Fujitsu-Siemens and ADIC Agree to Expand Strategic Relationship; Tape Library OEM
Agreement, Joint Development Included
06:48 a.m. Nov 24, 1999 Eastern
REDMOND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 24,
1999--Advanced Digital Information Corporation (Nasdaq:ADIC)
and Fujitsu-Siemens Corporation Computers (FSC) today
announced that the companies have reached an agreement in
principle to formalize an expanded strategic relationship that will
include a broad range of storage management products for
mainframe and open computer systems.
The scope of the agreement includes hardware OEM
relationships, cooperative sales and distribution and joint
development.
Fujitsu-Siemens Computers BV (FSC) selected ADIC to supply a
range of automated storage products based on ADIC tape library
platforms incorporating Linear Tape-Open (LTO) and Digital
Linear Tape (DLT) tape technology. The companies also have
agreed to establish a joint development and distribution plan for
FSC's new CentricStor Virtual Tape Library product.
"We are pleased to have the opportunity to expand our existing
relationship with Fujitsu-Siemens by working with them on this
program," commented Michel Grosbost, President of ADIC
Europe. "ADIC currently provides FSC with data center-class
libraries, as well as supporting FSC storage products with our
AMASS storage management software. Their new CentricStor
product, which promises to provide important advances for data
center tape storage, will be a welcome addition to the ADIC
product offering."
According to Dr. Helmut Beck, Vice President of Storage at
Fujitsu-Siemens Computers, "ADIC's broad range of storage
automation platforms and its experience in incorporating different
drive technologies makes it an obvious choice for this program.
We are enthusiastic about working more closely with ADIC to
incorporate their new products into our enterprise storage
solutions to help safe guard our customer's vital asset: their
information base. Cost efficient, SAN based automated backup
and long-term archiving are tasks that can take optimal advantage
of ADIC's products."
The companies noted that they have reached a broad agreement
in principle; individual supplier and development agreements
remain subject to separate negotiation and approval. About
Fujitsu-Siemens Computers
Fujitsu-Siemens Computers is a leading provider of world-class
hardware and software technology in computers,
telecommunications and microelectronics, providing
comprehensive information technology and network solutions for
the global marketplace. The Company represents a European joint
venture between Fujitsu Limited and Siemens AG. The combined
size of the operations places Fujitsu-Siemens Computers within
the top three revenue positions in the European computer market,
comprising PCs, Intel based and UNIX servers, and mainframes,
and in the number two position in terms of market shipments.
Fujitsu-Siemens Computers' FY2000 revenues are expected to
exceed 7.6 billion Euros, with unit volumes projected to include
approximately 4.8 million PCs, 180,000 Intel architecture servers
and 5,000 enterprise-level UNIX servers. Fujitsu-Siemens
Computers will offer a comprehensive product range, from
ultra-light, state-of-the-art notebooks through to mission-critical
enterprise server, mainframe systems and storage solutions. By
combining their resources, Fujitsu and Siemens are able to supply
customers and channel partners with the most competitive
offerings in terms of technology, time-to-market and
price/performance. The new venture also promises customers and
business collaborators to be a strong partner for future growth,
with all the benefits that come with from working with one of the
largest enterprises in the world. About ADIC
With more than 50,000 automated tape libraries installed and a
suite of innovative software solutions and Storage Area
Networking (SAN) products, ADIC is a leading global provider in
the growing market to manage and protect information for
computer networks. Marketed under ADIC and ADIC/GRAU
brands and the brands of OEM partners, including Dell, Exabyte
and Unisys, automated tape libraries are available with DLTtape,
AIT, D2, half-inch, and 4mm tape technologies, and are supported
by leading backup and storage management software products for
Windows NT, UNIX, and mainframe operating systems. The
Company's own storage management tools include AMASS(R),
FileServ and CentraVision, software products which provide users
with shared access to network data. A pioneer in Storage Area
Networks, ADIC's Open SAN solutions combine open-system
SAN hardware and software with installation services and
single-call support. Further ADIC information is available at
www.adic.com.
CentricStor is a trademark of Fujitsu-Siemens Computers BV.
ADADIC, AMASS, FileServ and CentraVision are trademarks of
Advanced Digital Information Corporation. All other product,
trademark, company, or service names mentioned herein are the
property of their respective owners.
This release contains forward-looking statements relating to the
Company's existing and future products and services and future
operating results. These include the anticipation that ADIC and
FSC will enter into definitive agreements based on the agreement
in principle that has been reached between the two companies.
These forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and
uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially
from those projected. There can be no assurance that ADIC and
FSC will enter into definitive agreements. The words "believe",
"expect", "intend", "anticipate", variations of such words, and
similar expressions identify forward-looking statements, but their
absence does not mean that the statement is not forward-looking.
These statements are not guarantees of future performance and
are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are
difficult to predict. Factors that could affect the Company's actual
results include general economic trends, year 2000 issues,
technical competition or obsolescence, supply constraints, changes
in market pricing and production problems. Reference is made to
the Company's Registration Statement on Form S-3 filed with the
SEC on August 6, 1999 for a more detailed description of such
factors. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on
these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date
of this release. The Company undertakes no obligation to update
publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect new
information, events or circumstances after the date of this release
or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. |
