM relationships,
the Company should experience less impact from government spending patterns.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                    MAR. 31,   JUNE 30,   SEPT. 30,   DEC. 31,   MAR. 31,   JUNE 30,   SEPT. 30,   DEC. 31,   MAR. 31,   JUNE 30,
                      1995       1995       1995        1995       1996       1996       1996        1996       1997       1997
                    --------   --------   ---------   --------   --------   --------   ---------   --------   --------   --------
<S>                 <C>        <C>        <C>         <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>         <C>        <C>        <C>
ECCS Mass Storage
  Enhancement
    Products......   $3,335     $4,703     $ 3,551     $2,401     $3,551     $6,074     $ 4,346     $4,115     $7,978     $8,700
Value Added
  Resales.........    4,258      3,157       2,479      2,593        737        839         180        109        136         87
Services and Other
  Revenues........    1,490      1,431         707      1,069        817        819         705        312        623        316
</TABLE>
 
LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
 
     Since 1994, the Company has funded its operations primarily from cash
generated by operations augmented with funds from borrowings under a line of
credit and inventory financing and through private sales of equity securities.
The Company also remains dependent on its ability to finance accounts receivable
and certain inventory.
 
     Net cash used in operations was $2,872,000 for the six months ended June
30, 1997 and $892,000 for the six months ended June 30, 1996. Such use of cash
resulted primarily from a substantial reduction in the borrowings against the
accounts receivable line of credit. Net cash used in investing activities was
$394,000 for the six months ended June 30, 1997, while net cash provided by
investing activities was $300,000 for the six months ended June 30, 1996. Such
change resulted primarily from the Company's sale of real estate in Romeoville,
Illinois in March 1996. Net cash provided by financing activities was $212,000
for the six months ended June 30, 1997 and $3,878,000 for the six months ended
June 30, 1996. The decrease in net cash provided by financing activities
resulted primarily from the issuance of 500,000 shares of Series C Preferred
Stock in May 1996.
 
                                       19
<PAGE>   21
 
     The Company's working capital was $5.1 million and $4.3 million at June 30,
1997 and December 31, 1996, respectively.
 
     Until July 30, 1997, the Company had a financing facility with Fidelity
Funding of California, Inc. ("Fidelity") which provided for maximum eligible (as
defined) accounts receivable financing of $7 million at the prime lending rate
with a 0.5% transaction fee applied to each borrowing. In addition, the
agreement required a commitment fee of 0.5% of the total available financing
amount, payable annually on each anniversary date of the agreement. The
obligations under such agreement were collateralized by substantially all of the
assets of the Company. The agreement did not contain any cash withdrawal
restrictions, any requirements for maintenance of specific financial ratios or
minimum net worth or limitations on dividend payments. As of June 30, 1997, the
Company owed approximately $1.9 million under this financing facility. Such
financing facility was terminated in July, 1997 in connection with the
consummation of the Company's new financing facility with NationsBanc Commercial
Corporation ("NCC") and all outstanding amounts have been repaid. In connection
with the termination of such financing facility, the Company paid Fidelity
termination fees of $100,000 in July 1997.
 
     On July 9, 1997, the Company entered into a full recourse factoring
facility with NCC which provides for aggregate advances not to exceed the lesser
of $7 million or up to 85% of Eligible Receivables (as defined). Interest on
such advances is payable monthly in arrears at the prime lending rate and the
Company is obligated to pay certain annual fees. The factoring facility is for a
period of three years (unless terminated by NCC by providing the Company sixty
days prior written notice) beginning on July 30, 1997. The obligations of the
Company under such agreement are collateralized by substantially all of the
assets of the Company.
 
     On May 17, 1996, the Company's direct pay line of credit with AT&T
Commercial Finance Corporation ("AT&T-CFC") was terminated and its general line
of credit with AT&T-CFC was increased to $2 million. The agreement with AT&T-CFC
contains covenants relating to net worth, total assets to debt and total
inventory to debt. Such general line of credit has been extended to March 31,
1998. The Company uses this line of credit to augment its purchasing ability
with various vendors. The Company relied on this line of credit for 16% of its
inventory acquisitions in the first six months of 1997, the majority of which
were purchases from Bell Microproducts and Tech Data Corporation. The Company's
obligations under the agreement with AT&T-CFC are collateralized by
substantially all of the assets of the Company. The maximum amount, during the
preceding twelve months, that the Company has drawn under such general line of
credit has been approximately $1.7 million. As of June 30, 1997, the Company
owed approximately $782,000 under this credit line, and available credit under
such line towards future inventory purchases was approximately $1,218,000.
 
     AT&T-CFC and NCC have entered into an intercreditor subordination agreement
with respect to their relative interests in substantially all of the Company's
assets.
 
     The Company's agreement with NCC restricts the Company's ability to pay
certain dividends (not including dividends payable to the Convertible Preferred
Shareholders upon the consummation of this Offering) without NCC's prior written
consent. The Company's agreement with AT&T-CFC prohibits the payment of any
dividends. AT&T-CFC has waived such prohibition in connection with the dividend
payments to be made to the Convertible Preferred Shareholders.
 
     On June 6, 1997, the Company loaned its President and Chief Executive
Officer an aggregate amount of $250,000 on a secured basis.
 
     The Company has a net operating loss carryover for Federal income tax
purposes of approximately $8,300,000, which will expire in 2009. The Company
also has research and development tax credit carryovers for Federal income tax
purposes of approximately $122,000 which will begin to expire in 2009. In
addition, the Company has alternative minimum tax credits of approximately
$53,000. These credits can be carried forward indefinitely. The Company
experienced a change in ownership in 1995 as defined by Section 382 of the
Internal Revenue Code. Accordingly, future use of these NOLs and income tax
credits may be limited.
 
     Under SFAS No. 109, a valuation allowance is established, if based on the
weight of available evidence, it is more likely than not that a portion of the
deferred tax asset will not be realized. Accordingly, a full valuation allowance
has been provided to off-set the Company's net deferred tax assets.
 
                                       20
<PAGE>   22
 
     For the six months ended June 30, 1997, the Company had invested $111,000
in capital equipment and leasehold improvements. The Company invested $603,000,
$318,000 and $642,000 in capital equipment and leasehold improvements in 1994,
1995 and 1996, respectively. Of such amounts, $114,000, $0 and $78,000 were
funded through capital leases in those respective years. Capital expenditures
for 1997 are expected to be approximately $845,000, although such amounts are
not subject to formal commitments. There are no other material commitments for
capital expenditures currently outstanding. Net borrowings under the Company's
accounts receivable financing facility provided funds of $97,000 for the six
months ended June 30, 1997 and $1,539,000 for the six months ended June 30,
1996.
 
     The Company believes that its existing available cash, credit facilities
and the cash flow expected to be generated from operations, together with the
proceeds of this Offering, will be adequate to satisfy its current and planned
operations for at least the next 12 months.
 
                                       21
<PAGE>   23
 
                                    BUSINESS
 
GENERAL
 
     ECCS provides intelligent solutions to store, protect and access mission
critical information for the Open Systems and related markets. The Company
designs, manufactures and sells high performance, fault tolerant data storage
solutions for a wide range of customer requirements. ECCS' flagship product,
Synchronix, which the Company began selling in 1996, is a full feature RAID
(redundant array of independent disks) product family designed for use in NT and
UNIX clustered environments, including Tandem's ServerNet. The Company's
products are compatible with most Open System computing platforms and enable
customers to store, protect and access data and to centralize data management
functions across an organization's disparate computer environments.
 
     ECCS' core technology provides data intensive environments with protection
against the loss of critical data and provides performance and reliability
characteristics of a mainframe, at a fraction of the cost. The Company's
products offer users (i) fast data transfer rates by spreading and retrieving
data simultaneously among various disk drives, (ii) fault tolerance through the
use of redundant components that can be "hot swapped" during repair and (iii)
high storage capacity.
 
     From its founding until 1994, the Company's principal business was the
value added resale of NCR products, primarily to AT&T business units. Sales to
AT&T business units made up a large portion of such business. During 1994, as a
result of AT&T's earlier acquisition of NCR and subsequent change in its
purchasing policies, the Company undertook a product development initiative to
reposition the Company as a provider of proprietary mass storage enhancement
products. A number of products have resulted from these efforts including
Synchronix and Synchronection, a fault tolerant network file server. During the
six months ended June 30, 1997, approximately 94% of the Company's sales were
derived from sales of the Company's proprietary products.
 
INDUSTRY BACKGROUND
 
     In response to competitive pressures, businesses and other organizations
have become increasingly dependent on their computing resources which enable
these organizations to increase productivity through the distribution of
computing power across their enterprise, providing large numbers of users with
access to applications, information and data. In this environment, it has become
important for organizations to manage the storage of and access to large volumes
of data, which increasingly represent critical information resources.
 
     These "data-intensive" computing environments require large volumes of
data, perform intensive processing and involve frequent user access to data.
Increasingly, organizations are deploying data-intensive applications and
services as core business resources. In addition, Internet and on-line server
related businesses have grown significantly. The data-intensity of the network
environment is expected to continue to increase substantially due to the
development of new applications and services and the more prevalent use of
stored digital graphic, voice and video, requiring dramatically more data
capacity than equivalent alphanumeric information. The increased data intensity
of computing environments has created demand for fault tolerant features which
are now being included in standard operating systems, including Windows NT.
 
     In this context, data management has become increasingly complex and
challenging. For data-intensive environments, three significant requirements
have emerged: (i) data access performance, (ii) data administration and (iii)
data availability and reliability.
 
     Data Access Performance.  Traditionally, management information systems
("MIS") managers and network providers improved performance on a network by
increasing central processing unit ("CPU") performance or increasing the
underlying network bandwidth. In data-intensive network environments,
performance of applications and services is increasingly limited by the time to
read or write to hard disk drives. Improvements in performance for most
applications and services have been limited by disk I/O performance, which
because of the mechanical nature of disk drives, has not improved as rapidly as
CPU performance or network bandwidth.
 
                                       22
<PAGE>   24
 
     Data Administration.  A key requirement in data administration is the
management of hardware and software systems that store data. In the
data-intensive network environment, data management is difficult and complex due
to the large number of users accessing the data, the multiple servers storing
the data and the large volume of data. Furthermore, because data may be widely
distributed throughout the network, administrative functions such as back-up or
expansion of the file system become substantially more difficult. Finally, the
budgetary constraints of most organizations require that this increasingly
complex administration be accomplished cost-effectively, without increased
staffing.
 
     Data Availability and Reliability.  As the data-intensive network
environment grows, data availability becomes critical to the organization's
productivity, time-to-market and responsiveness to customers. Achieving a high
level of data availability is particularly difficult because hard disk drives
are mechanical devices, which are prone to failure over extended periods of
intensive use. An organization may experience costly down-time or loss of data
from the failure of a single low-cost, network-attached disk drive. This is
particularly important to network service providers whose business is providing
network-stored data to their user. Therefore, it is imperative that systems
which are repositories of network-based data and services have low failure
rates, rapid recovery times and the ability to provide uninterrupted service in
the event of failure of a disk drive. Organizations often improve data
reliability through the use of RAID technology, which consists of using parallel
disk drives that work together as a single unit. RAID technology provides data
intensive Open Systems with protection against the loss of critical data in
addition to the performance and reliability characteristics of a mainframe, at a
fraction of the cost.
 
THE ECCS APPROACH
 
     ECCS designs, manufactures and markets a comprehensive range of high
performance, user-definable, fault-tolerant storage subsystems for Open Systems
and proprietary systems needs. The Company believes that its proprietary mass
storage enhancement products provide a level of performance or features not
generally available from competitors.
 
     The following are the key attributes of the ECCS approach:
 
     High Level of Data Access Performance.  The Company's product offerings
address RAID's inherent performance limitations relating to the speed of data
access. The Company's products are designed to provide a high level of data
access performance through the utilization of (i) multiple RAID levels on a wide
variety of disks that possess varying performance characteristics, (ii) larger
and upgradeable cache size to improve speed by avoiding the need for mechanical
access to RAID, (iii) solid state disks for dedicated memory for frequently
accessed information and (iv) proprietary technology for different software
applications.
 
     Improved Data Administration Capabilities.  The Company's products utilize
an intuitive, customizable Graphical User Interface (GUI) which allows for the
monitoring and management of virtually all systems functions, including
configuration, cache policies and data rebuild. These features allow for the
management of data by both sophisticated and unsophisticated users.
 
     Enhanced Data Availability.  The Company's products enhance data
availability by offering array-based failover, complete fault tolerance,
multiple host connectivity across various Open Systems platforms, on-line
firmware upgrades, on-line systems maintenance and hot-swappable component
replacement. The Company's array-based failover enables failover protection at
the storage array without host intervention.
 
     Scalability.  The Company's products provide maximum scalability as a
customer's needs change by using a modular approach in designing and configuring
its storage solutions. Customers can purchase from 10 to 90 disk drives per
footprint. This scalability allows the Company to provide solutions for a broad
range of storage requirements, from low capacity users to enterprise-wide
environments.
 
STRATEGY
 
     ECCS' objective is to further establish and solidify its position in the
rapidly growing Open Systems data storage market. In particular, the Company's
strategic focus centers around serving users whose mission critical applications
require high performance and high reliability storage products. The Company's
strategy
 
                                       23
<PAGE>   25
 
   
incorporates the following key elements: develop and broaden OEM relationships
with market leaders; establish first mover position in emerging clustering
technologies; continue direct sales to end users; and protect its position as an
innovative technology provider.
    
 
     Develop and Broaden OEM Relationships with Market Leaders.  The Company
believes that OEMs represent the most effective path to the end user and are
therefore its most significant revenue opportunity. By establishing
relationships with key OEMs that command a leadership position in their markets,
the Company believes it can gain increased credibility as a leading data storage
solution provider as well as leverage a large sales organization and customer
base. The Company anticipates that potential OEM candidates will possess the
need for fault tolerant data storage solutions as a complement to their market
leading technology. The Company is actively seeking to enter into additional,
long-term OEM relationships and supply agreements with organizations that
possess the capability to extend the reach of ECCS technology. Until July 21,
1997, Unisys served as the Company's only OEM. On July 21, 1997, the Company
announced that it had signed a Memorandum of Understanding pursuant to which
Tandem was granted a non-exclusive worldwide right to sell and distribute
certain of the Company's proprietary products under private label.
 
     Establish First Mover Position in Emerging Clustering Technologies.  The
Company intends to establish itself as the data storage solution of choice for
emerging clustering technologies. ECCS' technology is compatible with products
offered by Microsoft NT. This includes Wolfpack, Microsoft's fault-tolerant
clustering technology, which is expected to be part of the next general release
of Windows NT for the enterprise during 1997. In addition, the Company is
developing controller board technology for Tandem's ServerNet product.
ServerNet, an interconnect clustering technology, allows all major components of
a system, including processors, disk drives and I/O devices, to interact with
each other without processor intervention. The ServerNet architecture is an Open
System design capable of managing data applications that incorporate voice,
image or video with traditional data. Other vendors who have announced their
product support of ServerNet are Compaq, NEC, Oracle, Dell and Unisys.
 
     Continue Direct Sales to End Users.  As part of its distribution activity,
ECCS also sells directly to commercial and government end users. The Company
believes that maintaining direct contact with end users provides direction to
its research and development effort and enables the Company to better respond to
market needs and expectations. In addition, direct sales to end users generally
carry higher gross margins.
 
     Protect Technological Edge.  ECCS intends to continue to improve upon its
current products as well as develop new products for data storage. The Company
believes that it possesses substantial technical expertise gained through years
of internal research and development. ECCS believes that its research and
development efforts have produced a product line with advanced features and
functionality that provide it with a competitive advantage in the marketplace.
 
     The Company is actively pursuing each element of its strategy. No
assurances can be given, however, as to when or if these goals will be achieved.
 
PRODUCTS AND TECHNOLOGY
 
     The Company's family of mass storage enhancement products includes RAID
products, external disk, optical and tape systems and internal disk and tape
storage devices and storage related software. The Company designs its RAID
products to comply with standards adopted by the industry and the RAID Advisory
Board.
 
     All the Company's products are compatible with the SCSI (Small Computers
Systems Interface) protocol, an industry standard interface for peripheral
devices supported by the vast majority of computer manufacturers, as well as
with SCSI 2, an enhancement of the SCSI protocol and fiber protocol. The
Company's products operate with many major Open Systems hardware platforms and
operating systems environments.
 
     Recent advances in the speed and capacity of servers in network
environments often have exceeded the growth in capability of traditional
off-the-shelf storage systems. In anticipation of and in response to these
 
                                       24
<PAGE>   26
 
industry trends, the Company has focused its product development efforts on
advanced storage products including the following:
 
     SYNCHRONIX is a full feature product family designed for use in UNIX and NT
environments, including Microsoft Wolfpack and clustered environments.
Synchronix features a high performance, fault tolerant architecture to satisfy
large-scale, mission critical applications for Open Systems environments,
redundant controllers, cross-platform and dual host support, cache management,
hot swappable components and array-based automatic server failover, and provides
a scalable, continuously available feature flexible data storage solution. The
Synchronix family, which supports RAID levels 0, 1, 3, 5 and 10, also includes
varying offerings of the Synchronix Storage Management Subsystem, which provide
concurrent, user-definable implementations of RAID fault tolerance and non-RAID
configurations. The Synchronix family of products provides ECCS' customers with
a GUI which allows for the monitoring and management of virtually all systems
functions, including configuration, cache policies, data rebuild and load
balancing. The Company has received the Fault Tolerant Disk System+ (FTDS+)
rating from the RAID Advisory Board for the Synchronix Storage System. ECCS'
product is one of only three products to have received this fault tolerant
rating at this time. Synchronix can be configured to provide capabilities
ranging from just an array of independent disks through multiple levels of RAID
and can incorporate advanced, easy to utilize storage management and system
administration capabilities. Synchronix became commercially available in the
first quarter of 1996.
 
     SYNCHRONECTION-FT features a high performance, fault tolerant network file
server coupled with all of the continuous availability features of Synchronix,
and provides complete network access in a centralized storage repository for all
network storage requirements. All active components including disk drives, power
supplies, fans and system controllers are fully redundant, hot-swappable and can
be monitored on-line through the GUI. Synchronection combines the Company's
Synchronix product family with network software, offering storage capability up
to 1.6 terabytes. Synchronection, due to its software component, offers more
flexibility and a greater degree of compatibility with most network systems,
reducing the need for customized solutions and extensive testing periods.
Synchronection-FT became available during the second quarter of 1996.
 
     RAVEN UX 410 is a powerful, flexible, all-in-one server for departmental,
Internet, and Intranet requirements. The Raven UX 410 offers high performance,
with a scalable server which provides for continuous availability server
application with integrated RAID protection. The storage offered on the Raven UX
410 includes disk, tape, CD-ROM and floppy devices and RAID with processor in
one small desktop, deskside or rackmount footprint. The Raven UX 410 can be
optionally configured with industry standard tape drives, CD-ROMs and floppy
disks. The Company sells Raven UX primarily to the U.S. Air Force.
 
SALES AND MARKETING
 
     The Company markets its products through alternate channel partners,
including OEMs, VARs and distributors, and directly to Federal and commercial
end users through its internal sales force.
 
     Of its current alternate channel partners, the Company believes that its
key strategic relationships with Unisys and Tandem represent the greatest
potential for growth.
 
     Relationships with Unisys and Tandem.  Sales under the Company's OEM
agreement with Unisys commenced in 1996. All sales to Unisys were sales of mass
storage enhancement products. Such agreement, as subsequently amended, grants to
Unisys exclusive world-wide rights to sell and distribute certain of the
Company's proprietary products and a non-exclusive world-wide right to sell and
distribute certain other products. The agreement provides that product pricing
shall remain in effect throughout the term of the agreement unless market
conditions dictate that the Company should provide more favorable pricing terms
to Unisys. The agreement is for an initial five year term beginning May 1, 1995,
and Unisys has the right to extend such term for successive one year periods
upon appropriate written notice. The agreement may be terminated under certain
conditions and Unisys may, subject to certain conditions, terminate the
agreement in the event that the Company fails to timely perform its delivery
obligations under the agreement. The Company's sales are made by purchase order.
Therefore, the Company has no long-term commitments from Unisys and Unisys
generally may cancel orders on 30 days notice. There can be no assurance that
orders from
 
                                       25
<PAGE>   27
 
Unisys will continue at their historic levels or that the Company will be able
to obtain any new orders from Unisys.
 
     The Company and Tandem have executed a Memorandum of Understanding pursuant
to which Tandem has been granted a non-exclusive worldwide right to sell and
distribute certain of the Company's proprietary products under private label.
Under this arrangement, Tandem has no minimum or long-term commitment to
purchase from the Company. Tandem may cancel orders on thirty days notice. The
Company and Tandem have executed a second Memorandum of Understanding for
development of a ServerNet-based, fault tolerant, high performance, network
storage system. Tandem's ServerNet architecture is a system area network
technology for high speed, high availability movement of data for servers
running Windows NT. Other vendors who have announced their product support of
ServerNet are Compaq, NEC, Oracle, Dell and Unisys. The Company does not expect
to generate revenues from ServerNet and related products in 1997. The Company
has not yet entered into any definitive agreement with Tandem. Accordingly, it
is too early to accurately determine the impact that such relationships will
have on the Company's revenue in the future.
 
     Direct Sales.  ECCS currently focuses its direct sales efforts on
commercial and government end user accounts. The Company's direct sales force
consists of ten people. The Company conducts sales and marketing from its
corporate headquarters in New Jersey and from its offices in Alpharetta,
Georgia; Herndon, Virginia; and San Jose, California. The Company believes that
direct sales and support can lead to better account penetration and control,
better communications and long-term relationships with end user customers,
opportunities for follow-on sales to the existing customer base and more
accurate identification of current and future end user customer requirements
with which to guide product specification and development efforts. The sales
activities of the Company's direct sales force includes cold calling, attending
trade shows and exhibitions and pursuing sales leads provided by current
customers.
 
     During 1996 the Company became a subcontractor to a prime contractor,
Hughes Data Systems, which, along with Sun Microsystems, Inc., was awarded a
contract by the U.S. Air Force. The Company uses its direct sales force to
market to the U.S. Air Force. There are no minimum purchase requirements. There
can be no assurance that there will be additional sales under this contract.
 
CUSTOMER SUPPORT
 
     The Company also provides technical support services to OEMs (third tier
support) and to end users. The Company's technical support specialists are
divided into three "tiers" or "levels" of support, and are thus able not only to
diagnose and solve technical problems but also to assist customers with systems
integration and use. Customers have toll-free telephone access (1-800-2-GET-HLP)
to technical specialists who respond to hardware, software and applications
questions. The Company tracks service reports through a customer database which
maintains current status reports as well as historical logs of customer
interaction.
 
     The Company has also established a Professional Services organization that
provides, on a contract basis, a variety of services, including hardware and
software installation, training, configuration analysis, integration testing and
application development. The Professional Services organization also provides
pre- and post-sales support.
 
COMPETITION
 
     ECCS is engaged in fields within the data processing industry characterized
by a high level of competition. Many established companies, including
manufacturers of computers, systems integrators and manufacturers of mass
storage enhancement products and networking products compete with the Company.
Many of such competitors have resources greater than those of the Company. There
can be no assurance that the Company will be able to continue to compete
successfully with existing or new competitors.
 
     ECCS also believes it distinguishes itself from its competitors on the
basis of the combination of its technical expertise, its product uniqueness, its
systems integration services and its service and customer support. The Company
believes it distinguishes itself from competitors through the available
features, price and performance of its own mass storage enhancement products.
 
                                       26
<PAGE>   28
 
     The Company believes that the currently available alternative mass storage
devices are not adequate substitutes with respect to the particular applications
addressed by the Company's products. Such alternatives address different
requirements for characteristics such as storage capacity, data access speed,
reliability, fault tolerance and price/performance. Most computer systems
companies and companies that offer memory enhancement products also offer RAID,
mass storage and backup products and technologies, or are undertaking
development efforts, which compete or may compete with the Company in the mass
storage marketplace for Open Systems-based networked computers, including
companies considerably larger and with greater resources than those of the
Company. To the Company's best knowledge, current providers of RAID products and
technology in the Open Systems marketplace on an OEM basis and/or to end users
include, among others, EMC, Data General, Digital Equipment Corporation and
Hyundai's Symbios Logic Division. Many larger companies currently provide RAID
solutions for the mainframe and mini-computer market segments. There can be no
assurance that such companies will not enter the RAID marketplace for Open
Systems-based non-mainframe, non-mini-computer computers.
 
     Competitive factors include relative price/performance; product features,
quality and reliability; adherence to industry standards; financial strength;
and service, support and reputation. For certain of the Company's products, an
important factor in competition may be the timing of market introduction of its
or its competitors' products, relative time to market of products and product
availability. Accordingly, the relative speed with which the Company can develop
products and bring them to market also are important competitive factors.
 
MANUFACTURING AND SUPPLIERS
 
     ECCS relies on outside manufacturers to manufacture and produce certain of
the Company's products for use in the Company's proprietary systems, as well as
for the direct sale to end users, and relies on outside suppliers to supply
subassemblies, component parts and computer systems for resale. Certain
components used in the Company's business are available only from a limited
number of sources. Any delays in obtaining component parts could adversely
affect the Company's results of operations. Manufacturing by the Company
consists primarily of light assembly, systems integration, testing and quality
assurance. The Company relies on independent contractors and outside suppliers
to manufacture subassemblies to the Company's specifications. Each of the
Company's products undergoes testing and quality inspection at the final
assembly stage. The Company has not experienced material problems with its
proprietary systems manufacturers or its suppliers of subassemblies. There can
be no assurance, however, that material problems will not arise in the future
that could significantly impede or interrupt the Company's business. Although no
assurances may be given, the Company anticipates that its current facilities
coupled with the Company's ability to hire contract manufacturers will
adequately satisfy its manufacturing requirements for the foreseeable future.
 
     Significant vendors to the Company include Unisys, Bell Microproducts and
Anthem. During 1996, purchases from these vendors totaled $4.3 million or 26%,
$2.1 million or 13% and $1.2 million or 7%, respectively, of the Company's total
purchases and, for the six months ended June 30, 1997, 27%, 24% and 6%,
respectively, of the Company's total purchases.
 
     On June 27, 1995, the Company entered into a Manufacturing Services
Agreement with Unisys, its primary manufacturer, that defines the terms of sales
and support services. Pursuant to such agreement, Unisys will manufacture
certain of the Company's products for use in the Company's proprietary systems
as well as for the direct sale to end-users. The agreement does not contain
specific quantity commitments and purchases are made on a purchase order basis.
The agreement does not include any long-term commitment by the Company to
Unisys. The contract had an initial term of one year and automatically renews
for successive one year periods. The contract was automatically renewed on June
27, 1997. Pricing and deliverables are to be negotiated each year. Either party
can terminate the agreement with written notice, provided, however, that if
Unisys cancels the agreement, it shall be obligated to continue accepting
manufacturing orders for a period of six months thereafter. In the event that
the Company terminates the agreement, the Company shall be liable for inventory
procured to fill the Company's orders. The Company primarily relies on regular
trade credit with open terms for the financing of purchases under this
agreement.
 
                                       27
<PAGE>   29
 
     The Company has purchase order supply arrangements with Bell Microproducts
and Anthem pursuant to which the Company orders on terms negotiated at the time
of each such order. There are no minimum purchase requirements. These
arrangements are terminable by either party at any time.
 
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
 
     The Company participates in an industry that is subject to rapid
technological changes, and its ability to remain competitive depends on, among
other things, its ability to anticipate such changes. As a result, the Company
has devoted substantial resources to product development. The Company's research
and development expenditures were $1,466,000 in 1996, $1,303,000 in 1995, and
$1,952,000 in 1994, of which $439,000, $180,000, and $974,000, respectively,
were capitalized in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board SFAS
No. 86, Accounting for the Costs of Computer Software to be Sold, Leased or
Otherwise Marketed. Research and development expenses were $696,000 in the six
months ended June 30, 1997, net of $283,000 capitalized in accordance with SFAS
No. 86.
 
     A substantial portion of the Company's research and development
expenditures in 1996 were devoted to the continued development of its Synchronix
family of products. To a lesser extent, research and development expenditures in
1996 related to feature upgrades and advanced engineering of ECCS' other current
product and planned product lines. Research and development expenditures in the
first half of 1997 related to the Company's continued enhancements to the
Company's mass storage enhancement products. Research and development projects
for which the Company expects to devote resources in the near future are a next
generation of the Synchronix family of products, new interface connectivities,
customized OEM products and the joint development of a ServerNet product with
Tandem.
 
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND OTHER PROPRIETARY RIGHTS
 
     Proprietary protection for the Company's technological know-how, products
and product candidates is important to its business. The Company relies upon
patents, trade secrets, know-how and continuing technological innovation to
develop and maintain its competitive position. The Company also relies on a
combination of copyright and trade secret protection and non-disclosure
agreements to establish and protect its proprietary rights. The Company has
filed numerous patent applications covering various aspects of its Synchronix
product family. There can be no assurance that patents will issue from any
applications or, if patents do issue, that any claims allowed will be
sufficiently broad to prohibit others from marketing similar products. In
addition, there can be no assurance that any patents that may be issued to the
Company, or which the Company may license from third parties, will not be
challenged, invalidated or circumvented, or that any rights granted thereunder
will provide proprietary protection to the Company. Although the Company
continues to implement protective measures and intends to defend its proprietary
rights, policing unauthorized use of the Company's technology or products is
difficult and there can be no assurance that these measures will be successful.
 
     Although management believes that patents will provide some competitive
advantage, the Company's success is dependent to a great extent on its
proprietary knowledge, innovative skills, technical expertise and marketing
ability. Because of rapidly changing technology, the Company's present intention
is not to rely primarily on patents or other intellectual property rights to
protect or establish its market position.
 
     The Company has registered trademarks for RAID 10 PERFORMANCE MANAGER,
INTELLIGENT REBUILD, SPLIT MIRROR, EXAMODULE, SYNCHRONIX, INVERSE MIRRORING,
SYNCHRONISM, SYNCHRONECTION, SPLIT VOLUME and EASY BACKUP.
 
     Since 1989, the Company has required that all new employees, consultants
and contractors execute non-disclosure agreements as a condition of employment
or engagement by the Company. There can be no assurance, however, that the
Company can limit unauthorized or wrongful disclosures of unpatented trade
secret information.
 
                                       28
<PAGE>   30
 
EMPLOYEES
 
     As of June 30, 1997, the Company employed 90 persons, of whom 19 were
engaged in marketing and sales; 25 in research and development; 22 in
operations, including customer and technical support, manufacturing and
fulfillment; 5 in Professional Services; and 19 in finance, administration and
management. None of the Company's employees are covered by collective bargaining
agreements. The Company believes that it has been successful in attracting
skilled and experienced personnel; however, competition for such personnel is
intensive. The Company's future success will depend in part on its ability to
continue to attract, retain and motivate highly qualified technical,
manufacturing, marketing and management personnel. The Company considers
relations with its employees to be good.
 
PROPERTIES
 
     The Company leases facilities in Tinton Falls, New Jersey totaling 32,000
square feet. One lease covers 22,000 square feet and expires on December 31,
2000. Such lease contains a renewal option for an additional four-year term. A
second lease covers 10,000 square feet and expires on March 31, 1998, with an
option for an additional 33 months. The leased space in New Jersey is used for
research and development, manufacturing, quality assurance, a substantial
portion of sales and marketing and administration. The Company also leases sales
offices in Alpharetta, Georgia; Herndon, Virginia; and San Jose, California.
 
                                       29
<PAGE>   31
 
                                   MANAGEMENT
 
EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS
 
     The executive officers and directors of the Company are as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                  NAME                    AGE                 POSITIONS WITH THE COMPANY
- ----------------------------------------  ---     ---------------------------------------------------
<S>                                       <C>     <C>
Michael E. Faherty......................   62     Chairman of the Board and Director
Gregg M. Azcuy..........................   38     President and Chief Executive Officer and Director
Louis J. Altieri........................   38     Vice President, Finance and Administration
David J. Boyle..........................   33     Vice President, Sales and Marketing
Priyan Guneratne........................   41     Vice President, Operations
Gale R. Aguilar.........................   65     Director
James K. Dutton.........................   64     Director
Donald E. Fowler........................   59     Director
Frank R. Triolo.........................   63     Director
Thomas I. Unterberg.....................   66     Director
</TABLE>
 
     Executive officers of the Company are elected annually by the Board of
Directors and serve until their successors are duly elected and qualified. All
directors hold office until the next annual meeting of shareholders and until
their successors shall have been duly elected and qualified.
 
     Mr. Faherty has served as Chairman of the Board of the Company since
December 1994. From December 1994 to June 1996, he also served as Chief
Executive Officer of the Company. Prior to that, from August 1994 through
October 1994, he provided consulting services to the Company. Since February
1977, Mr. Faherty has been the principal of MICO, a general business consulting
firm. From January 1992 to January 1994, Mr. Faherty served as President and
Chief Executive Officer of Shared Financial Systems, Inc., a worldwide provider
of software and consulting services to data processing market segments that
utilize on-line transaction processing. From February 1989 to June 1992, Mr.
Faherty was employed by Intec Corp., a company engaged in the development and
sale of hardware and software systems designed to measure online defects,
serving as President of such company during such time and, from February 1990,
serving as its Chairman. In addition, from December 1992 to the present, Mr.
Faherty has been a general partner of Faherty Property Co., a family investment
partnership. Mr. Faherty serves as a director and is a member of the
compensation committee of BancTec, Inc. and Frontier Corporation, each a
publicly held company.
 
     In August 1995, ALC Communications Corporation ("ALC") merged into
Frontier. Mr. Faherty was a director of ALC until the time of such merger and
became a director of Frontier upon the consummation of such merger. On April 10
and 11, 1995, three lawsuits were commenced against ALC as a result of its
announced merger with Frontier. The lawsuits purport to be class actions brought
on behalf of all ALC shareholders against ALC and its directors. Among other
things, the complaints sought to enjoin the merger or to obtain an award of
damages. On June 9, 1995, the Delaware court consolidated the three cases for
all purposes under Mayers v. Irwin, et al., C.A. No. 14196. On July 10, 1995,
ALC and its directors answered the consolidated complaint.
 
     Mr. Azcuy has been a Director of the Company since June 1996. He joined the
Company in April 1994 as Executive Vice President, Products Division. In
September 1994, he became Acting Chief Operating Officer and, in February 1995,
became Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. In December 1995, he became
President and Chief Operating Officer. Since June 1996, he has served as
President and Chief Executive Officer. Prior to joining the Company, from 1993
to 1994, Mr. Azcuy was International Marketing Manager for Hitachi Data Systems
International, a manufacturer of mainframe storage products. From 1991 to 1993,
Mr. Azcuy was Vice President, Marketing and Sales, for Systems Industries, an
Open-Systems provider of storage solutions and, prior to that, from 1982, held
various managerial and sales positions within Systems Industries.
 
                                       30
<PAGE>   32
 
     Mr. Altieri, C.P.A., joined the Company in September 1994 as Controller and
became Vice President, Finance and Administration in October 1995. Prior to
joining the Company, from September 1991 until September 1994, Mr. Altieri
served as corporate controller of Monroe Systems for Business, Inc., an
international manufacturer, distributor and service provider of business
equipment. Prior to that, from June 1985 until September 1991, he served as
corporate controller/treasurer of C.M. Ofray and Sons, Inc., and Lion Ribbon
Company, each a manufacturer of novelty ribbons to florists, wholesalers and
large retailers.
 
     Mr. Boyle joined the Company in 1996 as Vice President, Sales and
Marketing. Prior to joining the Company, from April 1995, Mr. Boyle served as
Vice President, Sales of IPL Systems and from December 1991 to April 1995, he
served as District Manager of EMC Corp. Both companies are engaged in the data
storage business.
 
     Mr. Guneratne joined the Company in 1992 as Director of Manufacturing for
the Company's Products Division and later served as Director of Engineering. He
became Vice President, Operations in 1995. Prior to joining the Company, from
1986, Mr. Guneratne served in various product and design positions for E-Systems
Garland Division, including Program Manager, Engineering Manager and Products
Manager. From 1976 through 1986, Mr. Guneratne held various positions in
engineering design and development at Unisys and Raytheon Company.
 
     Mr. Aguilar has been a Director of the Company since March 1995. Mr.
Aguilar currently is President and a director of Mitem Corporation, a software
development company based in Menlo Park, California. Prior to that, from 1989 to
1992, Mr. Aguilar was Executive Vice President of SF2, a company which pioneered
RAID technology. From 1982 to 1988, Mr. Aguilar served as Senior Vice President
of Marketing and Corporate Development for Prime Computer. For 27 years, he held
various executive positions in sales, marketing and development with IBM
Corporation.
 
     Mr. Dutton has been a Director of the Company since August 1994. He is
currently a consultant and private investor. From 1991 to May 1994, he was a
consultant to and President of Andor America Corporation, a distributor of high
end mainframe computer equipment and related software. He was a director of
System Industries, Inc. from 1985 to July 1993 and served as Chairman of the
Board from March 1992 to July 1993. He is currently a director of Caere
Corporation and Network Equipment Technologies, Inc., each a public company.
 
     Mr. Fowler has been a Director of the Company since June 1996. He is
currently President, Chief Executive Officer and a Director of eT
Communications. Prior to that, from January 1996 to August 1996, Mr. Fowler
served as interim President and Chief Executive Officer of Worlds Inc., a
software company. From 1986 to January 1996, Mr. Fowler served as Senior Vice
President at Tandem Computers, and previously held executive positions at
Bechtel Group and IBM. He currently serves as Chairman of the President's
Cabinet at California Polytechnic State University.
 
     Mr. Triolo has been a Director of the Company since June 1996. From
September 1995 to January 1997, Mr. Triolo was chairman of Knowledge Discovery
1, a software and services company. Prior to that, from June 1994 to June 1995,
Mr. Triolo was the chairman and chief executive officer of Datacache, a computer
hardware and software company. Prior to that, from 1992 to April 1994, Mr.
Triolo served as a senior officer with AT&T Global Information Solutions (now
NCR). From 1985 to 1992, he was a senior officer with Teradata Corporation.
Prior to that, he was a senior sales executive with Amdahl Corporation.
Currently he is a consultant to technology companies in sales and marketing.
 
     Mr. Unterberg has been a Director of the Company since June 1996. Mr.
Unterberg is Managing Director of Unterberg Harris, an investment banking firm
which is the lead manager in this Offering. See "Underwriting." Unterberg Harris
was the lead manager in the Company's initial public offering in 1993 and acted
as placement agent in the Company's private offerings of preferred stock in 1995
and 1996. Prior to that, from 1987 to 1989, he was head of Technology Investment
Banking at Lehman Brothers. Mr. Unterberg is also presently the chairman and
president of C.E. Unterberg Inc. From 1977 to 1986, he was a General Partner,
Managing Director and Chairman of L.F. Rothschild, Unterberg, Towbin. He
currently serves on the Board of several public companies, including the AES
Corporation, Electronics for Imaging, Inc. and Systems and Computer Technology
Corporation.
 
                                       31
<PAGE>   33
 
                       PRINCIPAL AND SELLING SHAREHOLDERS
 
     The following table sets forth certain information regarding the beneficial
ownership of the Company's Common Stock as of June 30, 1997 (assuming the
conversion of all outstanding Convertible Preferred Stock), and as adjusted to
reflect the sale of the shares of Common Stock offered hereby, by (i) each
person who is known to the Company to own beneficially more than 5% of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock, (ii) the Selling Shareholders, (iii) each of
the Company's directors and Named Executives, and (iv) all directors and
executive officers of the Company as a group.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                          SHARES BENEFICIALLY                       SHARES BENEFICIALLY
                                                 OWNED                                     OWNED
                                          PRIOR TO OFFERING(1)      NUMBER OF        AFTER OFFERING(1)
                                        ------------------------   SHARES BEING   ------------------------
                 NAME                    NUMBER       PERCENT(2)     OFFERED       NUMBER       PERCENT(2)
- --------------------------------------  ---------     ----------   ------------   ---------     ----------
<S>                                     <C>           <C>          <C>            <C>           <C>
Unterberg Harris Private Equity
  Partners,
  L.P. Swiss Bank Tower
  10 East 50th Street
  New York, New York 10022............  1,040,626(3)     12.6             --      1,040,626        10.3
E&M RP Trust
  c/o Edmund Shea
  655 Brea Canyon Road
  Walnut, California 71789-3010.......    523,727(4)      6.3             --        523,727         5.2
Monmouth University...................     66,668(5)        *         66,668             --          --
Joseph M. Tucci.......................     50,000(6)        *         50,000             --          --
John Dexheimer........................     10,000(7)        *          7,500          2,500           *
Gale R. Aguilar.......................     23,333(8)        *             --         23,333(8)        *
James K. Dutton.......................     23,333(9)        *             --         23,333(9)        *
Michael E. Faherty....................    361,774(10)     4.2             --        361,774(10)     3.5
Donald E. Fowler......................     16,667(11)       *             --         16,667(11)       *
Frank R. Triolo.......................     16,667(11)       *             --         16,667(11)       *
Thomas I. Unterberg...................  1,676,627(12)    20.3             --      1,676,627(13)    16.5
Gregg M. Azcuy........................    151,235(14)     1.8             --        151,235(14)     1.5
Louis J. Altieri......................     33,693(15)       *             --         33,693(15)       *
David J. Boyle........................     17,500(16)       *             --         17,500(16)       *
Priyan Guneratne......................     28,534(17)       *             --         28,534(17)       *
All Directors and current executive
  officers as a group (10 persons)....  2,349,363(18)    26.5             --      2,349,363(18)    21.9
</TABLE>
 
- ---------------
   * Less than one percent.
 
 (1) Except as set forth in the footnotes to this table and subject to
     applicable community property law, the persons named in the table have sole
     voting and investment power with respect to all shares of Common Stock
     shown as beneficially owned by such shareholder.
 
 (2) Applicable percentage of ownership is based on 8,261,622 shares of Common
     Stock outstanding on June 30, 1997 (assuming the conversion of all
     outstanding Convertible Preferred Stock) and 10,137,454 shares of Common
     Stock outstanding immediately after this Offering, plus, in each case, any
     presently exercisable stock options or warrants or the conversion of other
     convertible securities held by each such holder and options or warrants
     which will become exercisable within 60 days after such date.
 
 (3) Includes 765,958 and 274,668 shares of Common Stock issuable upon the
     conversion of shares of Series B Preferred Stock and Series C Preferred
     Stock, respectively.
 
 (4) Includes 177,059 and 266,668 shares of Common Stock issuable upon the
     conversion of shares of Series B Preferred Stock and Series C Preferred
     Stock, respectively.
 
 (5) Includes 66,668 shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of shares
     of Series C Preferred Stock.
 
                                       32
<PAGE>   34
 
 (6) Includes 50,000 shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of shares
     of Series C Preferred Stock.
 
 (7) Includes 10,000 shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of shares
     of Series C Preferred Stock.
 
 (8) Includes 23,333 shares of Common Stock subject to options which are
     exercisable at June 30, 1997 or which will become exercisable within 60
     days of such date.
 
 (9) Includes 30,000 shares of Common Stock subject to options which are
     exercisable at June 30, 1997 or which will become exercisable within 60
     days of such date.
 
 (10) Includes 308,848 shares of Common Stock subject to warrants or options
      which are exercisable at June 30, 1997 or which will become exercisable
      within 60 days of such date.
 
(11) Includes 16,667 shares of Common Stock subject to options which are
     exercisable at June 30, 1997 or which will become exercisable within 60
     days of such date.
 
(12) Includes: 16,667 shares of Common Stock subject to options which are
     exercisable at June 30, 1997 or which will become exercisable within 60
     days of such date; 88,530 and 133,336 shares of Common Stock issuable upon
     the conversion of shares of Series B Preferred Stock and Series C Preferred
     Stock, respectively; 765,958 and 274,668 shares of Common Stock issuable
     upon the conversion of shares of Series B Preferred Stock and Series C
     Preferred Stock, respectively, held by Unterberg Harris Private Equity
     Partners, L.P.; 163,602 and 58,668 shares of Common Stock issuable upon the
     conversion of shares of Series B Preferred Stock and Series C Preferred
     Stock, respectively, held by Unterberg Harris Private Equity Partners,
     C.V.; 88,530 and 66,668 shares of Common Stock issuable upon the conversion
     of shares of Series B Preferred Stock and Series C Preferred Stock,
     respectively, held by Unterberg Harris LLC; and 20,000 shares of Common
     Stock issuable upon the conversion of shares of Series C Preferred Stock
     held by Unterberg Harris 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan Dated 10/26/90 FBO:
     Robert Matluck, of which Mr. Unterberg is a trustee.
 
(13) Includes 16,667 shares of Common Stock subject to options which are
     exercisable at June 30, 1997 or which will become exercisable within 60
     days of such date.
 
(14) Includes 125,923 shares of Common Stock subject to options which are
     exercisable at June 30, 1997 or which will become exercisable within 60
     days of such date.
 
(15) Includes 27,750 shares of Common Stock subject to options which are
     exercisable at June 30, 1997 or which will become exercisable within 60
     days of such date.
 
(16) Includes 17,500 shares of Common Stock subject to options which are
     exercisable at June 30, 1997 or which will become exercisable within 60
     days of such date.
 
(17) Includes 24,500 shares of Common Stock subject to options which are
     exercisable at June 30, 1997 or which will become exercisable within 60
     days of such date.
 
(18) See Notes 8 through 17.
 
                                       33
<PAGE>   35
 
                          DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK
 
     As of June 30, 1997, the Company had authorized capital of 20,000,000
shares of Common Stock and 3,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock. At June 30,
1997, there were 4,491,032 shares of Common Stock outstanding (8,261,622 shares
as adjusted to give effect to the mandatory conversion of the Convertible
Preferred Stock upon completion of the Offering). Other than the Convertible
Preferred Stock, there are no other shares of Preferred Stock outstanding.
 
COMMON STOCK
 
     Holders of shares of Common Stock are entitled to one vote for each share
held of record on matters to be voted on by the shareholders of the Company.
Holders of shares of Common Stock will be entitled to receive dividends, subject
to the senior rights of preferred shareholders, when, as and if declared by the
Board of Directors (see "Dividend Policy") and to share ratably in the assets of
the Company legally available for distribution to its shareholders in the event
of the liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the Company. Holders of Common
Stock have no preemptive, subscription, redemption or conversion rights. All of
the issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock are, and all shares of Common
Stock to be sold in this Offering will be, duly authorized, validly issued,
fully paid and nonassessable.
 
PREFERRED STOCK
 
     The Company's Board of Directors may without further action by the
Company's shareholders, from time to time, direct the issuance of shares of
Preferred Stock in series and may, at the time of issuance, determine the
rights, preferences and limitations of each series. The holders of Preferred
Stock would normally be entitled to receive a preference payment in the event of
any liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the Company before any payment is
made to the holders of the Common Stock. The Company does not presently intend
to issue any new series of Preferred Stock.
 
     The overall effect of the ability of the Company's Board of Directors to
issue Preferred Stock may be to render more difficult the accomplishment of
mergers or other takeover or change-in-control attempts. To the extent that this
ability has this effect, removal of the Company's incumbent Board of Directors
and management may be rendered more difficult. Further, this may have an adverse
impact on the ability of shareholders of the Company to participate in a tender
or exchange offer for the Common Stock and in so doing diminish the market value
of such stock. See "Risk Factors -- Control by Existing Shareholders; Anti-
takeover Considerations" and "Description of Capital Stock -- Anti-takeover
Provisions."
 
REGISTRATION RIGHTS OF CERTAIN HOLDERS
 
     In May 1995 and May 1996, the Company and the holders of the Company's
Series B and Series C Preferred Stock, respectively, entered into stock purchase
agreements pursuant to which the Company has granted certain demand and
piggyback registration rights to such shareholders Other than the Selling
Shareholders, all such shareholders have waived their registration rights in
connection with this Offering. The shares of Common Stock issuable upon the
conversion of Series B Preferred Stock are tradable, without restriction, under
Rule 144(k) by holders other than affiliates of the Company. The shares of
Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the Series C Preferred Stock are
eligible for resale in accordance with the provisions of Rule 144, including the
volume limitations thereunder.
 
     Pursuant to warrants issued to Michael E. Faherty, Chairman of the Board of
Directors, in December 1994, Mr. Faherty has unlimited piggyback registration
rights at the Company's expense, subject to certain restrictions set forth in
the warrants. Mr. Faherty has waived such registration rights in connection with
this Offering.
 
LIMITATION OF DIRECTOR LIABILITY
 
     The Restated and Amended Certificate of Incorporation of the Company limits
the liability of the Company's directors and officers to the Company or its
shareholders to the fullest extent permitted by New
 
                                       34
<PAGE>   36
 
Jersey law. Specifically, directors and officers of the Company will not be
personally liable for money damages for breach of a duty as a director or an
officer, except for liability (i) for any breach of the director's or officer's
duty of loyalty to the Company or its shareholders, (ii) for acts or omissions
not in good faith or which involve a knowing violation of law, (iii) as to
directors only, under Section 14A:6-12(I)(a) of the New Jersey Business
Corporation Act, which relates to unlawful declarations of dividends or other
distributions of assets to shareholders or the unlawful purchase of shares of
the corporation, or (iv) for any transaction from which the director or officer
derived an improper personal benefit.
 
ANTI-TAKEOVER PROVISIONS
 
     The Company is governed by the provisions of Section 14A:10A-1 et. seq.,
the New Jersey Shareholders Protection Act (the "New Jersey Act"), of the
Business Corporation Act of New Jersey, an anti-takeover law. In general, the
statute prohibits a publicly-held New Jersey corporation from engaging in a
"business combination" with an "interested shareholder" for a period of five
years after the date of the transaction in which the person became an interested
shareholder, unless the business combination is approved in a prescribed manner.
A "business combination" includes mergers, asset sales and other transactions
resulting in a financial benefit to the interested shareholder. An "interested
shareholder" is a person who, together with affiliates and associates, owns (or
within three years, did own) 10% or more of the corporation's voting stock.
After the five-year waiting period has elapsed, a business combination between a
corporation and an interested shareholder will be prohibited unless the business
combination is approved by the holders of at least two-thirds of the voting
stock not beneficially owned by the interested shareholder, or unless the
business combination satisfies the New Jersey Act's fair price provision
intended to provide that all shareholders (other than the interested
shareholders) receive a fair price for their shares.
 
TRANSFER AGENT AND REGISTRAR
 
     The transfer agent and registrar for the Common Stock is American Stock
Transfer & Trust Company.
 
                                       35
<PAGE>   37
 
                                  UNDERWRITING
 
     Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in an underwriting agreement
(the "Underwriting Agreement"), the Company and the Selling Shareholders have
agreed to sell to each of the Underwriters named below, and each of the
Underwriters, for whom Unterberg Harris is acting as representative (the
"Representative"), has agreed to purchase, the respective number of shares of
Common Stock set forth opposite its name below:
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                 UNDERWRITER                               NUMBER OF SHARES
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------  ----------------
    <S>                                                                    <C>
    Unterberg Harris.....................................................
 
                                                                           ----------------
              Total......................................................      2,000,000
                                                                           =============
</TABLE>
    
 
     In the Underwriting Agreement, the several Underwriters have agreed,
subject to the terms and conditions set forth therein, to purchase all the
shares of Common Stock offered hereby if any such shares are purchased. In the
event of a default by an Underwriter, the Underwriting Agreement provides that,
in certain circumstances, such commitments of the non-defaulting Underwriters
may be increased or the Underwriting Agreement may be terminated.
 
     The Representative has advised the Company that the Underwriters propose
initially to offer the shares of Common Stock offered hereby to the public at
the public offering price per share set forth on the cover page of this
Prospectus and to certain dealers at such price less a concession not in excess
of $[            ] per share. The Underwriters may allow, and such dealers may
reallow, a discount not in excess of $[            ] per share on sales to
certain other dealers. After the public offering, the offering price, discount
and reallowance may be changed.
 
   
     The Company granted the Underwriters an option which may be exercised
within 30 days after the date of this Prospectus, to purchase up to an
additional 300,000 shares of Common Stock to cover over-allotments, if any, at
the public offering price, less the underwriting discounts. To the extent that
the Underwriters exercise the option, each of the Underwriters will have a firm
commitment, subject to certain conditions, to purchase approximately the same
percentage of such shares that the number of shares of Common Stock to be
purchased by it shown on the foregoing table bears to the total number of shares
initially offered hereby.
    
 
     The Company and the Selling Shareholders have agreed to indemnify the
Underwriters (including in the case of the Company only, Burnham Securities Inc.
in its role as "qualified independent underwriter") against certain civil
liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribute to
payments the Underwriters may be required to make in respect thereof.
 
     On May 12, 1995, certain partners, employees, members of their families and
certain affiliates of Unterberg Harris, purchased, at a purchase price of
$1,340,000, 1,080,000 shares of the Company's Series B Preferred Stock, which
are convertible into an aggregate of 1,195,148 shares of Common Stock. On May
17, 1996, certain partners, employees and members of their families and certain
affiliates of Unterberg Harris, purchased, at a purchase price of $1,085,040,
180,840 shares of the Company's Series C Preferred Stock, which are convertible
into an aggregate of 723,360 shares of Common Stock. John Dexheimer, a managing
director of Unterberg Harris, has included 7,500 shares of Common Stock in this
Registration Statement, the proceeds of which are estimated to be $33,637.
 
     Thomas I. Unterberg is Managing Director of Unterberg Harris, an investment
banking firm which is the managing underwriter in this Offering and serves as
the Company's financial advisor. Mr. Unterberg is a member of the Board of
Directors of the Company (as designee for the holders of Convertible Preferred
Stock prior to this Offering). Unterberg Harris was the managing underwriter in
the Company's initial public offering in 1993. In May 1995, Unterberg Harris
acted as placement agent in connection with the private
 
                                       36
<PAGE>   38
 
placement of 1,600,000 shares of Series B Preferred Stock of the Company, which
shares convert into approximately 1,770,590 shares of Common Stock. As
compensation for its services, the Company paid to Unterberg Harris $100,000. In
May 1996, Unterberg Harris acted as placement agent in connection with the
private placement of 500,000 shares of Series C Preferred Stock of the Company,
which shares convert into approximately 2,000,000 shares of Common Stock. As
compensation for its services, the Company paid to Unterberg Harris $150,000.
Upon the consummation of this Offering, Mr. Unterberg will beneficially own
approximately 18% of the Common Stock of the Company.
 
     John Rosenthal, a managing director of Burnham Securities Inc., owns 42,000
shares of Common Stock of the Company, 120,000 shares of Series B Preferred
Stock and 16,667 shares of Series C Preferred Stock. Such shares of Preferred
Stock convert into an aggregate of 199,462 shares of Common Stock.
 
     Pursuant to provisions of Rule 2720 of the Conduct Rules of the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. that are applicable because Unterberg
Harris and its associated persons or affiliates own more than 10% of the
preferred equity of the Company, Burnham Securities Inc. has served as a
"qualified independent underwriter" and has recommended a price for the Common
Stock. Burnham Securities Inc. has performed due diligence investigations and
reviewed and participated in the preparation of this Prospectus and the
Registration Statement.
 
     Except for shares offered hereby, the Company, the Selling Shareholders and
certain other officers, directors and security holders of the Company have
agreed to a "lock-up" arrangement under which they will not offer, sell or
contract to sell, or otherwise dispose of, or announce an offering of, any
shares of Common Stock, or rights to acquire the same, without the prior written
consent of the Representative for a period of a maximum of 90 days after the
date of this Prospectus.
 
     In connection with the Offering, Unterberg Harris, on behalf of the
Underwriters, may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain or otherwise
affect the market price of the Common Stock. Such transactions may include
stabilization transactions effected in accordance with Rule 104 of Regulation M
under the Exchange Act, pursuant to which the Underwriters may bid for, or
purchase, Common Stock for the purpose of stabilizing the market price. The
Underwriters also may create a short position for their respective accounts by
selling more Common Stock in connection with the Offering than they are
committed to purchase from the Company, and in such case may purchase Common
Stock in the open market following completion of this Offering to cover all or a
portion of such short position. In addition, Unterberg Harris, on behalf of the
Underwriters, may impose "penalty bids" under contractual arrangements between
the Underwriters whereby it may reclaim from an Underwriter (or dealer
participating in the offering) for the account of the Underwriters, the selling
concession with respect to Common Stock that is distributed in this Offering,
but subsequently purchased for the account of the Underwriters in the open
market. Any of the transactions described in this paragraph may result in the
maintenance of the price of the Common Stock at a level above that which might
otherwise prevail in the open market. None of the transactions described in this
paragraph is required, and, if they are undertaken, they may be discontinued at
any time.
 
     As permitted by Rule 103 under the Exchange Act, Underwriters or
prospective Underwriters that are market makers ("passive market makers") in the
Common Stock may make bids for or purchases of Common Stock in the Nasdaq
SmallCap Market until such time, if any, when a stabilizing bid for such
securities has been made. Rule 103 generally provides that (1) a passive market
maker's net daily purchases of the Common Stock may not exceed 30% of its
average daily trading volume in such securities for the two full consecutive
calendar months (or any 60 consecutive days ending within the 10 days)
immediately preceding the filing date of the registration statement of which
this Prospectus forms a part, (2) a passive market maker may not effect
transactions or display bids for the Common Stock at a price that exceeds the
highest independent bid for the Common Stock by persons who are not passive
market makers and (3) bids made by passive market makers must be identified as
such.
 
                                       37
<PAGE>   39
 
                                 LEGAL MATTERS
 
     The validity of the issuance of the Common Stock offered hereby will be
passed upon for the Company by Buchanan Ingersoll, Princeton, New Jersey.
Certain legal matters will be passed upon for the Underwriters by Cravath,
Swaine & Moore, New York, New York.
 
                                    EXPERTS
 
     The consolidated financial statements of ECCS, Inc. at December 31, 1996
and 1995, and for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 1996,
appearing in this Prospectus and Registration Statement have been audited by
Ernst & Young LLP, independent auditors, as set forth in their report thereon
appearing elsewhere herein, and are included in reliance upon such report given
upon the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
 
                INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
 
     The Company hereby incorporates into this Prospectus by reference its
Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1996, its
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 1997 and its
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 1997 filed with the
Commission pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act of 1934.
 
     The Company will provide without charge to each person, including any
beneficial owner, to whom a copy of this Prospectus is delivered, upon the
written or oral request of any such person, a copy of any and all of the
documents incorporated herein by reference, other than exhibits to such
documents (except for exhibits that are specifically incorporated herein by
reference herein). Requests for such copies should be directed to Louis J.
Altieri, Vice President -- Finance and Administration, ECCS, Inc., One Sheila
Drive, Bldg. 6A, Tinton Falls, NJ 07724, telephone number (908) 747-6995.
 
                                       38
<PAGE>   40
 
                             AVAILABLE INFORMATION
 
     The Company has filed with the Commission a Registration Statement on Form
S-2 (the "Registration Statement") under the Securities Act, with respect to the
shares of Common Stock offered hereby. This Prospectus, which forms a part of
the Registration Statement, does not contain all the information set forth in
the Registration Statement and the exhibits and schedules filed therewith. For
further information with respect to the Company and the shares of Common Stock
offered hereby, reference is made to the Registration Statement and to such
exhibits and schedules filed therewith. Statements contained herein as to the
content of any contract or other document are not necessarily complete and, in
each instance, reference is made to the copy of such contract or other document
filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, and each such statement shall
be deemed qualified in its entirety by such reference. The Registration
Statement and any amendments thereto, including exhibits filed or incorporated
by reference as a part thereof, are available for inspection and copying at the
Commission's offices as described in the following paragraph.
 
     The Company is subject to the informational requirements of the Exchange
Act, and, in accordance therewith, is required to file reports, proxy and
information statements and other information with the Commission. Such reports,
proxy and information statements and other information can be inspected and
copied at the Public Reference Section of the Commission at Room 1024, 450 Fifth
Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549, and at the Commission's regional offices
at Citicorp Center, 500 West Madison Street, Suite 1400, Chicago, Illinois
60661, and 7 World Trade Center, Suite 1300, New York, New York 10048. Copies of
filed reports, proxy and information statements and other information can be
obtained from the Public Reference Section of the Commission, Washington D.C.
20549, upon payment of prescribed rates or in certain cases by accessing the
Commission's World Wide Web site at http://www.sec.gov. The Common Stock of the
Company is traded on the SmallCap Market under the symbol ECCS, and such
reports, proxy statements and other information concerning the Company also can
be inspected at the offices of Nasdaq Operations, 1735 K Street, N.W.,
Washington D.C. 20006.
 
                                       39
<PAGE>   41
 
                   INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                        PAGE
                                                                                        ----
<S>                                                                                     <C>
Report of Independent Auditors........................................................  F-2
Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 1995 and 1996 and June 30, 1997
  (unaudited).........................................................................  F-3
Consolidated Statements of Operations for each of the three years in the period ended
  December 31, 1996 and for the six months ended June 30, 1996 and 1997 (unaudited)...  F-4
Consolidated Statements of Shareholders' Equity for each of the three years in the
  period ended December 31, 1996 and for the six months ended June 30, 1996 and 1997
  (unaudited).........................................................................  F-5
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for each of the three years in the period ended
  December 31, 1996 and for the six months ended June 30, 1996 and 1997 (unaudited)...  F-6
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements............................................  F-7
</TABLE>
 
                                       F-1
<PAGE>   42
 
                         REPORT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
 
The Board of Directors and Shareholders
ECCS, Inc.
 
     We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of ECCS, Inc.
and subsidiaries as of December 31, 1996 and 1995, and the related consolidated
statements of operations, shareholders' equity, and cash flows for each of the
three years in the period ended December 31, 1996. These financial statements
are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to
express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits.
 
     We conducted our audits in accordance with generally accepted auditing
standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain
reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material
misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting
the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes
assessing the accounting principles used and the significant estimates made by
management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation.
We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
 
     In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above
present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of
ECCS, Inc. and subsidiaries at December 31, 1996 and 1995, and the consolidated
results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the three years in
the period ended December 31, 1996, in conformity with generally accepted
accounting principles.
 
                                                ERNST & YOUNG LLP
Princeton, New Jersey
February 25, 1997
 
                                       F-2
<PAGE>   43
 
                                   ECCS, INC.
 
                          CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
                             (DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS)
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                    DECEMBER 31,
                                                                  -----------------    JUNE 30,
                                                                   1995      1996        1997
                                                                  -------   -------   -----------
                                                                                      (UNAUDITED)
<S>                                                               <C>       <C>       <C>
ASSETS
CURRENT ASSETS:
  Cash and cash equivalents.....................................  $ 1,514   $ 4,393     $ 1,339
  Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts of
     $226 in 1995, $184 in 1996 and $258 at June 30, 1997.......    2,767     3,162       7,017
  Inventories...................................................    4,854     4,680       5,602
  Prepaid expenses and other receivables........................      303       257         336
                                                                  -------   -------     -------
                                                                    9,438    12,492      14,294
Property, plant and equipment (net).............................    1,311     1,190         987
Investment in real estate (net).................................      714        --          --
Capitalized software (net)......................................      919       814         816
Other assets....................................................       53        56         296
                                                                  -------   -------     -------
                                                                  $12,435   $14,552     $16,393
                                                                  =======   =======     =======
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
  Loans payable.................................................  $ 1,849   $ 1,762     $ 1,859
  Payable to AT&T Commercial....................................    1,254        64         782
  Current portion of mortgage payable...........................      502        --          --
  Current portion of capital lease obligations..................       78        91          44
  Accounts payable..............................................    1,440     4,061       4,065
  Accrued expenses and other....................................    1,841       986       1,384
  Warranty......................................................      350       414         554
  Customer deposits, advances and other credits.................      990       834         510
                                                                  -------   -------     -------
                                                                    8,304     8,212       9,198
Capital lease obligations, net of current portion...............       50         8          --
Deferred rent...................................................      165       155         150
                                                                  -------   -------     -------
                                                                    8,519     8,375       9,348
                                                                  -------   -------     -------
Series B cumulative redeemable convertible preferred stock, $.01
  par value per share, authorized 3,000,000 shares; issued and
  outstanding, 1,600,000 shares at December 31, 1995............       16        --          --
Capital in excess of par value..................................    1,778        --          --
                                                                  -------   -------     -------
                                                                    1,794        --          --
                                                                  -------   -------     -------
SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY:
  Preferred stock, $.01 par value per share, authorized,
     3,000,000 shares; Series B cumulative convertible preferred
     stock, issued and outstanding, 1,600,000 shares at December
     31, 1996 and June 30, 1997.................................       --        16          16
     Series C cumulative convertible preferred stock, issued and
     outstanding, 500,000 shares at December 31, 1996 and June
     30, 1997...................................................       --         5           5
  Common stock, $.01 par value per share, authorized, 20,000,000
     shares; issued and outstanding, 4,277,975 shares, 4,432,216
     shares and 4,491,032 shares at December 31, 1995, December
     31, 1996 and June 30, 1997, respectively...................       43        44          45
  Capital in excess of par value -- preferred...................       --     4,522       4,522
  Capital in excess of par value -- common......................    9,974    10,254      10,423
  Deficit.......................................................   (7,895)   (8,664)     (7,966)
                                                                  -------   -------     -------
                                                                    2,122     6,177       7,045
                                                                  -------   -------     -------
          Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity............  $12,435   $14,552     $16,393
                                                                  =======   =======     =======
</TABLE>
 
                See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
 
                                       F-3
<PAGE>   44
 
                                   ECCS, INC.
 
                     CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
                    (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                SIX MONTHS ENDED
                                              YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31,              JUNE 30,
                                           -------------------------------     -------------------
                                            1994        1995        1996        1996        1997
                                           -------     -------     -------     -------     -------
                                                                                   (UNAUDITED)
<S>                                        <C>         <C>         <C>         <C>         <C>
Net sales................................. $42,738     $31,174     $22,604     $12,838     $17,840
Cost of sales.............................  36,563      23,256      15,165       8,731      12,848
                                           -------     -------     -------     -------     -------
  Gross profit............................   6,175       7,918       7,439       4,107       4,992
Operating expenses:
  Sales, general & administrative.........  12,415       9,967       6,907       3,652       3,486
  Research & development..................     978       1,123       1,027         673         696
                                           -------     -------     -------     -------     -------
Operating income (loss)...................  (7,218)     (3,172)       (495)       (218)        810
  Net income (loss) interest expense......     764         487         274         157         112
                                           -------     -------     -------     -------     -------
Income (loss) before benefit for income
  taxes...................................  (7,982)     (3,659)       (769)       (375)        698
Benefit for income taxes..................  (1,192)      --          --          --          --
                                           -------     -------     -------     -------     -------
  Net income (loss)....................... $(6,790)    $(3,659)    $  (769)    $  (375)    $   698
                                           =======     =======     =======     =======     =======
Preferred dividends.......................   --             79         248          86         154
                                           =======     =======     =======     =======     =======
Income (loss) applicable to common
  shares.................................. $(6,790)    $(3,738)    $(1,017)    $  (461)    $   544
                                           =======     =======     =======     =======     =======
Primary net income (loss) per share....... $ (1.63)    $ (0.88)    $ (0.23)    $ (0.11)    $  0.10
                                           =======     =======     =======     =======     =======
Fully diluted net income per share (note
  2)...................................... $ --        $ --        $ --        $ --        $  0.08
                                           =======     =======     =======     =======     =======
Primary weighted average number of common
  and common equivalent shares............   4,160       4,232       4,346       4,322       5,236
                                           =======     =======     =======     =======     =======
Fully diluted weighted average number of
  common and common equivalent shares
  (note 2)................................   --          --          --          --          9,007
                                           =======     =======     =======     =======     =======
</TABLE>
 
                See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
 
                                       F-4
<PAGE>   45
 
                                   ECCS, INC.
 
                CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
                             (DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS)
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                            COMMON STOCK                   PREFERRED STOCK
                                   ------------------------------   ------------------------------
                                                         CAPITAL                          CAPITAL
                                                           IN                               IN                       TOTAL
                                                        EXCESS OF                        EXCESS OF   RETAINED    SHAREHOLDERS'
                                    SHARES     AMOUNT   PAR VALUE    SHARES     AMOUNT   PAR VALUE   EARNINGS       EQUITY
                                   ---------   ------   ---------   ---------   ------   ---------   ---------   -------------
<S>                                <C>         <C>      <C>         <C>         <C>      <C>         <C>         <C>
Balance at January 1, 1994.......  4,126,250    $ 41     $ 9,778                                      $  2,554      $12,373
  Stock option exercises.........     90,100       1          89                                                         90
Net loss.........................                                                                       (6,790)      (6,790)
                                   ---------     ---     -------                                       -------      -------
Balance at December 31, 1994.....  4,216,350      42       9,867                                        (4,236)       5,673
Issuance of stock and stock
  option exercises...............     61,625       1         107                                                        108
Net loss.........................                                                                       (3,659)      (3,659)
                                   ---------     ---     -------                                       -------      -------
Balance at December 31, 1995.....  4,277,975      43       9,974                                        (7,895)       2,122
Reclassification of Series B
  Convertible Preferred Stock....                                   1,600,000    $ 16     $ 1,778                     1,794
Issuance of Series C Convertible
  Preferred Stock................                                     500,000       5       2,744                     2,749
Issuance of stock and stock
  option exercises...............    154,241       1         280                                                        281
Net loss.........................                                                                         (769)        (769)
                                   ---------     ---     -------    ---------     ---      ------      -------      -------
Balance at December 31, 1996.....  4,432,216      44      10,254    2,100,000      21       4,522       (8,664)       6,177
Issuance of stock and stock
  option exercises (unaudited)...     58,816       1         169                                                        170
Net income (unaudited)...........                                                                          698          698
                                   ---------     ---     -------    ---------     ---      ------      -------      -------
Balance at June 30, 1997
  (unaudited)....................  4,491,032    $ 45     $10,423    2,100,000    $ 21     $ 4,522     $ (7,966)     $ 7,045
                                   =========     ===     =======    =========     ===      ======      =======      =======
</TABLE>
 
                See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
 
                                       F-5
<PAGE>   46
 
                                   ECCS, INC.
 
                     CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
                             (DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS)
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                 SIX MONTHS ENDED
                                                  YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31,           JUNE 30,
                                               ------------------------------   ------------------
                                                 1994       1995       1996      1996       1997
                                               --------   --------   --------   -------   --------
                                                                                   (UNAUDITED)
<S>                                            <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>       <C>
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income (loss)............................  $ (6,790)  $ (3,659)  $   (769)  $  (375)  $    698
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to
  net cash provided by (used in) operating
  activities:
  Depreciation and amortization..............     1,422      1,017      1,311       714        595
  Gain on sale of Illinois property..........     --         --          (145)     (145)     --
  (Increase) decrease in accounts
     receivable..............................     3,619      5,249       (395)   (3,595)    (3,855)
  Decrease (increase) in inventories.........     9,657      1,734        174     2,053       (922)
  (Increase) decrease in income taxes
     refunded................................      (854)       854      --        --         --
  Decrease (increase) in prepaid expenses and
     other...................................     1,683        535         43      (146)      (319)
  (Decrease) increase in payable to AT&T
     Commercial..............................    (4,730)    (2,547)    (1,190)     (919)       718
  Increase (decrease) in accounts payable,
     accrued liabilities and other...........      (765)    (2,446)     1,820     1,172        537
     Increase (decrease) in customer
       deposits..............................       537         49       (156)      349       (324)
                                               --------   --------   --------   -------   --------
Net cash provided by (used in) operating
  activities.................................     3,779        786        693      (892)    (2,872)
                                               --------   --------   --------   -------   --------
Cash flows from investing activities:
  Additions to property, plant and
     equipment...............................      (603)      (318)      (642)     (307)      (111)
  Gross proceeds from sale of Illinois
     property................................     --         --           855       855      --
  Additions to capitalized software..........      (974)      (180)      (439)     (248)      (283)
                                               --------   --------   --------   -------   --------
Net cash (used in) provided by investing
  activities.................................    (1,577)      (498)      (226)      300       (394)
                                               --------   --------   --------   -------   --------
Cash flows from financing activities:
  Borrowings under revolving credit
     agreement...............................    43,459     28,006     15,379     9,694     10,157
  Repayments under revolving credit
     agreement...............................   (44,173)   (30,246)   (15,466)   (8,155)   (10,060)
  Repayment of capital lease obligations.....       (30)       (94)       (29)      (53)       (55)
  Repayment of mortgage payable..............       (12)       (12)      (502)     (502)     --
  Gross proceeds from issuance of preferred
     stock...................................     --         2,000      3,000     3,000      --
  Expenses for issuance of preferred stock...     --          (206)      (251)     (252)     --
  Proceeds from exercise of employee stock
     options and issuance of common stock....        90        108        281       146        170
                                               --------   --------   --------   -------   --------
Net cash provided by (used in) financing
  activities.................................      (666)      (444)     2,412     3,878        212
                                               --------   --------   --------   -------   --------
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash
  equivalents................................     1,536       (156)     2,879     3,286     (3,054)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of
  period.....................................       134      1,670      1,514     1,514      4,393
                                               --------   --------   --------   -------   --------
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period...  $  1,670   $  1,514   $  4,393   $ 4,800   $  1,339
                                               ========   ========   ========   =======   ========
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow
  information:
  Cash paid during the period for:
     Interest................................  $    764   $    461   $    422   $   185   $    112
                                               ========   ========   ========   =======   ========
</TABLE>
 
                See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
 
                                       F-6
<PAGE>   47
 
                                   ECCS, INC.
 
                   NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
            DECEMBER 31, 1995 AND 1996 AND JUNE 30, 1997 (UNAUDITED)
 
NOTE 1 -- THE COMPANY
 
     ECCS, Inc. ("ECCS" or the "Company") is a provider of intelligent solutions
to store, protect and access mission critical information for the Open Systems
and related markets. The Company designs, manufactures and sells high
performance, fault tolerant data storage solutions for a wide range of customer
requirements. ECCS' flagship product, Synchronix, which the Company began
selling in 1996, is a full feature RAID (redundant array of independent disks)
product family designed for use in NT and UNIX clustered environments, including
Tandem's ServerNet. The Company's products are compatible with most Open System
computing platforms and enable customers to store, protect and access data and
to centralize data management functions across an organization's disparate
computer environments.
 
NOTE 2 -- SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
 
  Principles of Consolidation
 
     The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company
and its subsidiaries. All significant intercompany balances and transactions
have been eliminated.
 
  Reclassification
 
     Certain prior year balances have been reclassified to conform to the 1996
presentation.
 
  June 30, 1996 and 1997 Financial Information
 
     The information presented for June 30, 1997 and for the six-month periods
ended June 30, 1996 and 1997, is unaudited, but, in the opinion of the Company's
management, the accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements contain
all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring adjustments) which the
Company considers necessary for the fair presentation of the Company's financial
position as of June 30, 1997, the results of its operations for the six-month
periods ended June 30, 1996 and June 30, 1997 and its cash flows for the
six-month periods ended June 30, 1996 and June 30, 1997.
 
  Cash and Cash Equivalents
 
     The Company considers short-term investments with a maturity of three
months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents.
 
  Inventories
 
     Inventories are stated at the lower of cost (first-in, first-out method) or
market.
 
  Property, Plant and Equipment
 
     Property, plant and equipment are carried at cost. Depreciation and
amortization are provided on a straightline basis over the estimated useful
lives ranging from 3 to 5 years.
 
     Equipment under capital leases is recorded at the lower of fair value or
present value of minimum lease payments at the inception of the lease.
Amortization of the leased property is computed using the straight-line method
over the term of the lease.
 
  Investment in Real Estate
 
     In 1993, the Company purchased real estate, including a building and land,
in Romeoville, Illinois for $753,000. Depreciation on the building has been
recognized on a straight line basis over the estimated useful life of 31.5
years. On March 19, 1996, the Company sold such property for gross proceeds of
$855,000. These proceeds were used, in part, to pay off the mortgage in full.
Net cash proceeds to the Company, after repayment of the mortgage, were
approximately $270,000.
 
  Software Development Costs
 
     The Company capitalizes software development costs in accordance with the
Statement of Financial Accounting Standards ("SFAS") No. 86. Such costs are
capitalized after technological feasibility has been demonstrated. Such
capitalized amounts are amortized commencing with product introduction on a
straight-line basis utilizing the estimated economic life ranging from one to
three years. Amortization of capitalized
 
                                       F-7
<PAGE>   48
 
                                   ECCS, INC.
 
           NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS -- (CONTINUED)
 
software development is charged to cost of sales and aggregated $615,000,
$307,000 and $544,000 for 1994, 1995 and 1996, respectively, and $281,000 and
$255,000 for June 30, 1996 and 1997, respectively. Amortization of capitalized
software development costs in 1995 includes approximately $13,000 related to the
writedown of certain of such costs to net realizable value. At December 31,
1996, the Company has capitalized $2,013,000 of software development costs, of
which $1,199,000 has been amortized. At June 30, 1997, the Company has
capitalized $2,296,000 of software development costs, of which $1,480,000 has
been amortized.
 
  Impairment of Long-lived Assets
 
     In 1996, the Company adopted SFAS No. 121, "Accounting for the Impairment
of Long-Lived Assets and for Long-Lived Assets to be Disposed Of", which had no
effect on its financial condition or results of operations. The Company records
impairment losses on long-lived assets used in operations or expected to be
disposed of when events and circumstances indicate that the cash flows expected
to be derived from those assets are less than the carrying amounts of those
assets. No such events and circumstances have occurred.
 
  Revenue Recognition
 
     In general, revenue is recognized upon shipment of the product or system or
as services are provided. Periodically, revenue is recognized on product which
is being held at the customer's request. Revenue is only recognized on such
product when all risks of ownership have passed to the customer and the Company
has no specific performance obligations remaining. Revenues related to
maintenance contracts are recognized over the respective terms of the
maintenance contracts. Revenue for certain major product enhancements and major
new product offerings, for which the Company believes that significant product
development risks may exist which can realistically only be addressed during
live beta testing at end-user sites, is not recognized until successful
completion of such end-user beta testing.
 
  Warranty
 
     Estimated future warranty obligations related to ECCS products are provided
by charges to operations in the period the related revenue is recognized.
 
  Research and Development Costs
 
     Research and development costs are expensed as incurred, except for
software development costs which are accounted for as noted above.
 
  Income Taxes
 
     Income taxes are accounted for by the liability method in accordance with
the provisions of SFAS No. 109 "Accounting for Income Taxes".
 
  Stock Based Compensation
 
     Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 123, "Accounting for
Stock-Based Compensation," encourages, but does not require companies to record
compensation cost for stock-based employee compensation plans at fair value. The
Company has chosen to continue to account for stock-based compensation using the
intrinsic value method prescribed in Accounting Principles Board Opinion No. 25,
"Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees," and related Interpretations.
Accordingly, compensation cost for stock options is measured as the excess, if
any, of the quoted market price of the Company's stock at the date of the grant
over the amount an employee must pay to acquire the stock.
 
  Per Share Information
 
     Primary net income (loss) per share is computed using the weighted average
number of common shares and common share equivalents outstanding during the
periods presented. Common share equivalents result from outstanding options and
warrants to purchase common stock. To the extent common share equivalents are
anti-dilutive, they are not included in the calculation. The fully diluted net
income per share computation reflects the dilutive effect of the common share
equivalents and the assumed conversion of the Convertible Preferred Stock.
 
                                       F-8
<PAGE>   49
 
                                   ECCS, INC.
 
           NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS -- (CONTINUED)
 
     In February 1997, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Statement
No. 128, "Earnings per Share," which is required to be adopted for the Company's
year ending December 31, 1997. At that time, the Company will be required to
change the method currently used to compute earnings per share and to restate
all prior periods. Under the new requirements for calculating primary earnings
per share, the dilutive effect of stock options and warrants will be excluded.
The impact upon adoption is expected to result in an increase in primary
earnings per share for the six months and second quarter ended June 30, 1997 of
$.02 and $.01, respectively, and is expected to have no impact for the six
months and quarter ended June 30, 1996. The impact of Statement 128 on the
calculation of fully diluted earnings per share for all periods presented is not
expected to be material.
 
  Use of Estimates
 
     The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally
accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and
assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statement and
accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
 
NOTE 3 -- TRANSACTIONS WITH SIGNIFICANT VENDORS AND CUSTOMERS
 
     On June 27, 1995, the Company entered into a Manufacturing Services
Agreement with Unisys, its primary manufacturer, that defines the terms of sales
and support services. Pursuant to such agreement, Unisys will manufacture
certain of the Company's products for use in the Company's proprietary systems
as well as for the direct sale to endusers. The agreement does not contain
specific quantity commitments and purchases are made on a purchase order basis.
The agreement does not include any long-term commitment by the Company to
Unisys. The contract had an initial term of one year, and automatically renews
for successive one year periods. The contract was automatically renewed on June
27, 1996. Pricing and deliverables are to be negotiated each year. Either party
can terminate the agreement with written notice, provided, however, that if
Unisys cancels the agreement, it shall be obligated to continue accepting
manufacturing orders for a period of six months thereafter. In the event that
the Company terminates the agreement, the Company shall be liable for inventory
procured to fill the Company's orders. The Company primarily relies on regular
trade credit with open terms for the financing of purchases under this
agreement. The Company's purchases under this agreement totaled $4.3 million in
1996.
 
     Sales to the Company's primary alternate channel partner, Unisys, accounted
for 30% of the Company's net sales in 1996. All sales to Unisys, which began in
1996, were sales of mass storage enhancement products. Effective May 1, 1995,
the Company entered into an OEM agreement with Unisys.
 
     Such agreement, as subsequently amended, grants to Unisys exclusive
world-wide rights to sell and distribute certain of the Company's proprietary
products, and a non-exclusive world-wide right to sell and distribute certain
other products. The agreement provides that product pricing shall remain in
effect throughout the term of the agreement unless market conditions dictate
that the Company should provide more favorable pricing terms to Unisys. The
agreement is for an initial five year term beginning May 1, 1995 and Unisys has
the right to extend such term for successive one year periods upon appropriate
written notice. The agreement may be terminated under certain conditions and
Unisys may, subject to certain conditions, terminate the agreement in the event
that the Company fails to timely perform its delivery obligations under the
agreement. While the Company has an OEM agreement with Unisys that defines the
terms of the sales and support services provided thereunder, this agreement does
not include specific quantity commitments.
 
     Sales to the Federal government represented 30%, 21%, and 7% of net sales
in 1996, 1995, and 1994, respectively. The U.S. Air Force, an end user of the
Company's products, purchased $5.7 million of products through federal
integrators in 1996. Of such amount, sales pursuant to a contract with Hughes
Data Systems accounted for $3.7 million, or 16%, of net sales. There are no
minimum purchase requirements under this contract. There can be no assurance
that there will be additional sales under this contract.
 
                                       F-9
<PAGE>   50
 
                                   ECCS, INC.
 
           NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS -- (CONTINUED)
 
     In 1994, 1995 and 1996, purchases by multiple AT&T business units
represented 65%, 51% and 14%, respectively of all purchases from the Company.
All such sales by the Company to AT&T were made on an individual purchase order
basis and, therefore, there were and are no ongoing written commitments by AT&T
to purchase from the Company. The Company historically sold its mass storage
enhancement systems and provided systems integration services to AT&T, and,
acting as a value added reseller ("VAR") of NCR products, sold NCR computer
hardware systems to multiple AT&T business units for either their own use as an
end user or for resale by such business units to third parties. In 1996, the
Company purchased 7.5% of its inventory acquisitions from NCR. In 1995 and 1994,
purchases from such vendor represented 37% and 45%, respectively, of the
Company's inventory purchases.
 
     The Company has supply arrangements with Bell Microproducts and Anthem
Electronics, Inc. ("Anthem") pursuant to which the Company orders on terms
negotiated at the time of each such order. There are no minimum purchase
requirements. These arrangements are terminable by either party at any time.
1996 purchases from Bell Microproducts totaled approximately $2.1 million or
12.7% of all purchases. The Company's purchases from Anthem totaled $1.2
million, or 7.3% of the Company's total purchases and $3.1 million or 12% of the
Company's total purchases in 1996 and 1995, respectively.
 
NOTE 4 -- INVENTORIES
 
     Inventories consist of the following (in thousands):
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                            DECEMBER 31,           JUNE 30,
                                                         ------------------    ----------------
                                                          1995       1996      1997 (UNAUDITED)
                                                         -------    -------    ----------------
    <S>                                                  <C>        <C>        <C>
    Purchased parts....................................  $ 2,538    $ 2,181         $2,654
    Finished goods.....................................    3,129      3,280          3,846
                                                          ------     ------         ------
                                                           5,667      5,461          6,500
         Less: inventory valuation reserve.............      813        781            898
                                                          ------     ------         ------
                                                         $ 4,854    $ 4,680         $5,602
                                                          ======     ======         ======
</TABLE>
 
NOTE 5 -- PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
 
     Property, plant and equipment consist of the following (in thousands):
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                  DECEMBER 31,         JUNE 30,
                                                                 ---------------   ----------------
                                                                  1995     1996    1997 (UNAUDITED)
                                                                 ------   ------   ----------------
<S>                                                              <C>      <C>      <C>
Property.......................................................  $  498   $  490        $  464
Computer equipment.............................................   2,409    3,018         3,126
Vehicles.......................................................      47       47            47
Leasehold improvements.........................................     350      350           356
Equipment under capital leases.................................     368      367           368
                                                                 ------   ------        ------
                                                                  3,672    4,272         4,361
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization, including $331,
  $346 and $354 relating to equipment under capital leases for
  the periods ended December 31, 1995, December 31, 1996, and
  June 30, 1997 respectively...................................   2,361    3,082         3,374
                                                                 ------   ------        ------
                                                                 $1,311   $1,190        $  987
                                                                 ======   ======        ======
</TABLE>
 
NOTE 6 -- LOANS PAYABLE AND PAYABLE TO AT&T COMMERCIAL
 
     On May 17, 1996, simultaneously with the consummation of the sale of
462,512 shares of Series C Preferred Stock, the Company's direct pay line of
credit with AT&T Commercial Finance Corporation ("AT&T-CFC") was terminated and
its general line of credit with AT&T-CFC was increased to $2 million. The
agreement with AT&T-CFC contains covenants relating to net worth, total assets
to debt and total inventory to debt. Such agreement also restricts the payment
of dividends. Such general line of credit expires on March 31, 1998. The Company
uses this line of credit to augment its purchasing ability with various vendors.
The Company relied on this line of credit for 37% and 7.5% of its inventory
acquisitions in 1995 and
 
                                      F-10
<PAGE>   51
 
                                   ECCS, INC.
 
           NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS -- (CONTINUED)
 
1996, respectively, the majority of which were purchases from NCR. In 1994 and
1995, purchases from such vendor represented 45% and 37%, respectively, of the
Company's inventory purchases. The Company's obligations under the agreement
with AT&T-CFC are collateralized by substantially all of the assets of the
Company. As of December 31, 1995, the Company was in default with respect to its
net worth covenant of $5.5 million. On May 6, 1996, AT&T-CFC waived such default
through June 30, 1996. Effective with the Series C Preferred Stock placement,
the Company's net worth satisfied such net worth covenant. As of December 31,
1995 and 1996, the Company owed approximately $1.3 million and $64,000,
respectively, under this credit line, and available credit under such line
towards future inventory purchases of floor plan products was $1.9 million at
December 31, 1996.
 
     The Company has a financing facility with Fidelity Funding of California,
Inc. ("Fidelity") which provides for maximum eligible (as defined) accounts
receivable financing of $7 million at the prime lending rate (8.25% at December
31, 1996) with a 0.5% transaction fee applied to each borrowing. The weighted
average interest rate on such line in 1996 was 11.54%. In addition, the
agreement requires a commitment fee of 0.5% of the total available financing
amount, payable annually on each anniversary date of the agreement. The
financing facility agreement is for a period of three years beginning March 28,
1995 and the obligations under such agreement are collateralized by
substantially all of the assets of the Company. The outstanding balance for the
line of credit at December 31, 1995, December 31, 1996 and at June 30, 1997 was
approximately $1,800,000. Available borrowings from the Company's accounts
receivable line of credit were $926,000 at December 31, 1996. Such financing
facility was terminated in July 1997 (see Note 15).
 
NOTE 7 -- MORTGAGE PAYABLE
 
     On July 20, 1993, the Company entered into a mortgage agreement bearing 8%
interest with a bank for the principal amount of $529,250, collateralized by
property located in Romeoville, Illinois. On March 19, 1996, the Company sold
such property for gross proceeds of $855,000 and used a portion of such proceeds
to repay the mortgage, in full.
 
NOTE 8 -- LEASES
 
     The Company has capitalized leases for certain equipment. The capitalized
lease obligations are payable through July 1997 and bear interest at rates
ranging from 7.2% to 19.45%. In addition, the Company is obligated through the
year 2000 under non-cancelable operating leases for office and warehouse space.
The leases provide for all real estate taxes and operating expenses to be paid
by the Company. Under certain leases, the Company has the option to renew for
additional terms at specified rentals. Rental expense for such leases
approximated $581,000, $571,000 and $501,000 for the years ended December 31,
1994, 1995 and 1996, respectively, and $245,000 and $256,000 for the periods
ended June 30, 1996 and 1997, respectively.
 
     Deferred rent on the accompanying consolidated balance sheet represents the
excess of rents to be paid in the future over rent expense recognized on a
straight-line basis.
 
                                      F-11
<PAGE>   52
 
                                   ECCS, INC.
 
           NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS -- (CONTINUED)
 
     The following is a schedule of future minimum lease payments for capital
and non-cancelable operating leases, together with the present value of the net
minimum lease payments, as of December 31, 1996 (in thousands):
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                           DECEMBER 31, 1996
                                                                 -------------------------------------
                                                                    CAPITALIZED          OPERATING
                                                                       LEASES              LEASES
                                                                 ------------------   ----------------
<S>                                                              <C>                  <C>
1997...........................................................         $100               $  440
1998...........................................................            8                  320
1999...........................................................           --                  306
2000...........................................................           --                  306
Thereafter.....................................................           --                   --
                                                                        ----               ------
Total minimum lease payments...................................          108               $1,372
                                                                                           ======
                                                                        ----
Less amount representing interest..............................            9
                                                                        ----
Present value of net minimum lease payments....................         $ 99
                                                                        ====
</TABLE>
 
NOTE 9 -- CONVERTIBLE PREFERRED STOCK
 
     The Company has an authorized class of 3,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock
which may be issued by the Board of Directors on such terms and with such
rights, preferences and designations as the Board may determine. On May 19,
1995, the Company consummated a private placement of 6% Cumulative Redeemable
Convertible Preferred Stock, Series B (the "Series B Preferred Stock") pursuant
to which the Company issued and sold to certain investors 1,600,000 shares of
Series B Preferred Stock at a price per share of $1.25. The Series B Preferred
Stock was redeemable by the Company, at its option, after one year at $1.25 per
share, or $2 million in the aggregate, plus any accrued and unpaid dividends. In
addition, it was mandatorily redeemable four years from the date of issuance at
the same amounts. On May 17, 1996, the Series B Preferred Stock was amended to
delete the mandatory and optional redemption provisions contained therein. As a
result of the deletion of the mandatory and optional redemption provisions, the
Series B Preferred Stock was reclassified to equity in the Balance Sheet.
 
     Dividends with respect to such shares are calculated based on $0.02 per
share per quarter and accumulate if not declared and paid. As of December 31,
1996, an aggregate of $215,000 ($79,000 of which accrued in 1995 and $136,000 of
which accrued in 1996) of the Series B Preferred Stock dividends had accumulated
and have not been declared or paid. In addition, interest of 6% per annum
accrues on any unpaid dividends. As of June 30, 1997, such accumulated dividends
totaled $279,000.
 
     Also on May 17, 1996, 500,000 shares of the Company's Preferred Stock were
designated as Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock, Series C ("Series C
Preferred Stock"). Of such shares, 462,512 were issued into escrow on May 17,
1996 at a price per share of $6.00. Dividends with respect to such shares are
calculated based on $0.09 per share per quarter and accumulate if not declared
and paid. Interest of 6% per annum accrues on any unpaid dividends. At any time,
the Series C Preferred Shareholders may convert their Series C Preferred Stock
into Common Stock, at the initial rate of four shares of Common Stock for each
share of Series C Preferred Stock. The Company has reserved 2,000,000 shares of
Common Stock for the conversion of the outstanding Series C Preferred Stock. The
462,512 shares of Series C Preferred Stock and the proceeds thereof were
released from escrow on May 25, 1996 upon satisfaction of all applicable
conditions to release, after denial by Nasdaq of an exception to the shareholder
approval requirement. The issuance of such shares of Series C Preferred Stock
without shareholder approval and without an exception to such requirement
constitutes a breach of the Company's listing agreement with Nasdaq.
Consequently, the Company has been delisted from the National Market and is now
listed on the SmallCap Market. The Company's Board of Directors had determined
that the issuance of the shares of Series C Preferred Stock without shareholder
approval was necessary for the continued financial viability of the Company.
 
     On May 30, 1996, the Company issued directly to certain investors the
remaining 37,488 shares of Series C Preferred Stock at a price of $6.00 per
share.
 
                                      F-12
<PAGE>   53
 
                                   ECCS, INC.
 
           NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS -- (CONTINUED)
 
     In connection with the issuance of the Series C Preferred Stock and
pursuant to the anti-dilution provisions of the Series B Preferred Stock, the
conversion ratio of the Series B Preferred Stock was adjusted. As a result, the
Series B Preferred Stock is currently convertible into approximately 1,770,590
shares of Common Stock. The Company has reserved 1,770,590 shares of Common
Stock for the conversion of outstanding Series B Preferred Stock.
 
     As of December 31, 1996, an aggregate of $112,000 of the Series C Preferred
Stock dividends had accumulated and had not been declared or paid. As of June
30, 1997, such accumulated dividends totaled $202,000. In the event of
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, Series B Preferred
Shareholders and Series C Preferred Shareholders, on a pro rata basis, are
entitled to receive prior and in preference to Common Shareholders.
 
NOTE 10 -- STOCK OPTION PLANS
 
     Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 123, "Accounting for
Stock-Based Compensation," encourages, but does not require companies to record
compensation cost for stock-based employee compensation plans at fair value. The
Company has chosen to continue to account for stock-based compensation using the
intrinsic value method prescribed in Accounting Principles Board Opinion No. 25,
"Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees," and related Interpretations.
Accordingly, compensation cost for stock options is measured as the excess, if
any, of the quoted market price of the Company's stock at the date of the grant
over the amount an employee must pay to acquire the stock.
 
  The 1989 Stock Option Plan
 
     Under the Company's 1989 Stock Option Plan, as amended, 900,000 shares of
common stock can be issued through incentive stock options and non-statutory
stock options. The incentive stock options allow designated full-time employees,
including officers, to purchase shares of common stock at prices equal to fair
market value at the date of grant. For individuals who own more than 10% of the
stock of the Company, the option price of the shares may not be less than 110%
of the fair market value on the date of grant. The incentive stock options
expire five years from the date of the grant for shareholders owning more than
10% of the voting rights (as defined). The non-statutory stock options may be
granted to full-time employees, including officers and non-employee directors or
consultants at prices as determined by the Board of Directors. The stock options
are exercisable over a period determined by the Board of Directors. To date, no
options have been granted with a vesting period of more than five years.
 
                                      F-13
<PAGE>   54
 
                                   ECCS, INC.
 
           NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS -- (CONTINUED)
 
     A summary of the changes in outstanding common stock options under the 1989
Stock Option Plan is as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                          OPTIONS OUTSTANDING
                                                                      ---------------------------
                                                                                 WEIGHTED-AVERAGE
                                                                       SHARES     EXERCISE PRICE
                                                                      --------   ----------------
<S>                                                                   <C>        <C>
Balance at January 1, 1994..........................................   308,400        $ 2.01
                                                                       -------
  Options granted...................................................   367,017        $ 3.10
  Options exercised.................................................   (90,120)       $ 1.00
  Options canceled..................................................  (144,380)       $ 2.47
                                                                       -------
Balance at December 31, 1994........................................   440,917        $ 3.03
                                                                       -------
  Options granted...................................................   270,000        $ 2.21
  Options exercised.................................................   (16,375)       $ 1.16
  Options canceled..................................................   (99,625)       $ 2.93
                                                                       -------
Balance at December 31, 1995........................................   594,917        $ 2.73
                                                                       -------
  Options granted...................................................   310,559        $ 2.76
  Options exercised.................................................   (15,225)       $ 3.31
  Options canceled..................................................  (126,075)       $ 3.22
                                                                       -------
Balance at December 31, 1996........................................   764,176        $ 2.65
                                                                       -------
  Options exercisable at December 31, 1996..........................   217,987        $ 2.62
</TABLE>
 
     The weighted average remaining contractual life for the balance at December
31, 1996 in the 1989 Stock Option Plan is nine years and the exercise price
range is $1.00 - $4.25.
 
     On October 6, 1994, the Board of Directors offered to reduce the exercise
price of certain options to the fair market value of the Company's Common Stock
on such date. Upon acceptance by the option holders, the vesting period began
from the date of the offer and the options become exercisable ratably over a
period of four years and expire ten years from the date of issuance.
 
  1996 Stock Option Plan
 
     In June 1996, the Board of Directors of the Company adopted, subject to
shareholder approval, such approval being granted in July of 1996, the 1996
Stock Plan. Under the 1996 Stock Plan, 600,000 shares of common stock can be
issued through incentive stock options and non-statutory stock options and/or
stock purchase rights. The incentive stock options allow designated employees,
non-employee directors and consultants to purchase shares of common stock at
prices equal to fair market value at the date of grant. For individuals who own
more than 10% of the stock of the Company, the option price of the shares may
not be less than 110% of the fair market value on the date of grant. The
incentive stock options expire five years from the date of grant for
shareholders owning more than 10% of the voting rights (as defined). The
non-statutory stock options may be granted to employees, non-employee directors
and consultants at prices as determined by the Board of Directors. The stock
options are exercisable over a period determined by the Board of Directors. To
date, no options have been granted with a vesting period of more than five
years.
 
     A summary of the changes in outstanding common stock options under the 1996
Stock Plan is as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                          OPTIONS OUTSTANDING
                                                                       --------------------------
                                                                                 WEIGHTED-AVERAGE
                                                                       SHARES     EXERCISE PRICE
                                                                       -------   ----------------
<S>                                                                    <C>       <C>
Balance at January 1, 1995...........................................    --          --
                                                                       -------
  Options granted....................................................  212,000        $ 4.06
  Options exercised..................................................    --          --
  Options canceled...................................................    --          --
                                                                       -------
Balance at December 31, 1996.........................................  212,000        $ 4.06
  Options exercisable at December 31, 1996...........................    --          --
</TABLE>
 
                                      F-14
<PAGE>   55
 
                                   ECCS, INC.
 
           NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS -- (CONTINUED)
 
     The weighted average remaining contractual life for the balance at December
31, 1996 in the 1996 Stock Option Plan is ten (10) years and the exercise price
range is $3.38 - $4.50.
 
  Non-Qualified Stock Options
 
     On February 1, 1995, 306,000 common stock purchase options were granted by
the Board to full-time employees, including officers, and a non-employee
consultant. The exercise prices is $2.13, the fair market value of the Company's
Common Stock at the date of grant. These options are exercisable over a period
of four years and expire ten years from the date of issuance. These options were
granted outside the Company's 1989 Stock Option Plan pursuant to non-qualified
stock option agreements (the "Non-Qualified Agreements"). On May 19, 1995, in
connection with the sale by the Company of 1,600,000 shares of Series B 6%
Cumulative Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock (see Note 9), and pursuant to
an anti-dilution provision contained in certain of such options granted to an
officer of the Company, the number of options granted to such officer was
increased to 113,691. The exercise price of the 113,691 options granted to such
officer was adjusted to $1.25, the purchase price of the Series B 6% Cumulative
Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock. The anti-dilution provision expired on
December 31, 1995. No anti-dilution provision was included in connection with
the issuance of the Series C Convertible Preferred Stock.
 
     A summary of the changes in outstanding common stock options under the
Non-Qualified Agreements is as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                          OPTIONS OUTSTANDING
                                                                       --------------------------
                                                                                 WEIGHTED-AVERAGE
                                                                       SHARES     EXERCISE PRICE
                                                                       -------   ----------------
<S>                                                                    <C>       <C>
Balance at January 1, 1995...........................................   20,000        $ 2.38
                                                                       -------
  Options granted....................................................  339,691        $ 1.83
  Options exercised..................................................  (20,000)       $ 2.38
  Options canceled...................................................  (29,500)       $ 2.13
                                                                       -------
Balance at December 31, 1995.........................................  310,191        $ 1.80
                                                                       -------
  Options granted....................................................  100,000        $ 3.04
  Options exercised..................................................  (10,250)       $ 2.13
  Options canceled...................................................  (57,750)       $ 2.13
                                                                       -------
Balance at December 31, 1996.........................................  342,191        $ 2.53
                                                                       -------
Options exercisable at December 31, 1996.............................   90,548        $ 2.10
</TABLE>
 
     The weighted average remaining contractual life for the balance at December
31, 1996 under the Non-Qualified Agreements is 9.3 years and the exercise price
range is $1.25 - $4.50.
 
     In February of 1996, the Board of Directors of the Company adopted, subject
to shareholder approval, such approval being granted in July of 1996, the 1996
Non-Employee Directors Stock Option Plan (the "1996 Non-Employee Directors
Plan"). 150,000 shares of Common Stock can be issued under such plan through
non-statutory stock options. Under the terms of the 1996 Non-Employee Directors
Plan, each non-employee director who first becomes a member of the Board after
approval of such plan by the shareholders of the Company, shall be automatically
granted, on the date such person becomes a member of the Board, an option to
purchase 30,000 shares of Common Stock. In addition, each non-employee director
who is a member of the Board on the first trading day of each year shall be
automatically granted on such date, without further action by the Board, an
option to purchase 5,000 shares of Common Stock. Messrs. Faherty and Azcuy are
ineligible to receive options under the 1996 Non-Employee Directors Plan. The
exercise price per share under the 1996 Non-Employee Directors Plan shall be
equal to the fair market value (as defined) of a share of Common Stock on the
applicable grant date, and options granted under the 1996 Non-Employee Directors
Plan shall vest over a four year period. No stock options were issued under this
plan during 1996.
 
                                      F-15
<PAGE>   56
 
                                   ECCS, INC.
 
           NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS -- (CONTINUED)
 
  Stock Warrants
 
     On December 6, 1994, common stock purchase warrants for 266,601 shares
exercisable at $1.75 per share, the fair market value of the Company's Common
Stock on such date, were granted to a consultant of the Company. These warrants
become exercisable at various dates during the first year and expire ten years
from the date of issuance. On May 19, 1995, in connection with the sale by the
Company of 1,600,000 shares of the Series B Preferred Stock (see Note 9),
pursuant to an anti-dilution provision contained in such common stock purchase
warrants, the number of warrants granted was increased to 298,848 and the
exercise price was adjusted to $1.25, the purchase price of the Series B
Preferred Stock. At December 31, 1996, 298,848 of such warrants were
exercisable.
 
     The Company has reserved 2,130,589 shares of Common Stock for the exercise
of stock options and warrants as described above.
 
  FAS 123 Pro Forma Information
 
     Pro forma information regarding net income and earnings per share is
required by Statement No. 123, and has been determined as if the Company had
accounted for its employee stock options under the fair value method of that
Statement. The fair value for these options was estimated at the date of grant
using a Black-Scholes option pricing model with the following weighted-average
assumptions for 1995 and 1996: risk-free interest rates of between 5.45% - 6.69%
in 1995 and 5.48% - 7.58% in 1996; dividend yields of zero; volatility factors
of the expected market price of the Company's common stock of 1.02; and a
weighted-average expected life of four (4) years. The weighted average fair
market value of stock options issued in 1995 and 1996 was $1.48 and $2.35 per
share, respectively.
 
     The Black-Scholes option valuation model was developed for use in
estimating the fair value of traded options which have no vesting restrictions
and are fully transferable. In addition, option valuation models require the
input of highly subjective assumptions including the expected stock price
volatility. Because the Company's employee stock options have characteristics
significantly different from those of traded options, and because changes in the
subjective input assumptions can materially affect the fair value estimate, in
management's opinion, the existing models do not necessarily provide a reliable
single measure of the fair value of its employee stock options.
 
     For purposes of pro forma disclosures, the estimated fair value of the
options is amortized to expense over the options' vesting period. The Company's
pro forma information is as follows (in thousands except for earnings per share
information):
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                        1995        1996
                                                                       -------     -------
    <S>                                                                <C>         <C>
    Net loss as reported.............................................  $(3,659)    $  (769)
    Pro forma net loss...............................................  $(3,793)    $(1,093)
    Loss per share as reported
      Primary........................................................  $  (.88)    $  (.23)
    Pro forma loss per share
      Primary........................................................  $  (.91)    $  (.25)
</TABLE>
 
NOTE 11 -- EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
 
     In June 1995, the Company adopted a 1995 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the
"Purchase Plan") and reserved for issuance an aggregate of 150,000 shares of
Common Stock. The Purchase Plan allows eligible employees to purchase Common
Stock, through payroll deductions during a Purchase Period, at a purchase price
that shall be the lesser of (a) 85% of the Fair Market Value of a share of
Common Stock on the first day of such Purchase Period, or (b) 85% of the Fair
Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the Exercise Date of such Purchase
Period, as each of such terms are defined in the 1995 Employee Stock Purchase
Plan. The option to purchase stock under the Purchase Plan will terminate
December 31, 1999. At December 31, 1996, 77,247 shares were issued under the
Purchase Plan, of which 51,997 were issued in 1996.
 
                                      F-16
<PAGE>   57
 
                                   ECCS, INC.
 
           NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS -- (CONTINUED)
 
NOTE 12 -- INCOME TAXES
 
     The provision for income taxes is comprised of the following (in
thousands):
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                          DECEMBER 31,
                                                                   --------------------------
                                                                     1994       1995     1995
                                                                   --------     ----     ----
    <S>                                                            <C>          <C>      <C>
    Federal:
      Current....................................................  $ (1,007)     $--      $--
      Deferred...................................................      (117)     --       --
    State:
      Current....................................................       (32)     --       --
      Deferred...................................................       (36)     --       --
                                                                                 --       --
                                                                    -------
    Total........................................................  $ (1,192)     $0       $0
                                                                    =======      ==       ==
</TABLE>
 
     Deferred income taxes reflect the net tax effect of temporary differences
between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting
purposes and the amounts used for tax purposes. Significant components of the
Company's deferred tax balances as of December 31, 1995 and 1996 are as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                        1995        1996
                                                                       -------     -------
    <S>                                                                <C>         <C>
    Tax credits......................................................  $   225     $   268
    Net operating losses.............................................    2,977       3,384
    Capitalized software.............................................     (358)       (317)
    Deferred rent....................................................      810         737
    Valuation allowance..............................................   (3,654)     (4,072)
                                                                       -------     -------
    Total............................................................        0           0
    Current..........................................................        0           0
                                                                       -------     -------
    Non-current......................................................  $     0     $     0
                                                                       =======     =======
</TABLE>
 
     At December 31, 1996, the Company had a net operating loss carryover for
Federal income tax purposes of approximately $8,300,000, which will expire in
2009. The Company also has research and development tax credit carryovers for
Federal income tax purposes of approximately $122,000 which will begin to expire
in 2009. In addition, the Company has alternative minimum tax credits of
approximately $53,000. These credits can be carried forward indefinitely. The
Company has experienced a change in ownership in 1995 as defined by Section 382
of the Internal Revenue Code. Accordingly, future use of these NOLs and income
tax credits may be limited.
 
     Under SFAS No. 109, a valuation allowance is established, if based on the
weight of available evidence, it is more likely than not that a portion of the
deferred tax asset will not be realized. Accordingly, a full valuation allowance
has been provided to off-set the Company's net deferred tax assets.
 
     The differences between the provision for income taxes and income taxes
computed using the Federal income tax rate were as follows (in thousands):
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                      DECEMBER 31,
                                                              -----------------------------
                                                               1994        1995       1996
                                                              -------     -------     -----
    <S>                                                       <C>         <C>         <C>
    Computed "expected" tax benefit.........................  $(2,715)    $(1,210)    $(261)
    State income taxes, net of federal income tax benefit
      and state valuation allowance.........................      (45)      --         --
    Increase in federal valuation allowance.................    1,588       1,312       418
    Research and development tax credits....................      (56)       (119)     (183)
    Other...................................................       36          17        26
                                                              -------     -------     -----
    Actual tax benefit......................................  $(1,192)    $ --        $--
                                                              =======     =======     =====
</TABLE>
 
NOTE 13 -- COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
 
     In both 1995 and 1996, the Company adopted a plan whereby senior management
will be entitled to six months severance payments in the event of certain
terminations after a change-in-control of the Company,
 
                                      F-17
<PAGE>   58
 
                                   ECCS, INC.
 
           NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS -- (CONTINUED)
 
and an incentive bonus will be paid if such persons are still in the employ of
the Company at the completion of a change-in-control.
 
     There are no individual material litigation matters pending to which the
Company is party or to which any of its property is subject.
 
NOTE 14 -- RELATED PARTY TRANSACTION (UNAUDITED)
 
     On June 6, 1997, the Company entered into a loan transaction with its
President and Chief Executive Officer (the "Borrower") pursuant to a $250,000
promissory note in favor of the Company. Interest on the outstanding principal
balance of such promissory note is payable monthly at the prime lending rate.
The promissory note is payable over a five-year period beginning on May 31,
1999. In connection with such promissory note, the Borrower granted the Company
a security interest in the Borrower's interests in the Company's 1997 Executive
Compensation Plan and any and all future executive compensation bonuses or
similar compensation to be received by the Borrower. The Borrower also pledged
to the Company all of his right, title and interest to 25,000 restricted shares
of the Company's Common Stock and options to purchase 131,000 shares of the
Company's Common Stock as security for the promissory note.
 
NOTE 15 -- SUBSEQUENT EVENTS (UNAUDITED)
 
     On July 9, 1997, the Company entered into a full recourse factoring
facility with NationsBanc Commercial Corporation ("NCC") which provides for
aggregate advances not to exceed the lesser of $7 million or up to 85% of
Eligible Receivables (as defined in the agreement). Interest on such advances is
payable monthly in arrears at the prime lending rate and the Company is
obligated to pay certain annual fees. The factoring facility is for a period of
three years (unless terminated by NCC by providing the Company sixty days prior
written notice) beginning on July 30, 1997. The obligations of the Company under
such agreement are collateralized by substantially all of the assets of the
Company.
 
     In connection with the termination of the Company's financing facility with
Fidelity (see Note 6), the Company paid Fidelity a termination fee of $100,000.
 
     On June 26, 1997, the Board of Directors authorized the filing of a
registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission for the sale
of up to 3,450,000 shares of Common Stock, of which up to 1,500,000 shares may
be sold by certain selling shareholders. If such offering is consummated under
terms presently anticipated, all shares of Series B Preferred Stock and Series C
Preferred Stock outstanding as of the closing date of such offering will
automatically convert into shares of Common Stock in accordance with the terms
of such series. Accrued dividends will be payable with respect to such Preferred
Stock.
 
                                      F-18
<PAGE>   59
 
=======================================================
 
  NO DEALER, SALESPERSON OR OTHER PERSON HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED TO GIVE ANY
INFORMATION OR TO MAKE ANY REPRESENTATIONS NOT CONTAINED IN THIS PROSPECTUS IN
CONNECTION WITH THE OFFERING COVERED BY THIS PROSPECTUS. IF GIVEN OR MADE, SUCH
INFORMATION OR REPRESENTATIONS MUST NOT BE RELIED UPON AS HAVING BEEN AUTHORIZED
BY THE COMPANY, ANY SELLING SHAREHOLDER OR ANY UNDERWRITER. THIS PROSPECTUS DOES
NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL, OR A SOLICITATION OF ANY OFFER TO BUY, COMMON
STOCK IN ANY JURISDICATION TO ANY PERSON TO WHOM IT IS UNLAWFUL TO MAKE SUCH AN
OFFER OR SOLICITATION IN SUCH JURISDICTION. NEITHER THE DELIVERY OF THIS
PROSPECTUS NOR ANY SALE MADE HEREUNDER SHALL, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, CREATE
ANY IMPLICATION THAT THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS CORRECT AS OF ANY TIME
SUBSEQUENT TO THE DATE HEREOF OR THAT THERE HAS BEEN NO CHANGE IN THE AFFAIRS OF
THE COMPANY SINCE THE DATE HEREOF.
 
                            ------------------------
 
                               TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                         PAGE
                                         ----
<S>                                      <C>
Prospectus Summary.....................    4
Risk Factors...........................    6
Use of Proceeds........................   10
Price Range of Common Stock............   11
Dividend Policy........................   11
Capitalization.........................   12
Dilution...............................   13
Selected Consolidated Financial Data...   14
Management's Discussion and Analysis of
  Results of Operations and Financial
  Condition............................   15
Business...............................   22
Management.............................   30
Principal and Selling Shareholders.....   32
Description of Capital Stock...........   34
Underwriting...........................   36
Legal Matters..........................   38
Experts................................   38
Incorporation of Certain Documents by
  Reference............................   38
Available Information..................   39
Index to Consolidated Financial
  Statements...........................  F-1
</TABLE>
    
 
=======================================================
=======================================================
   
                                2,000,000 SHARES
    
                                      LOGO
                                  COMMON STOCK
                             ---------------------
 
                                   PROSPECTUS
                             ---------------------
 
   
                                UNTERBERG HARRIS
    
                                           , 1997
=======================================================
<PAGE>   60
 
                                    PART II
 
ITEM 14.  OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION.
 
     The following table sets forth an itemized estimate of fees and expenses
payable by the registrant in connection with the offering described in this
registration statement, other than underwriting discounts and commissions:
 
   
<TABLE>
    <S>                                                                        <C>
    SEC registration fee.....................................................  $   3,398
    NASD filing fee..........................................................      1,621
    Nasdaq additional listing fee............................................      7,500
    Counsel fees and expenses................................................    160,000
    Accounting fees and expenses.............................................    125,000
    Blue sky fees and expenses...............................................     25,000
    Printing expenses........................................................     70,000
    Transfer agent and registrar fees........................................      3,500
    Miscellaneous............................................................     11,351
                                                                               ---------
              Total..........................................................  $ 407,370
                                                                               =========
</TABLE>
    
 
     All of the above expenses will be paid by the registrant.
 
ITEM 15.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.
 
     Section 14A:3-5 of the New Jersey Business Corporation Act permits each New
Jersey business corporation to indemnify its directors, officers, employees and
agents against expenses and liabilities in connection with any proceeding
involving such persons by reason of his serving or having served in such
capacities or for each such person's acts taken in his capacity as a director,
officer, employee or agent of the corporation if such actions were taken in good
faith and in a manner which he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to
the best interests of the corporation, and with respect to any criminal
proceeding, if he had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful,
provided that any such proceeding is not by or in the right of the corporation.
 
     Section 14A:2-7(3) of the New Jersey Business Corporation Act enables a
corporation in its certificate of incorporation to limit the liability of
directors and officers of the corporation to the corporation or its
shareholders. Specifically, the certificate of incorporation may provide that
directors and officers of the corporation will not be personally liable for
money damages for breach of a duty as a director or an officer, except for
liability (i) for any breach of the director's or officer's duty of loyalty to
the corporation or its shareholders, (ii) for acts or omissions not in good
faith or which involve a knowing violation of law, (iii) as to directors only,
under Section 14A:6-12(1) of the New Jersey Business Corporation Act, which
relates to unlawful declarations of dividends or other distributions of assets
to shareholders or the unlawful purchase of shares of the corporation, or (iv)
for any transaction from which the director or officer derived an improper
personal benefit.
 
     The registrant's Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation limits
the liability of its directors and officers as authorized by Section 14A:2-7(3).
 
     Article 11 of the registrant's Amended and Restated By-laws specifies that
the registrant shall indemnify its directors, officers, employees and agents to
the extent such parties are a party to any action because he was a director,
officer, employee or agent of the Company. The Company has agreed to indemnify
such parties for their actual and reasonable expenses if such party acted in
good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in the best interests of
the Company and such party had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was
unlawful. This provision of the By-laws is deemed to be a contract between the
registrant and each director and officer who serves in such capacity at any time
while such provision and the relevant provisions of the New Jersey Business
Corporation Act are in effect, and any repeal or modification thereof shall not
offset any
 
                                      II-1
<PAGE>   61
 
action, suit or proceeding theretofore or thereafter brought or threatened based
in whole or in part upon any such state of facts.
 
     The registrant has executed indemnification agreements with each of its
officers and Directors pursuant to which the registrant has agreed to indemnify
such parties to the full extent permitted by law, subject to certain exceptions,
if such party becomes subject to an action because such party is a director,
officer, employee, agent of fiduciary of the Company.
 
     The registrant has obtained liability insurance for the benefit of its
directors and officers which provides coverage for losses of directors and
officers for liabilities arising out of claims against such persons acting as
directors or officers of the registrant (or any subsidiary thereof) due to any
breach of duty, neglect, error, misstatement, misleading statement, omission or
act done by such directors and officers, except as prohibited by law.
 
     At present, there is no pending litigation or proceeding involving a
Director or officer of the registrant as to which indemnification is being
sought nor is the registrant aware of any threatened litigation that may result
in claims for indemnification by any Director or officer.
 
     Reference is made to Section 8 of the Underwriting Agreement, the proposed
form of which is filed as Exhibit One, in which the Underwriters agree to
indemnify the directors and officers of the registrant and certain other
persons, against civil liabilities, including certain liabilities under the Act.
 
ITEM 16.  EXHIBITS.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXHIBIT
  NO.
- -------
<C>      <S>
  1      Form of Underwriting Agreement.
  3.1    Certificate of Amendment to the Restated and Amended Certificate of Incorporation, as
         amended. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for
         the annual period ended December 31, 1995 filed on May 17, 1996.)
  3.2    By-Laws of the Company, as amended. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's
         Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File Number 33-60986) which became effective on
         June 14, 1993.)
  4.1    1989 Stock Option Plan of the Company. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's
         Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File Number 33-60986) which became effective on
         June 14, 1993.)
  4.2    Warrant issued to Michael E. Faherty to purchase 266,601 shares of Common Stock of the
         Company. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for
         the quarterly period ended March 31, 1995 filed on May 15, 1995.)
  4.3    Form of Option Agreement, pursuant to which the Company granted non-qualified stock
         options outside the Company's Stock Option Plan. (Incorporated by reference to the
         Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 1995
         filed on May 15, 1995.)
  4.4    Option issued to Gregg M. Azcuy to purchase 80,000 shares of Common Stock of the
         Company. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for
         the quarterly period ended March 31, 1995 filed on May 15, 1995.)
  4.5    1996 Stock Plan of the Company. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Form S-8,
         Registration Statement under the Securities Act of 1933 (File No. 333-15529) which
         became effective on November 5, 1996.)
  4.6    1996 Non-Employee Directors Stock Option Plan of the Company. (Incorporated by
         reference to the Company's Form S-8, Registration Statement under the Securities Act
         of 1933 (File No. 333-15529) which became effective on November 5, 1996.)
 5*      Opinion of Buchanan Ingersoll.
 10.1    Form of Non-Competition and Non-Disclosure Agreement executed by substantially all
         optionholders. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Registration Statement on
         Form S-1 (File Number 33-60986) which became effective on June 14, 1993.)
</TABLE>
 
                                      II-2
<PAGE>   62
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXHIBIT
  NO.
- -------
<C>      <S>
 10.2    Form of Employee's Invention Assignment and Confidential Information Agreement.
         (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File
         Number 33-60986) which became effective on June 14, 1993.)
 10.3    Lease Agreements between the Company and Philip J. Bowers & Company dated September
         20, 1988 and May 13, 1991 and modified June 10, 1992 for the Company's Tinton Falls,
         New Jersey Facilities. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Registration
         Statement on Form S-1 (File Number 33-60986) which became effective on June 14, 1993.)
 10.4    Indemnification Agreement as of August 22, 1994 by and between the Company and K.
         Dutton. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for
         the quarterly period ended October 1, 1994 filed on November 8, 1994.)
 10.5    Lease Agreement, dated May 15, 1994 between the Company and John Donato, Jr., d/b/a
         Mid Atlantic Industrial Co., with Security Amendment and Subordination, Attornment and
         Non Disturbance Agreement dated May 25, 1994 executed by the Company, as lessee, John
         Donato, Jr., as mortgagor, and Starbase II Partners, L.P., as mortgagee. (Incorporated
         by reference to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December
         31, 1994 filed on April 13, 1995.)
 10.6    Indemnification Agreement as of March 1, 1995 by and between the Company and Gale R.
         Aguilar. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for
         the year ended December 31, 1994 filed on April 13, 1995.)
 10.7    Indemnification Agreement as of April 5, 1994 by and between the Company and Gregg M.
         Azcuy. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
         year ended December 31, 1994 filed on April 13, 1995.)
 10.8    Indemnification Agreement as of September 12, 1994 by and between the Company and
         Louis J. Altieri. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Annual Report on Form
         10-K for the year ended December 31, 1994 filed on April 13, 1995.)
 10.9    Indemnification Agreement as of December 6, 1994 by and between the Company and
         Michael E. Faherty. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Annual Report on Form
         10-K for the year ended December 31, 1994 filed on April 13, 1995.)
 10.10   Purchase and Sale Agreement dated March 27, 1995 between the Company and Fidelity
         Funding of California, Inc. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Annual Report
         on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1994 filed on April 13, 1995).
 10.11   Change in Control Severance Pay Agreement made as of February 1, 1995 by and between
         the Company and Gregg M. Azcuy. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Quarterly
         Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 1995 filed on May 15,
         1995.)
 10.12   Change in Control Severance Pay Agreement made as of February 1, 1995 by and between
         the Company and Louis J. Altieri. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's
         Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 1995 filed on
         May 15, 1995.)
 10.13   Change in Control Severance Pay Agreement made as of February 1, 1995 by and between
         the Company and Priyan Guneratne. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's
         Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 1995 filed on
         May 15, 1995.)
 10.14   Change in Control Severance Pay Agreement made as of February 1, 1995 by and between
         the Company and Mark Ish. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Quarterly Report
         on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 1995 filed on May 15, 1995.)
 10.15   Change in Control Severance Pay Agreement made as of February 1, 1995 by and between
         the Company and Thomas Ricca. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Quarterly
         Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 1995 filed on May 15,
         1995.)
 10.16   Series B Convertible Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement made as of May 12, 1995 by and
         between the Company and the investors set forth on the Schedule of Purchasers attached
         thereto as Exhibit A, and related letter agreement dated as of May 12, 1995.
         (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K filed June 2,
         1995.)
</TABLE>
 
                                      II-3
<PAGE>   63
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXHIBIT
  NO.
- -------
<C>      <S>
 10.17   Series C Convertible Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement made as of May 17, 1996 by and
         between the Company and the investors set forth on the Schedule of Purchasers attached
         thereto as Exhibit A. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Annual Report on
         Form 10-K for the annual period ended December 31, 1995 filed on May 17, 1996.)
 10.18   Indemnification Agreement as of June 20, 1996 by and between the Company and Thomas I.
         Unterberg. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Report on Form 10-Q for the
         quarterly period ended June 30, 1996, filed on August 14, 1996.)
 10.19   Indemnification Agreement as of June 20, 1996 by and between the Company and Frank R.
         Triolo. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Report on Form 10-Q for the
         quarterly period ended June 30, 1996, filed on August 14, 1996.)
 10.20   Indemnification Agreement as of June 20, 1996 by and between the Company and Donald E.
         Fowler. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Report on Form 10-Q for the
         quarterly period ended June 30, 1996, filed on August 14, 1996.)
 10.21   Indemnification Agreement as of July 8, 1996 by and between the Company and David J.
         Boyle. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for
         the quarterly period ended September 30, 1996, filed on November 14, 1996.)
 10.22   Indemnification Agreement as of August 22, 1996 by and between the Company and Priyan
         Guneratne. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K/A
         for the annual period ended December 31, 1996 filed on March 28, 1997.)
 10.23   1995 Employee Stock Purchase Plan of the Company. (Incorporated by reference to the
         Company's Form S-8, Registration Statement under the Securities Act of 1933 (File No.
         33-93480) which became effective on June 14, 1995.)
 10.24   Manufacturing Services Agreement, dated June 15, 1995, by and between the Company and
         Unisys Corporation (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Annual Report on Form
         10-K/A for the annual period ended December 31, 1996 filed on March 28, 1997.)
 10.25   Agreement dated August 13, 1996 by and between the Company and AT&T Capital
         Corporation (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K/A
         for the annual period ended December 31, 1996 filed on March 28, 1997).
 10.26   Factoring Agreement dated July 9, 1997 between the Company and NationsBanc Commercial
         Corporation. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Report on Form 10-Q for the
         quarterly period ended June 30, 1997, filed on August 6, 1997).
 21      Listing of Subsidiaries (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Annual Report on
         Form 10-K/A for the annual period ended December 31, 1996 filed on March 28, 1997.)
 23.1*   Consent of Ernst & Young LLP.
 23.2    Consent of Buchanan Ingersoll (contained in the opinion filed as Exhibit 5 to the
         Registration).
 24      Power of Attorney of certain officers and directors of the Company (contained on the
         signature page of this Registration Statement).
</TABLE>
    
 
- ---------------
   
* Filed herewith. All other exhibits previously filed.
    
 
ITEM 17.  UNDERTAKINGS.
 
     The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that:
 
          (1) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
     Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and
     controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the provisions described
     in Item 15, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the
     opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is
     against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore,
     unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such
     liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred
     or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in
     the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by
     such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the
     securities being registered, the registrant will,
 
                                      II-4
<PAGE>   64
 
     unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by
     controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the
     question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as
     expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final
     adjudication of such issue.
 
          (2) For purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act
     of 1933, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part
     of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in
     a form of prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or
     (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this
     registration statement as of the time it was declared effective.
 
          (3) For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities
     Act of 1933, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of
     prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to
     the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that
     time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
 
                                      II-5
<PAGE>   65
 
                                   SIGNATURES
 
   
     PURSUANT TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, THE REGISTRANT
HAS DULY CAUSED THIS AMENDMENT TO THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT TO BE SIGNED ON ITS
BEHALF BY THE UNDERSIGNED, THEREUNTO DULY AUTHORIZED, IN THE TOWNSHIP OF TINTON
FALLS, STATE OF NEW JERSEY, ON AUGUST 7, 1997.
    
 
                                          ECCS, INC.
 
                                          By       /s/ GREGG M. AZCUY
 
                                            ------------------------------------
                                               GREGG M. AZCUY, PRESIDENT AND
                                                  CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
 
     PURSUANT TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, THIS AMENDMENT
TO THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT HAS BEEN SIGNED BY THE FOLLOWING PERSONS IN THE
CAPACITIES AND ON THE DATES INDICATED.
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                  SIGNATURE                                TITLE                     DATE
- ---------------------------------------------  ------------------------------  -----------------
<C>                                            <S>                             <C>
 
             /s/ GREGG M. AZCUY                President, Chief Executive      August 7, 1997
- ---------------------------------------------    Officer
               GREGG M. AZCUY                    and Director (Principal
                                                 Executive Officer)
 
                      *                        Vice President, Finance and     August 7, 1997
- ---------------------------------------------    Administration (Principal
              LOUIS J. ALTIERI                   Financial and Accounting
                                                 Officer)
                      *                        Chairman of the Board and       August 7, 1997
- ---------------------------------------------    Director
             MICHAEL E. FAHERTY
 
                      *                        Director                        August 7, 1997
- ---------------------------------------------
               GALE R. AGUILAR
 
                      *                        Director                        August 7, 1997
- ---------------------------------------------
               JAMES K. DUTTON
 
                      *                        Director                        August 7, 1997
- ---------------------------------------------
              DONALD E. FOWLER
 
                      *                        Director                        August 7, 1997
- ---------------------------------------------
               FRANK R. TRIOLO
 
                      *                        Director                        August 7, 1997
- ---------------------------------------------
             THOMAS I. UNTERBERG
</TABLE>
    
 
- ---------------
   
* By his signature set forth below the undersigned, pursuant to duly authorized
  powers of attorney filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, has
  signed this Amendment to the Registration Statement on behalf of the persons
  indicated.
    
 
By        /s/ GREGG M. AZCUY
 
   -----------------------------------
             GREGG M. AZCUY
           (ATTORNEY-IN-FACT)
 
                                      II-6
<PAGE>   66
 
                                 EXHIBIT INDEX
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXHIBITS
- ---------
<S>        <C>
 1         Form of Underwriting Agreement.
 3.1       Certificate of Amendment to the Restated and Amended Certificate of Incorporation,
           as amended. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K
           for the annual period ended December 31, 1995 filed on May 17, 1996.)
 3.2       By-Laws of the Company, as amended. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's
           Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File Number 33-60986) which became effective on
           June 14, 1993.)
 4.1       1989 Stock Option Plan of the Company. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's
           Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File Number 33-60986) which became effective on
           June 14, 1993.)
 4.2       Warrant issued to Michael E. Faherty to purchase 266,601 shares of Common Stock of
           the Company. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form
           10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 1995 filed on May 15, 1995.)
 4.3       Form of Option Agreement, pursuant to which the Company granted non-qualified stock
           options outside the Company's Stock Option Plan. (Incorporated by reference to the
           Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31,
           1995 filed on May 15, 1995.)
 4.4       Option issued to Gregg M. Azcuy to purchase 80,000 shares of Common Stock of the
           Company. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q
           for the quarterly period ended March 31, 1995 filed on May 15, 1995.)
 4.5       1996 Stock Plan of the Company. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Form
           S-8, Registration Statement under the Securities Act of 1933 (File No. 333-15529)
           which became effective on November 5, 1996.)
 4.6       1996 Non-Employee Directors Stock Option Plan of the Company. (Incorporated by
           reference to the Company's Form S-8, Registration Statement under the Securities Act
           of 1933 (File No. 333-15529) which became effective on November 5, 1996.)
 5*        Opinion of Buchanan Ingersoll.
10.1       Form of Non-Competition and Non-Disclosure Agreement executed by substantially all
           optionholders. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Registration Statement on
           Form S-1 (File Number 33-60986) which became effective on June 14, 1993.)
10.2       Form of Employee's Invention Assignment and Confidential Information Agreement.
           (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File
           Number 33-60986) which became effective on June 14, 1993.)
10.3       Lease Agreements between the Company and Philip J. Bowers & Company dated September
           20, 1988 and May 13, 1991 and modified June 10, 1992 for the Company's Tinton Falls,
           New Jersey Facilities. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Registration
           Statement on Form S-1 (File Number 33-60986) which became effective on June 14,
           1993.)
10.4       Indemnification Agreement as of August 22, 1994 by and between the Company and James
           K. Dutton. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q
           for the quarterly period ended October 1, 1994 filed on November 8, 1994.)
10.5       Lease Agreement, dated May 15, 1994 between the Company and John Donato, Jr., d/b/a
           Mid Atlantic Industrial Co., with Security Amendment and Subordination, Attornment
           and Non Disturbance Agreement dated May 25, 1994 executed by the Company, as lessee,
           John Donato, Jr., as mortgagor, and Starbase II Partners, L.P., as mortgagee.
           (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year
           ended December 31, 1994 filed on April 13, 1995.)
10.6       Indemnification Agreement as of March 1, 1995 by and between the Company and Gale R.
           Aguilar. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for
           the year ended December 31, 1994 filed on April 13, 1995.)
10.7       Indemnification Agreement as of April 5, 1994 by and between the Company and Gregg
           M. Azcuy. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for
           the year ended December 31, 1994 filed on April 13, 1995.)
10.8       Indemnification Agreement as of September 12, 1994 by and between the Company and
           Louis J. Altieri. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Annual Report on Form
           10-K for the year ended December 31, 1994 filed on April 13, 1995.)
</TABLE>
<PAGE>   67
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXHIBITS
- ---------
<S>        <C>
10.9       Indemnification Agreement as of December 6, 1994 by and between the Company and
           Michael E. Faherty. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Annual Report on
           Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1994 filed on April 13, 1995.)
10.10      Purchase and Sale Agreement dated March 27, 1995 between the Company and Fidelity
           Funding of California, Inc. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Annual
           Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1994 filed on April 13, 1995).
10.11      Change in Control Severance Pay Agreement made as of February 1, 1995 by and between
           the Company and Gregg M. Azcuy. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's
           Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 1995 filed on
           May 15, 1995.)
10.12      Change in Control Severance Pay Agreement made as of February 1, 1995 by and between
           the Company and Louis J. Altieri. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's
           Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 1995 filed on
           May 15, 1995.)
10.13      Change in Control Severance Pay Agreement made as of February 1, 1995 by and between
           the Company and Priyan Guneratne. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's
           Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 1995 filed on
           May 15, 1995.)
10.14      Change in Control Severance Pay Agreement made as of February 1, 1995 by and between
           the Company and Mark Ish. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Quarterly
           Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 1995 filed on May 15,
           1995.)
10.15      Change in Control Severance Pay Agreement made as of February 1, 1995 by and between
           the Company and Thomas Ricca. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Quarterly
           Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 1995 filed on May 15,
           1995.)
10.16      Series B Convertible Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement made as of May 12, 1995 by
           and between the Company and the investors set forth on the Schedule of Purchasers
           attached thereto as Exhibit A, and related letter agreement dated as of May 12,
           1995. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K filed
           June 2, 1995.)
10.17      Series C Convertible Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement made as of May 17, 1996 by
           and between the Company and the investors set forth on the Schedule of Purchasers
           attached thereto as Exhibit A. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Annual
           Report on Form 10-K for the annual period ended December 31, 1995 filed on May 17,
           1996.)
10.18      Indemnification Agreement as of June 20, 1996 by and between the Company and Thomas
           I. Unterberg. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Report on Form 10-Q for
           the quarterly period ended June 30, 1996, filed on August 14, 1996.)
10.19      Indemnification Agreement as of June 20, 1996 by and between the Company and Frank
           R. Triolo. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Report on Form 10-Q for the
           quarterly period ended June 30, 1996, filed on August 14, 1996.)
10.20      Indemnification Agreement as of June 20, 1996 by and between the Company and Donald
           E. Fowler. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Report on Form 10-Q for the
           quarterly period ended June 30, 1996, filed on August 14, 1996.)
10.21      Indemnification Agreement as of July 8, 1996 by and between the Company and David J.
           Boyle. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for
           the quarterly period ended September 30, 1996, filed on November 14, 1996.)
10.22      Indemnification Agreement as of August 22, 1996 by and between the Company and
           Priyan Guneratne. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Annual Report on Form
           10-K/A for the annual period ended December 31, 1996 filed on March 28, 1997.)
10.23      1995 Employee Stock Purchase Plan of the Company. (Incorporated by reference to the
           Company's Form S-8, Registration Statement under the Securities Act of 1933 (File
           No. 33-93480) which became effective on June 14, 1995.)
10.24      Manufacturing Services Agreement, dated June 15, 1995, by and between the Company
           and Unisys Corporation (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Annual Report on
           Form 10-K/A for the annual period ended December 31, 1996 filed on March 28, 1997.)
10.25      Agreement dated August 13, 1996 by and between the Company and AT&T Capital
           Corporation (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K/A
           for the annual period ended December 31, 1996 filed on March 28, 1997).
10.26      Factoring Agreement dated July 9, 1997 between the Company and NationsBanc
           Commercial Corporation. (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Report on Form
           10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 1997, filed on August 6, 1997).
</TABLE>
<PAGE>   68
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXHIBITS
- ---------
<S>        <C>
21         Listing of Subsidiaries (Incorporated by reference to the Company's Annual Report on
           Form 10-K/A for the annual period ended December 31, 1996 filed on March 28, 1997.)
23.1*      Consent of Ernst & Young LLP.
23.2       Consent of Buchanan Ingersoll (contained in the opinion filed as Exhibit 5 to the
           Registration).
24         Power of Attorney of certain officers and directors of the Company (contained on the
           signature page of this Registration Statement).
</TABLE>
    
 
- ---------------
   
* Filed herewith. All other exhibits previously filed.
    

<PAGE>   1
 
                                                                       EXHIBIT 5
 
                                                      August 7, 1997
 
ECCS, Inc.
One Sheila Drive; Bldg. 6A
Tinton Falls, NJ 07724
 
Gentlemen:
 
   
     In connection with the Registration Statement on Form S-2, as amended (the
"Registration Statement"), filed on the date hereof by ECCS, Inc., a New Jersey
corporation (the "Company"), under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
relating to the public offering of an aggregate of up to 2,300,000 shares of the
Company's Common Stock, par value of $.01 per share, of which (a) 1,875,832
shares will be purchased by the underwriters from the Company; (b) 124,168
shares will be purchased by the underwriters from certain existing shareholders
of the Company (the "Selling Shareholders"); and (c) up to an aggregate of
300,000 shares may be purchased by the underwriters from the Company, if the
underwriters exercise the option granted to them by the Company to cover
over-allotments (collectively, the "Shares"), we, as counsel for the Company,
have examined such corporate records, other documents, and questions of law as
we have considered necessary or appropriate for the purposes of this opinion.
    
 
     Upon the basis of such examination, we advise you that in our opinion:
 
          (i) the Shares to be issued and sold by the Company have been duly and
     validly authorized and, when sold in the manner contemplated by the
     underwriting agreement (the "Underwriting Agreement") filed as an exhibit
     to the Registration Statement and upon receipt by the Company of payment
     therefor as provided in the Underwriting Agreement, will be legally issued,
     fully paid and non-assessable; and
 
          (ii) the Shares to be sold by the Selling Shareholders are duly and
     validly authorized, legally issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
 
     We consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration
Statement and the reference to this firm under the caption "Legal Matters" in
the Prospectus contained therein.
 
                                          Very truly yours,
 
                                          /s/ Buchanan Ingersoll

<PAGE>   1
 
                                                                    EXHIBIT 23.1
 
                       CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS
 
   
     We consent to the reference to our firm under the caption "Experts" and to
the use of our report dated February 25, 1997, in the Amendment No. 1 to the
Registration Statement (Form S-2 Registration Statement No. 333-32931) and
related Prospectus of ECCS, Inc.
    
 
   
     We also consent to the incorporation by reference therein of our report
dated February 25, 1997 with respect to the financial statements and schedule of
ECCS, Inc. for the years ended December 31, 1996, 1995, and 1994 included in the
Annual Report (Form 10-K/A) for 1996 filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
    
 
                                          /s/ Ernst & Young LLP
 
Princeton, New Jersey
   
August 7, 1997
    


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