Press Release

BEDFORD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jun. 22, 2009-- DataDirect Technologies, the unparalleled leader in data connectivity and mainframe integration and an operating company of Progress Software Corporation (NASDAQ:PRGS), today announced that the Foxwoods Resort Casino is using DataDirect Connect^® for ODBC database drivers within its Hospitality Systems’ applications to connect business analytics data on UNIX to Windows-based data sources. With secure, reliable and stable access to heterogeneous data sources Foxwoods has gained immediate visibility into the non-gaming activity of its guests to aid with marketing efforts, special events and promotions.

Like all casinos, Foxwoods had long been collecting data on the gaming interests of its patrons. However, the resort lacked information about the non-gaming activity of its more than 40,000 daily guests. With nearly 30 retail outlets, more than 20 restaurants, 25 conference rooms and two golf courses, Foxwoods was looking to improve its understanding of how to serve the needs and desires of patrons by capturing data on the leisurely pursuits of its guest. Hotel stays, shows and entertainment, dining, visits to the spa and salon, etc., would be collected and analyzed to determine how or whether that data correlated with gaming behavior. With a UNIX platform using SAS business analytics software and a Netezza data warehouse platform, the Hospitality Systems Department at Foxwoods realized a future need for accessing data in Microsoft SQL Server where retail sales, food and beverage and other valuable, non-gaming data is stored.

“The SAS platform provided connectivity to Netezza and other UNIX databases but we lacked an ODBC driver to connect from SAS to the Window-based data sources,” said Bonnie Laudig, Senior Database Administration for the Hospitality Systems Group at Foxwoods. “Our research showed DataDirect Technologies had an outstanding reputation for connectivity software, proven technologies and was SAS certified. On the strength of these merits and the recommendation of SAS, we decided to implement the DataDirect Connect for ODBC driver immediately with no evaluation. In no time, the DataDirect driver was in production and we were able to access new data sources with ease.”

DataDirect Connect for ODBC is a comprehensive suite of ODBC drivers for all major databases. Using a unique wire protocol design, DataDirect Connect for ODBC drivers eliminate the need for database client-library software. By removing the client layer, time consuming and complicated deployment issues related to installing and maintaining different versions of the client software for different databases, database versions and operating systems are eliminated. Only one DataDirect driver is needed to support multiple database versions.

“We were very concerned that different flavors of SQL Server or different service packs on the machines would cause connectivity and performance issues,” said Mike Kutia, Director of Hospitality Systems at Foxwoods Resort Casino. “It was a pleasant surprise to ask for a connection to a given SQL Server data source, and in a very short time I’m up and running looking at the database.”

The Hospitality Systems team at Foxwoods is so pleased with the results of the UNIX to SQL Server connectivity achieved by using the DataDirect Connect for ODBC driver they plan to extend SQL Server-based data warehousing and BI capabilities into areas not previously envisioned including ticketing data and slot-machine usage.

“DataDirect Connect for ODBC drivers are some of the most widely used third-party ODBC drivers on the market,” said John Goodson, vice president and general manager, DataDirect Technologies. “Foxwoods Resort Casino joins a who’s who of Fortune 1,000 companies and more than 300 independent software vendors (ISVs) who use the DataDirect Connect family of drivers to boost product performance and help customers realize advanced functionality out-of-the-box.”

About Foxwoods Resort Casino

North America’s largest casino, Foxwoods Resort Casino^® is located in the rolling hills of southeastern Connecticut and is easily accessible from Boston, New York, Hartford and Providence. Owned by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, Foxwoods features six casinos with 7,200 slots, 380 table games, the only WPT World Poker Room™ in New England, High Stakes Bingo and Ultimate Race Book. There are 1,416 guest rooms and suites in three hotels, more than 30 restaurants, a luxurious spa, more than 50,000 square feet of premium meeting and event space, 24 retail shops and five entertainment venues, including the 1,400-seat Fox Theatre. Conveniently located adjacent to Foxwoods is Lake of Isles™, featuring two, 18-hole championship golf courses designed by Rees Jones and a state-of-the-art Golf Academy. In spring 2008, the highly anticipated MGM Grand at Foxwoods^® opened, adding 825 luxurious guest rooms, 115,000 square feet of meeting space, a 4,000-seat Performing Arts Theater, 21,000-square-foot spa as well as more dining, retail and gaming facilities, bolstering Foxwoods' preeminence as the East Coast's ultimate casino resort destination. Foxwoods supports responsible gaming, and plays a leadership role in the Connecticut Council of Problem Gambling, of which it was a founding entity. For more information, call 1-800-FOXWOODS or visit www.foxwoods.com.

About DataDirect Technologies

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

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

Source: DataDirect Technologies

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