LOS ANGELES, CA -- DataDirect Networks, the leading provider of the world's highest performance storage networking appliances, will be discussing the need for simpler methods of virtualization and how appliances can provide robust, easy to manage solutions in a panel at the Server I/O 2002 Conference in Monterey on February 4. DataDirect Networks has actively deployed Silicon Storage Appliances since 2000 for use in high performance computing, news production, broadcasting and content delivery data centers around the world. DataDirect Networks' CEO Alex Bouzari will discuss benefits and competitive advantages brought about by the use of storage networking appliances for virtualization. "Businesses today are looking for mature technology that allows them to achieve greater productivity, lower total costs of ownership and the highest overall return on investment for their dollar," Robert Woolery, vice president corporate development, DataDirect Networks, said. "DataDirect has pioneered the concept of simple to manage, easy to deploy dedicated storage network appliances to solve business challenges, including virtualization, and at the Server I/O Conference we will be discussing how storage network appliances can enable further the growth of our industry." DataDirect Networks has created highly scalable Silicon Storage Appliances to accelerate application performance, simplify information management, and to reduce operating costs. The company currently has over 600 Terabytes virtualized behind customer appliances in use around the world. The Server I/O Conference is the only forum focused on the emergence of I/O networking as the foundation technology for the data center. Annually, this event brings together thought leaders in the network industry to plan and chart the course for the convergence of I/O networking with servers, applications, the LAN/MAN/WAN and storage networking. The Technology Debate series of panels on February 4 (which includes Mr. Bouzari's virtualization panel) with work on resolving the "big questions" as the drive towards convergence of storage, I/O and network fabrics continue. Joining Mr. Bouzari on the 2 p.m. panel entitled "Who Owns the Data? Is Virtualization Real?" on February 4 will be panel chair Mitch Shults (Exanet Inc.), and other industry leaders including Rich Napolitano (Pirus Networks, Inc.), Augie Gonzalez (DataCore Software Corporation), Bob Rogers (BMC Software, Inc.) and Tom Isakovich (TrueSAN Networks, Inc.).