QLogic Introduces 2Gb Fibre Channel Switch At 1Gb Ethernet Price
Newest SANbox2 8-Port Switch Includes Standard Features Checklist Not Found In Competitive Offerings
ALISO VIEJO, Calif., Feb 19, 2002 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Supporting its vision of a storage area network (SAN) in every business, QLogic Corp. (Nasdaq: QLGC chart, msgs), today introduced the newest member of the award winning SANbox2(TM) family of Fibre Channel switches. Targeted at small to medium sized enterprises, the SANbox2 8-port switch is designed from the ground up to deliver the price/performance of 1Gb Ethernet switches with an expected street price of $5,000. The 2Gb SANbox2 8-port switch incorporates the same architecture as the SANbox2 16-port switch for plug compatibility with servers, storage, switches and software that have already been certified with SANbox2 16-port switches. The ultra-compact SANbox2 8-port switch features a full suite of switch and host bus adapter (HBA) management software at no additional charge. The single field-replaceable-unit (FRU) is suitable for a rack or desktop and for easy service. The SANbox2 8-port switch will be available in quantity in April 2002.
"Until now Fibre Channel has delivered superior performance and reliability to large enterprises," said Frank Berry, vice president of marketing, QLogic Corp. "Priced at parity with Ethernet switches, the SANbox2 will lead expansion of storage area networking into the small and medium business market."
Fibre Channel Price Parity With Ethernet
SANbox2 8-port switches deliver 2Gb Fibre Channel performance at 1Gb Ethernet prices. Popular 12-port 1Gb Ethernet switches sell to end users at an average selling price of approximately $7,500 or $625 per port. At $5,000, the SANbox2 is available at the same price per port.
A New Checklist for Fibre Channel Switches
The SANbox2 8-port switch includes a set of standard features that are either not found in competitive offerings, or are only available as chargeable options. The new checklist for Fibre Channel switches includes:
1. Compatible with popular switches from Brocade and McData -- SANbox2 is the only Fibre Channel Switch that has been independently verified as both 2 Gigabit capable by Network Test and Industry Standard E-port compliant by the FCIA SANmark(TM) program.
2. Software included at no additional charge -- each SANbox2 is shipped with SANsurfer(TM) Toolkit, a comprehensive suite of switch and HBA management software. Most of the following standard features of SANbox Toolkit are chargeable options with competitive products:
-- Embedded real-time operating system
-- Manages multiple switches and fabrics in real time
-- Administrative control point (GUI) for multiple functions
-- Application Programming Interface
-- Monitors the performance of SAN resources
-- Arranges devices into multiple zoning options
-- Extends FC fabrics to up to 100Km
-- Watches for potential faults-and automatically alert
-- Automatically groups inter-switch links (ISLs) into a single
logical ISL
-- Enables private-loop devices to attach to a Fabric
-- Enables customized SAN security
3. Industry leading latency and bandwidth -- In January 2002, Light Reading conducted "the world's first-ever test of 2Gb Fibre Channel technology" using the QLogic SANbox2. According to David Newman, president of Network Test, "QLogic put up excellent latency numbers. With large frames, the highest average latency we recorded was just 600 nanoseconds -- and even that worst-case number beats any latency number we've ever recorded in previous tests of other high-speed technologies. Across a single switch, average latencies were just 400 nanoseconds. (That's not just fast, incidentally -- that's incredibly fast."
4. Compact form-factor suitable for desktop workstations -- The SANbox2 8-port switch is 8.5" wide (half-rack) and 1.7" (1U) high. This footprint also allows SAN administrators to mount two SANbox2 8-port units in 1U of Rack space, and "dual-path" their smaller SANs in one-half the footprint of other 8 port switches.
5. Single Field Replaceable Unit (FRU) for easy service -- Unlike competitive designs with replaceable power supplies, fans, control panels, etc., the SANbox2 8-port switch is designed for easy service. SAN Administrators and service engineers require little or no training because servicing a SANbox2 is as simple as unplugging one switch and plugging in another.
About QLogic SANbox2 Switches
The SANbox2 family of switches are the foundation for the world's highest performing SANs, providing fabric connections to servers, storage devices, directors and other switches. With QLogic's sixth-generation, highly integrated ASIC, SANbox2 switches are the only 2 Gigabit solutions with true address translation, which fully protects the extensive installed base of private loop devices. QLogic 2 Gigabit switches have the capability of networking storage at distances in excess of 100 km and offer extended multi-stage fabric capabilities, scalable to over seven million nodes.
About QLogic (www.qlogic.com)
QLogic Corporation (Nasdaq: QLGC chart, msgs) simplifies the process of networking storage for OEMs, resellers and system integrators with the only end-to-end infrastructure in the industry, consisting of award-winning controller chips, host bus adapters, network switches and management software to move data from the storage device through the fabric to the server. QLogic designs and produces solutions based on all storage network technologies including SCSI, iSCSI, InfiniBand and Fibre Channel. A member of the S&P 500 Index, QLogic was recently ranked number 25 on Forbes' Best 200 Small Companies and number 20 on Fortune's 100 Fastest Growing Companies. |
