SYSTEMS

Hitachi Data Systems Plug-and-play SAN Kits Incorporate QLogic Switches and HBAs; New Kits Offer Friendly "Out-of-Box" SAN Experience for Small and Medium Businesses -- QLogic today announced it is collaborating with Hitachi Data Systems and Microsoft to make storage area network (SAN) implementation and management simpler, easier, and less costly for small and medium size enterprises with plug-and-play SAN Kits compatible with Microsoft Simple SAN for Windows Server 2003 initiative. The new kits consist of QLogic 4Gb and 2Gb Fibre Channel products, including switch, HBAs and connectors, and are installed with Hitachi TagmaStore Adaptable Modular Storage and Workgroup Modular Storage. Hitachi Data Systems is the first company to receive the Microsoft Simple SAN designation for a complete Fibre Channel bundle. "By collaborating closely with Microsoft and QLogic we have created Simple SAN solutions that make the data in any size organization more secure, more accessible and more available," said Jack Domme, senior vice president of Global Solutions Strategy and Development at Hitachi Data Systems. "We are committed to bringing enterprise-class storage platforms with advanced virtualization functionality to small and medium size enterprises, without sacrificing an easy 'out-of-box' experience." The Plug-and-play SAN Kits for the Hitachi TagmaStore AMS200, AMS500, and WMS100 systems, designed to provide "out-of-box" SAN experience for users, enable small and medium size enterprises to install a SAN quickly--in most cases under an hour--without on-site assistance. The kits, available in 2Gb/s or 4Gb/s configurations, include everything necessary to connect servers to a first SAN or to extend a SAN from the data center to a distant workgroup. The 4Gb configuration includes a QLogic SANbox 5600 Fibre Channel stackable switch and two high performance 4Gb SANblade 2460 Series (PCI-X 2.0 and PCIe) Fibre Channel HBAs. The 2Gb version includes a QLogic SANbox Express 1400 Fibre Channel switch and two SANblade Express QLA210 Fibre Channel HBAs. "Hitachi Data Systems has been a driving force in changing the face of storage networking in the enterprise," said Frank Berry, vice president of marketing, QLogic Corp. "We expect they will have a similar impact in the rapidly evolving SMB market with TagmaStore SAN solutions that are easy to buy, install and manage." QLogic 2Gb HBAs and Switches for SMBs - Designed for the Novice User The SANblade QLA200 Series HBAs make a huge leap in out-of-the-box plug and play SAN setup. An illustrative quick-start guide, a detailed user manual, and extended support (including online, via email, and by phone) make installation, configuration, maintenance, and upgrades easy for even a novice user. Affordable and extremely easy to use, the entry-level SANbox Express 1400 allows the smallest business to enjoy the benefits of networked storage without having to hire a SAN expert. At only two pounds and six inches deep, the SANbox Express 1400 is a space-saver, requiring just half a rack slot. QLogic - the 4Gb Performance Leader QLogic recently announced the industry's highest performing 4Gb HBAs. Based on independent side-by-side testing, the SANblade Pro 2440 Series HBA achieved 202,000 I/Os per second read performance and 150 percent faster write performance than the enterprise-class HBA tested from the primary competitor. The SANblade Pro 2460 Series HBA achieved even higher performance with a dramatic 304,000 I/Os per second. SANblade Pro HBAs are designed from the ground up to meet the increased performance demands of multiple applications running on virtualized servers. Following the successful model of stackable IP switches, QLogic pioneered the category of Fibre Channel Stackable Switches with the first Fibre Channel stackable switch in the industry. Now the benefits of stackable IP switches are available for high performance 4Gb SANs with the SANbox 5600 Series of stackable switches. With sixteen 4Gb ports plus a four-pack of high-speed 10Gb ISL ports, each SANbox 5600 Series stackable switch provides maximum flexibility for configuring, managing and scaling SANs.