September 17, 1997 - LUKOIL and Microsoft® have signed a major contract. Under its terms, LUKOIL purchases a total of 5,000 corporate licenses for a wide range of Microsoft products, including desktop operating systems, office applications and server software. Additionally, LUKOIL is currently developing a corporate messaging system based on Microsoft Exchange Server, that will connect more than 3,500 workstations.

“We are very glad to work with Microsoft, the leading software company. This contract is our recognition of the role Microsoft products play in our corporate information system,” said Leonid Fedun, Vice President at LUKOIL.

“LUKOIL is the first Russian industrial giant fully committed to legal software use,” said Olga Dergunova, General Manager, Microsoft Moscow. “LUKOIL’s IT strategy is characterized by thorough evaluation and competent approach to information system management. They set an example for compliance with copyright and intellectual property rights”.

LUKOIL is building its corporate information system that is designed to address all major business tasks, such as financial and inventory management, oil exploration and production, company development scenarios, decision-making, e-mail and document sharing, and integration with the world-wide information network. Microsoft desktop applications were chosen as a corporate standard for LUKOIL’s user workstations.

Under the terms of the contract signed between LUKOIL and Microsoft, LUKOIL purchases more than 5,000 licenses, spanning Microsoft® Windows® 95 operating system, Microsoft Office 97 applications suite, and BackOffice products, such as Microsoft Windows NT® Server, Microsoft SQL Server^™, Microsoft Exchange Server, and Microsoft Systems Management Server. The shipments under this contract are carried out by “CenterInvestSoft”, one of Microsoft’s partners in Russia.

Apart from that, Microsoft is currently developing and rolling out LUKOIL’s corporate messaging system, based on Microsoft Exchange. The system is currently installed on 200 user workstations. Within six months, after the satellite channels of the LUKNET communications system are connected, it will have more than 3,500 users, making it one of the largest Microsoft Exchange-based corporate messaging systems in Russia. The system not only provides e-mail and Internet access, but also ensures security and reliability required for business and financial information exchange within the company.

According to the cooperation agreement between LUKOIL, Microsoft and other performers, this project is run by Microsoft Consulting Services, a division of Microsoft that develops and implements solutions for large account customers.

LUKOIL joint stock company is the largest vertically integrated oil company in Russia. It produces, refines and markets oil and oil products, covering the whole range of operations “from an oil well to a gas station”. LUKOIL is No.1 private oil company in the world in terms of oil reserves. It has No. 4 position in the world in terms of oil production.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft Corporation is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use. In November 1992 Microsoft opened its subsidiary in Moscow – Microsoft ZAO. Its goal is market development in the territory of the former USSR, localization and deployment of the leading products and technologies.

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