Ancor Signs OEM Agreement to Provide Fibre Channel Switches to MTI
MINNEAPOLIS, July 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Ancor Communications Inc. (Nasdaq: ANCR) today announced an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) agreement to provide its Fibre Channel eight-port switches for MTI Technology Corp.'s (Nasdaq: MTIC) Gladiator enterprise information servers, which combine Fibre Channel-based data services with a complete storage area network (SAN) solution in a single product. MTI stated that it chose Ancor's switch primarily for its ability to grow large storage networks.
Adding the Ancor switched fabric to the Gladiator systems will enable MTI to offer complete storage area network solutions to the marketplace. The Gladiator storage servers differentiate themselves by offering fully tested, interoperable, enterprise SAN solutions for Fortune 1000 and Internet-related businesses.
MTI Technology Corp. is a leading provider of information servers that provide continuous access to online information for customers running IT environments using UNIX from IBM, Hewlett-Packard, SGI and Sun Microsystems as well as Windows NT and Linux. Research firm IDC estimates the combined market value for UNIX and Windows NT (2000) storage in 1998 exceeded $16 billion and forecasts double-digit growth through 2003. Leading MTI customers include Alcatel, BMW-Rover, DoubleClick, GTE Internetworking and Iridium.
"The Ancor product expands MTI's Connection Services to support MTI's Data Services strategy that provides completely integrated data storage solutions," said Dan Brown, MTI's vice president of product development. "The Gladiator storage servers will ship with two to four switches integrated in each cabinet, and many of our customers will want to connect several of these systems together. Ancor's switches deliver extensive scalability with their cross-connected architecture."
Other factors involved in MTI's decision included Ancor switch features that help network managers quickly set up a SAN and centrally manage it, such as self-configuring ports and embedded switch management, said Brown.
"With 20,000 storage systems installed at over 9,000 customer sites worldwide, MTI brings a wealth of storage experience to storage area networking," said Ken Hendrickson, Ancor's CEO.
Gladiator storage servers with Ancor switches are expected to begin shipping at the end of July 1999.
About Ancor Fibre Channel Switches
Ancor's Fibre Channel switches are reliable, highly scalable devices that link multiple servers and storage devices in storage area networks. Ancor's leading chip technology supports features such as hard zoning for superior data security and cross-connected configurations that enable SANs to grow while maintaining high performance and storage network reliability. Ancor switches are available in both eight and 16-port configurations and are sold to OEMs and select distributors.
About Ancor Communications
Ancor Communications Inc. (Nasdaq: ANCR) provides GigWorks(TM) high-performance Fibre Channel switches for storage and data-intensive network solutions, including storage area networks (SANs). The company's customers include Sun Microsystems and Hitachi Data Systems, as well as select distributors. The company was the first to deliver a Fibre Channel switch, and the first to top the one-gigabit performance level. Ancor is a member of the Fibre Channel Association, the Storage Networking Industry Alliance, the Fibre Channel Community, the ANSI Standards Committee, and the University of New Hampshire Fibre Channel Consortium to promote the advancement of Fibre Channel standards and interoperability. Information on Ancor is available on the World Wide Web at ancor.com .
About MTI Technology Corporation
MTI's mission is to provide Continuous Access to Online Information(SM) through fault-tolerant, cross-platform data storage servers for the enterprise. MTI develops, manufactures, sells and services data server solutions for Fortune 1000 companies on a worldwide basis. Headquartered in Anaheim, Calif., the company offers services and support from more than 40 offices in the U.S. and Europe. Authorized distributors provide additional sales and service capabilities in Latin America and Asia/Pacific regions. MTI may be reached by phone: 800-999-9MTI or 714-970-0300, fax: 714-693-2256 or e-mail: info@mti.com. Information can also be accessed via MTI Online, the company's World Wide Web server on the Internet at: mti.com.
Forward-looking statements as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 are qualified by the risk factors outlined in the documents Ancor Communications, Inc. and MTI Technology Corporation file with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Statements contained in this press release regarding MTI's market and future purchases and sales of Ancor's products, including the timing of shipments of MTI's products integrating Ancor's switches, are forward-looking statements. We cannot guarantee the size of the actual market, timing or amounts of purchases of Ancor products by MTI, if any. Factors which may affect Ancor and MTI's ability to achieve the results implied by such forward-looking statements include whether, as the Fibre Channel market matures, Ancor is able to continue to provide the technology and features required by the SAN market, or whether our products will ultimately meet our customers' needs. Additional factors are outlined in the risk factors contained in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
For more information about Fibre Channel technology and Ancor Fibre Channel solutions, call (800) 342-7379 or access World Wide Web site ancor.com. Media, contact Mary Miller, Ancor, at (612) 932-4071 or marym@ancor.com or Aaron Pearson, Shandwick, at (612) 841-6217 or apearson@shandwick.com.
Editor's note: GigWorks(TM), ANCOR(TM) and the Ancor logo are the marks and property of Ancor Communications, Inc.
MTI and Gladiator are registered trademarks and Continuous Access to Online Information is a service mark of MTI Technology Corporation.
SOURCE Ancor Communications Inc.
CO: Ancor Communications Inc.; MTI Technology Corp.
ST: Minnesota
IN: CPR TLS
SU:
07/26/99 06:30 EDT prnewswire.com |
