JNI Launches Windows 2000-Compatible Drivers for FibreStar HBAs; Driver Enables
JNI Host Bus Adapters to Operate Under Windows 2000
Business Editors & High-Tech Writers
SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 21, 1999--JNI Corporation
(Nasdaq:JNIC), the first company to release a commercial Fibre Channel
host bus adapter (HBA), today announced its Microsoft Windows(R) 2000
software driver for Emerald(TM)-based FibreStar(TM) PCI bus HBA cards
will be available on Jan. 4, 2000.
The driver, version 3.0.1 for the FibreStar FCE-3210 and
FCE-6410, has passed all of Microsoft's Windows 2000 compatibility
tests, making it available for manufacturers with systems and servers
running the Windows 2000 operating system. Microsoft Windows 2000 will
be available for general release on Feb. 17, 2000, according to
Microsoft.
"By making the drivers available now, any manufacturer or
reseller running Windows 2000 can begin integrating JNI's
Emerald-based FibreStar HBAs into any Windows configuration," said
Scott Ruple, vice president of marketing for JNI. "By offering a
Windows 2000 driver with all Fibre Channel topologies, including
fabric switching, JNI enables all of the benefits of Microsoft Cluster
Server (MSCS) in a Storage Area Network (SAN) environment."
The JNI Windows 2000 driver supports EZ Fibre, JNI's GUI-based
SAN management and configuration utility software. Unique to JNI, EZ
Fibre enables a number of features important to creating and
maintaining a Windows NT/Windows 2000-based SAN, including simple
installation, LUN level zoning and maintenance diagnostics.
Drivers
Drivers are a vital part of Fibre Channel HBAs, allowing them to
run in system environments and topologies. Drivers facilitate all
functions on a Fibre Channel HBA, including three significant areas:
the operating system, the Fibre Channel topology, and the data bus.
The JNI Windows 2000 driver can operate under all Fibre Channel
topologies, including point-to-point, arbitrated loop and switched
fabric, the latter two being key to implementing a true Storage Area
Network (SAN). JNI is the only Fibre Channel HBA manufacturer that
enables more than point-to-point topology in its driver.
JNI develops its own drivers using a common development code base
for all supported operating systems/buses, including Windows 2000/PCI,
Solaris(R)/SBus, Solaris/PCI and Macintosh/PCI. The result is a single
driver for each JNI HBA that supports all Fibre Channel topologies and
environments, including support for hubs and switches. Typically, a
manufacturer will have to create up to seven different drivers per
operating system to match JNI's single driver.
The single driver gives JNI the ability to quickly integrate
important features and benefits for customers. Because of JNI's common
development code base, improvements made to one driver are also
implemented to all other drivers. It also makes it far easier to
install the Fibre Channel network, since a single JNI driver works
with all possible installations.
Currently, JNI offers a broad range of drivers including those
operating under the Windows NT(R)/Windows 2000 environment, the
Solaris OS and the Macintosh(R) OS.
Pricing and Availability
The driver can be downloaded for free from an ftp link on JNI's
Web site, www.jni.com. It is available after Jan. 4th. A beta version
is immediately available. The driver is compatible with all
single-port Emerald-based FibreStar PCI-bus HBAs. These include the
FCE-3210, FCE-6410 and 2 Gb/s FCE-6420D-2G. Please check with a JNI
representative for other board compatibility. To upgrade to JNI
FibreStar boards that operate under Windows 2000, please contact you
local sales representative or contact JNI at 858/535-3121 or at
www.jni.com.
About JNI
JNI Corporation is a leading developer and manufacturer of Fibre
Channel hardware and software products that form critical elements of
SANs. JNI developed some of the first commercially available Fibre
Channel-based products and focus our efforts exclusively on the Fibre
Channel market.
Because of JNI's early and continuous focus on developing
technology and products based on the Fibre Channel standard, the
company has successfully developed a broad line of host bus adapters,
ASICs and software that provide increased bandwidth for data
communications, increased distance for high speed data transmission,
guaranteed data delivery and scalability to large numbers of network
connections.
JNI became publicly listed on the Nasdaq under the trading symbol
JNIC in Oct. 1999. For more information on JNI and the company's
products, visit the company's Web site www.jni.com.
JNI - First in Fibre Channe(TM)
Note to Editors: FibreStar, FCE-3210, FCE-6410,
FCE-6420D-2G,.JNI, JNIC and 'First in Fibre Channel' are trademarks or
registered trademarks of JNI Corporation. Microsoft Windows 2000 is a
trademark of Microsoft Corp. All other trademarks are the property of
their respective holders. |
