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SAN JOSE, CA -- Gadzoox Networks Inc., (NASDAQ: ZOOX), a global supplier of innovative Storage Area Network (SAN) products, made available today its new embedded switch platform to storage system vendors, enabling them to offer differentiated and compelling solutions to their customer base. The Slingshot-ES, designed for the edge market, creates true business value for storage system vendors and end-users by reducing the cost and complexity of SANs. The proven technology of the Slingshot-ES platform enables storage system vendors to get to market quickly while also simplifying development, support and installation of their solutions for the end-user. The end-user benefits from a dramatic reduction in total cost of ownership (TCO) for their SAN because the Slingshot-ES replaces the need for more expensive external switches, saving valuable rack space and simplifying cabling and management. "End-users are clearly ready for the SAN market to move to the mass adoption phase where reduced costs and ease-of-use are a 'given' and not an exception," said Erik Ottem, vice president, sales and marketing, Gadzoox Networks. "Based upon the success of Compaq's MSA1000 product, which offers the first deployment of the Slingshot-ES platform, we think the Slingshot-ES is exactly what end-users are looking for in SAN solutions." "Many end-users still view storage networking as expensive and complex," said Eric Sheppard, senior research analyst with IDC. "Gadzoox Networks' Slingshot-ES provides storage vendors the means to reduce both cost and complexity of storage networks." The Slingshot-ES platform offers storage system vendors an embedded solution that can be purchased in standard configurations or customized to meet a specific need or application requirement. Standard features of the Slingshot-ES include: -- Full-featured, standards-based fabric switch -- All ports 2Gb/1Gb auto-speed negotiating and auto sensing port types -- Support for mixed speed environments -- Hot-pluggable for easy configuration and service -- Flexible, self-healing trunking for building larger configurations -- Advanced device management -- Comprehensive set of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) For additional information visit www.gadzoox.com/ .