Tamson F., Just wanted to reread this a couple more times...
QLogic Unveils First End-to-End 2 Gigabit Fibre Channel Infrastructure
Switches, Host Adapters, Chips and SAN Management Software Suite are Crucial Components for Scaleable, Interoperable 2 Gigabit SAN Solutions
ALISO VIEJO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 9, 2000-- QLogic Corp. (NASDAQ:QLGC - news), today unveiled the industry's first and only end-to-end 2 Gigabit storage area network (SAN) infrastructure, consisting of highly scaleable products ranging from single-chip PCI-Fibre Channel controllers and host adapter boards for server and storage end nodes, to cost-effective edge switches for work groups, and high port count director class switches for enterprise-class data centers.
QLogic 2 Gigabit switches and host adapters will be demonstrated in the Fibre Channel Industry Association (FCIA) booth L3215 at Fall Comdex in Las Vegas, November 13-17, 2000.
Aimed at solving the SAN market's biggest challenges, interoperability and management, QLogic delivers a suite of 2 Gigabit building blocks that are pre-tested for interoperability and administered by a complementary SAN management software platform. This broad range of high-performance 2 Gigabit products, all available from a single vendor, allows OEMs, VARs storage service providers (SSPs) and end-users to build cost-effective, plug-and-play SANs that are centrally managed and highly available.
``Time-to-market is key for OEM market success. It helps enormously when you can start with components that are pre-qualified with each other and available together,'' said Robert Gray, a research director with IDC. ``QLogic's 2 Gigabit Fibre Channel strategy has two key strengths -- early out of the box, and a coordinated host adapter and switch release. It is a demonstration of QLogic's leadership strategy within the storage interconnect market.''
``IT professionals can be challenged by the complexity and cost required to manage SANs consisting of multiple point products at the host, switch, storage and application layers,'' said Jan Jentz, director of strategic SAN solutions marketing and programs, VERITAS Software. ``QLogic's 2 Gigabit technology combined with VERITAS SAN solutions address these customer issues by delivering a new generation of interoperable, centrally managed SAN solutions.''
SANbox2 Switches -- Scaleable Fabrics
The SANbox2 family includes 16 and 32 port edge switches for fabric connections to servers, storage devices, directors and other switches on the SAN. SANbox2 products offer double the throughput speed and twice as many ports in the same form factor as existing 1 Gigabit switch products. QLogic's 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.
The SANbox2 family includes dual power supplies for built-in high availability and easy-to-use In-Band and Out-of-Band management utilities. The core technology in the SANbox2 edge switches will be available to the marketplace as embedded chip and board level products, providing more choices for customer implementation.
``Fibre Channel SAN technology must move to 2 Gigabits per second to keep pace with the explosive increase in data accessed from storage devices with ever increasing speed and capacity,'' said James Opfer, Dataquest analyst. ``In today's SANs, dominated by switch interconnections, a 2 Gigabit switch is an essential enabler for deployment of 2 Gigabit Fibre Channel technology.''
Designed for the heart of enterprise data centers in Fortune 1000 companies, QLogic SANbox2 directors complement the currently available 1 Gigabit QLogic SANbox 64 port Director. SANbox2 directors are engineered with integrated reliability, availability and serviceability (RAS) features, delivering true 99.999 percent availability to enterprise data centers. Made up of 8- and 16-port field-replaceable units (FRUs), SANbox2 directors offer up to 256 ports, managed as a single image with zero degradation in performance in the event of a failure, setting them significantly apart from competitive solutions.
ISP2300 2 Gigabit Controller Chips Serve the Industry with High Performance and Interoperability
Incorporated in hundreds of OEM-installed solutions, QLogic's ISP Fibre Channel chip architecture is installed in a multitude of SANs industry-wide. QLogic's ISP2300 single-chip processor, the first to balance 2 Gigabit throughput with support for the PCI-X specification and multiple protocols, is also among the fastest, demonstrating 40,000 I/O operations (IOPs) per second. It is designed for integration directly into system boards, RAID controllers and host adapters, including QLogic's QLA2300 Series host adapters.
QLogic's ISP architecture embeds a highly sophisticated layer of exclusively developed firmware based on years of development and field experience. Combined with wide industry acceptance, this unique architecture gives QLogic unmatched expertise in developing SAN products that are interoperable with a broad range of server, storage, switch, software and component products.
QLA2300 Series 2 Gigabit Host Bus Adapters Scale from Single to Quad Port
The QLogic QLA2300 Series of 2 Gigabit Fibre Channel PCI and PCI-X host bus adapters are based on QLogic's own ISP2300 Fibre Channel single-chip controller and carry all the same performance benefits. The QLA2300 Series is available in single port, dual port and quad port models. With multiple ports, the QLogic QLA2300 Series host adapter optimizes PCI slot utilization, making it a compact and highly cost effective 2 Gigabit connectivity solution for SAN servers and storage subsystems.
``With speeds of up to 1 Gigabyte per second and 133MHz, PCI-X technology will greatly enhance bandwidth and data flow in SANs,'' said David Pulling, ServerWorks. ``QLogic was an early adopter of PCI-X and has worked with us closely, offering their expertise in deployment of this critical technology.''
FTEC and FibreFAS Series Bring 2 Gigabit Performance to Hard Drives and Tape Drives
Embedded into Fibre Channel disk drives, tape drives and a wide variety of other peripherals, QLogic's FTEC and FibreFAS series of single-chip Fibre Channel controllers combine broad functionality with the extremely high performance demanded by enterprise class hard disk and tape drive manufacturers. QLogic's architecture supports on-chip dual-port 2 Gigabit per second transceivers, fast disk data rates and highly automated interface logic, enabling high throughput with low drive microprocessor overhead and thereby maximizing overall drive performance. Built-in programmable flexibility gives drive designers a wide range of choices and ensures maximum control.
VERITAS SANPoint Control(TM) for QLogic Manages Heterogeneous SANs
Bundled with QLogic host adapters and switches, VERITAS SANPoint Control for QLogic is designed to manage Storage Area Networks with heterogeneous devices. VERITAS SANPoint Control for QLogic includes the ability to centrally discover and visualize SAN components, including QLogic switches and servers using QLogic host bus adapters, as well as zone devices, all from a central console. Together, the products from VERITAS Software and QLogic answer the call from Global 2000 IT for end-to-end SAN infrastructure solutions consisting of end nodes, switched fabrics and software to manage them.
QLogic Management Suite Eases SAN Installation and Ensures Availability
Designed for heterogeneous SANs, QLogic's Management Suite (QMS) comprises an arsenal of advanced SAN management utilities that deliver ease of installation, seamless integration and the ability to manage data availability throughout a complex SAN environment. QLogic's HBA High Availability Package is an enhanced software module that minimizes network downtime for server clusters and complex SANs. The software automatically re-routes data to an alternate HBA in the event of a device failure to ensure users have uninterrupted access to information on the system or SAN configuration.
2 Gigabit Product Availability
QLA2300 Series host adapters and ISP2300 controller chips are now sampling with select OEMs. SANbox2 edge switches are expected to begin shipping next quarter and SANbox2 directors are projected to ship in mid-2001. FTEC and FibreFAS controllers will ship to drive manufacturers this quarter.
About QLogic
QLogic Corporation (NASDAQ:QLGC - news) is changing the way the world views Storage Area Networks (SANs), serving OEMs, VARs and system integrators with the broadest line of SAN infrastructure components in the industry. With over 15 years of enterprise storage experience, the company delivers a full range of Fibre Channel switches, PCI host bus adapters, controller silicon and management chips for systems and peripherals, as well as the QLogic Management Suite of SAN management software solutions.
A member of the Nasdaq-100® Index, QLogic recently emerged on the Forbes 500 and Business Week 200 lists. QLogic is integrated in over 200 OEM solutions, including: AMI, Compaq, Dell, EMC, Fujitsu, Hitachi, HP, IBM, INRANGE, Iwill, MTI Technology Corp., Quantum, Raidtec, Siemens, Sun and Unisys.
The overlap in customer list for Q and BRCD will be interesting to watch. Would like to read a description of the New SANPoint, I take it that it can manage a hereogeneous fabric, ie one that has BRCD switches also?
Will time to market advantage help Q along the way? Hope so.
I have listened to two QLGC cc s now. One thing that seems to be a QLGC theme is their customer focus, "our customers asked us for this", so we made it. When asked why they can grow SCSI at a rate greater than the overall market they say because of our additional FC expertise. They seem to have a nack for making things that the market wants when it wants them. So who wants these embedded switch ASICs and switch blades. Somebody. I have been thinking RAID makers, but perhaps a server company would do some VIA clustering with them, until Iband is ready for prime time? |
