EXHIBIT 99.1

                                                    For Press Inquiries Contact:
                                             PAULA DUNN, SYBASE PUBLIC RELATIONS
                                                           paula.dunn@sybase.com
                                                                  (925) 236-8750

                                                For Financial Inquiries Contact:
                                        JOHN CUMMINGS, SYBASE INVESTOR RELATIONS
                                                        john.cummings@sybase.com
                                                                  (925) 236-8797

                   SYBASE, INC. ADOPTS STOCKHOLDER RIGHTS PLAN

DUBLIN, CALIF. -- JULY 31, 2002 -- Sybase, Inc. (NYSE: SY), a leading enterprise
infrastructure and integration company, today announced that its board of
directors has adopted a Preferred Stock Rights Plan. Under the plan, which
replaces a prior stockholder plan that expired, Sybase will issue a dividend of
one right for each share of its common stock held by stockholders of record as
of the close of business on August 15, 2002.

        The stockholder rights plan is designed to guard against partial tender
offers and other coercive tactics to gain control of the company without
offering a fair and adequate price and terms to all of Sybase's stockholders.
The plan was not adopted in response to any efforts to acquire the company, and
the company is not aware of any such efforts.

        Each right will initially entitle stockholders to purchase a fractional
share of the company's preferred stock for $90. However, the rights are not
immediately exercisable and will become exercisable only upon the occurrence of
certain events. If a person or group acquires, or announces a tender or exchange
offer to acquire, an aggregate total of at least fifteen percent of Sybase's
outstanding common stock while the plan is in place, then the rights will become
exercisable by all rights holders, but not the acquiring person or group. Unless
the rights are first redeemed by Sybase for $0.001 per right, rights holders
will be able to exercise their rights to acquire Sybase shares, or shares of the
third party acquirer, having a value of twice the rights' then-current exercise
price. Further details of the plan are outlined in a letter that will be mailed
to stockholders as of the record date.







ABOUT SYBASE, INC.

        Sybase is the enterprise infrastructure company that bridges
heterogeneous technologies. With industry-leading Enterprise Portal (EP), mobile
and wireless solutions, essential integration products, and high performance
database management systems, Sybase is one of the largest independent software
companies in the world. For more information, visit the Sybase Web site:
http://www.sybase.com.

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