SCIENCE

PALO ALTO, CA -- Hewlett-Packard Company (NYSE:HWP) today announced plans to expand its networked storage offerings based on the emerging iSCSI standard. The Storage on Ethernet (SoE) initiative, which will complement HP's Fibre Channel solutions, will provide customers the choice to implement storage area networks (SANs) through an Ethernet, a high-speed local area network media, and TCP/IP (transmission control protocol/Internet protocol) connection. HP's first iSCSI solutions are expected to be delivered by year-end 2001. Connectivity solutions like HP's SoE initiative are key components of HP's Federated Storage Area Management (FSAM) strategy to increase and manage storage tenfold using the same amount of resources. "Customers require simple, scalable and affordable technology to build storage networks," said John McHugh, general manager, HP Network Infrastructure Solutions. "HP intends to deliver customers a choice of connectivity most appropriate for their storage needs." "Because Fibre Channel and iSCSI will fulfill different needs, both are clearly key to the deployment of networked storage," said Jack Scott, managing partner, Evaluator Group, Inc., an industry analyst firm specializing in storage technology. "HP is on the right track with their strategy to extend storage networks via iSCSI as well as Fibre Channel and then managing both networks." Planned HP SoE solutions include iSCSI disk arrays, iSCSI tape libraries, host bus adapters, Ethernet switches and gateways to existing Fibre Channel SANs. In addition, HP is planning a comprehensive storage management environment with HP OpenView storage area management software and HP services and support. For further information visit www.hp.com