StorageTek and EMC Strengthen Commitment to Mutual Interoperability

LOUISVILLE, CO -- Through participation in the EMC E-Lab Testing Program, StorageTek(R) (Storage Technology Corp.), (NYSE: STK), the global leader in tape automation, and EMC Corporation have jointly qualified multiple StorageTek tape library products within multi-vendor networked storage configurations. By extending its participation in the EMC(R) E-Lab Testing Program, StorageTek is accelerating its effort in establishing interoperability between StorageTek tape library products and EMC enterprise storage systems. StorageTek's tape libraries are now included in supported networked storage configurations designed to provide backup and restore services for EMC Symmetrix(R) Enterprise Storage systems and EMC CLARiiON(R) midrange storage systems. These configurations support multiple tape technologies, including the StorageTek L180 and L700 tape libraries, which include 9840 Fibre Channel direct attached tape drive and DLT 7000/8000 tape drives, as components of StorageTek's tape libraries. Through participation in the EMC E-Lab Program, StorageTek strengthens its commitment to providing mutual customers with an open storage infrastructure. The two companies are working closely together, conducting the industry's most comprehensive testing and integration efforts, in order to provide the highest level of interoperability assurance. These efforts result in the qualification of proven, practical, multi-vendor storage network configurations. In addition, StorageTek and EMC are engaged in a joint customer support agreement (CSA), which assures collaborative system support by both companies in end-user environments. The CSA specifies the resources and service escalation procedures committed by EMC and StorageTek to assist in the cooperative resolution of service issues at joint customer sites. "EMC and StorageTek share the common goal of providing robust storage solutions for today's data-intensive enterprises," said Chuck Hollis, EMC Vice President of Markets and Products. "Tape library technology is a proven component of network storage environments. StorageTek's involvement in the E-Lab testing program assures that our customers can effectively utilize StorageTek's world-class tape technology." StorageTek's role in this program focuses on qualifying StorageTek tape libraries as integrated elements within the EMC Enterprise Storage Network. "We are pleased to be part of EMC's world-class E-Lab interoperability testing program," said Gary Francis, StorageTek corporate vice president and general manager, Automated Tape Solutions. "StorageTek's tape libraries are now recognized as E-Lab tested, qualified, and supported in backup solutions for EMC Symmetrix and CLARiiON based network storage environments. We look forward to continuing our joint testing efforts across other EMC robust disk-based storage systems." Francis added, "Joint testing efforts of this kind are designed to streamline and simplify the design and implementation of open network storage solutions that include disk, tape drives and tape libraries. Sustained cooperative relationships, such as the one between StorageTek and EMC, are required to allow customers to achieve more heterogeneous information technology solutions." For more information visit www.storagetek.com or www.emc.com