(COMTEX) B: nStor Signs Agreements With SAN Partners HP, Ancor and QL
B: nStor Signs Agreements With SAN Partners HP, Ancor and QLogic to Supply Key
Components for nStor SAN Solutions
SAN DIEGO, May 22, 2000 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- In a major move towards rounding out
its Storage Area Network (SAN) strategy, nStor Technologies, Inc. (AMEX:NSO)
today announced it has signed agreements with Hewlett-Packard Company
(NYSE:HWP), Ancor Communications (Nasdaq:ANCR), and QLogic Corporation
(Nasdaq:QLGC) to provide important components for its SAN solutions.
"Our SAN solutions will combine our own innovative storage capabilities,
superior professional services, and excellent third-party products -- such as
these from HP, Ancor and QLogic -- with a rigorous testing program," said Larry
Hemmerich, nStor president and CEO. "While a number of companies have announced
interoperability labs, customers still have to identify where any fault lies
before they can even begin to get support. nStor will fix that problem. As we
use these components to create SAN solutions, we will test the total solution
against target market requirements and we will be the single point of contact
for anything and everything to do with that SAN. This approach puts our
solutions in a class by themselves."
HP SureStore E SAN Manager LM Software
HP SureStore E SAN Manager LUN Management (LM) software integrates with nStor
storage products to provide SAN storage access management. With SAN Manager LM,
the IT manager can view storage and nodes and manage the SAN from one
centralized console. SAN Manager LM is a host- (server-)based software product
that allows control of storage assignments on the SAN. Since SAN Manager LM does
not rely on security mechanisms implemented by particular SAN components in the
network cloud or within the storage devices, it provides a uniform way to manage
storage security across heterogeneous SANs.
"SAN Manager LM is a great complement to nStor's current product offering," said
Clive Surfleet, manager of strategic business planning for HP's Storage
Operation. "The combination of nStor storage products and HP SureStore E SAN
Manager LM provides users with all the tools they need to effectively store and
manage their data in the SAN arena."
Ancor Fibre Channel Switches
First to deliver Fibre Channel switches, Ancor Communications now offers the
SANbox(TM) series, the most scalable Fibre Channel switches available. The
SANbox series delivers the broadest switch product line, offering 8- and 16-port
configurations as well as Directors in 64- and 128-port configurations. The most
flexible solution for storage area networks, the SANbox cost-effectively meets
the storage requirements of today's enterprise with the flexibility to grow
almost infinitely -- as data volumes multiply, geographical distances lengthen,
and enterprise storage becomes more heterogeneous.
QLogic Fibre Channel Host Adapters
QLogic sold more Fibre Channel host bus adapters in 1999 than any other
manufacturer in the world, according to IDC. QLogic PCI - Fibre Channel products
are powerful solutions designed with features critical to real-world
applications. The QLA2200 Series Host Bus Adapters offer best-in-class
performance and functionality for SANs.
nStor SAN Solutions
Central to nStor's SAN strategy is the NexStor line of Fibre Channel storage
systems. The NexStor 802F and the NexStor 3150 are two new additions to the
growing NexStor product family designed to meet the demanding requirements of
today's enterprise storage market. The NexStor 802F is a 2U (3.5") high
enclosure capable of holding up to 8 1- or 1.6" high Fibre Channel disk drives.
Using currently available 73GB drives, the NexStor 802F can hold a total
capacity of 584GB of storage. The NexStor 3150 adds active/active RAID
controllers into the same enclosure for the industry's smallest enterprise-class
storage solutions.
The NexStor 802F and the NexStor 3150 join the NexStor 18F and the NexStor 2050
in this solution family. The NexStor 18F is an SES-compliant enclosure that
holds 18 Fibre Channel drives, providing room for up to 900GB in a 4U space. The
NexStor 2050 combines the 18F with the NexStor Fibre Channel active/active RAID
controller mounted in a separate 3U chassis. Additional units can be added for
up to 6.3TB attached to a single RAID controller.
"We are now ready to take our storage products and our partner's components and
target them toward specific SAN opportunities," added Hemmerich. "However, even
with individually strong components, more needs to be done to ensure a seamless
operation at the customer site. Too often the SAN--though its individual
components may be excellent--just doesn't work, or doesn't work well. We're
going to ensure our SAN solutions work well from day one, and we're going to be
the single point of contact for anything to do with that SAN."
SAN-Certain Testing
To deliver on that promise, nStor has created a multi-tier testing process it
calls SAN-Certain, in which it works with its SAN partners to test for
interoperability. To ensure full and smooth operation in a targeted SAN
environment, nStor then adds a second level of testing of those specific
components in that specific environment.
Ken Hendrickson, CEO of Ancor, said, "We believe that nStor is right on target
with their multi-tier testing process, and by establishing cooperative testing
between our companies, we can work toward delivering seamless, heterogeneous
solutions."
Frank Berry, QLogic's vice president of product marketing, said, "nStor's
decision to implement QLogic Fibre Channel host adapters with Ancor's
high-performance switches is testimony to the excellent quality of both
companies' products. With our recent announcement regarding the acquisition of
Ancor, we look forward to supplying nStor with, highly interoperable SAN
components from a single, reputable vendor."
nStor's Hemmerich concluded, "With a set of products that are certified to
install quickly, work together seamlessly, meet specific enterprise needs and
with a single point of contact for problem resolution, nStor is uniquely
positioned to offer a range of SAN solutions unequalled in today's storage
arena."
About nStor
Headquartered in San Diego, California, nStor Technologies is a leading provider
of highly integrated, enterprise-class Storage Area Network (SAN) solutions for
computing operations that include Windows NT, Unix and Linux platforms. Designed
for storage-intensive environments such as the Internet or other
mission-critical applications, nStor's full range of products include the
NexStor 802F and the NexStor 18F, the highest density Fibre Channel storage
enclosures in the industry, as well as a complete set of SCSI, Tape and storage
management solutions. nStor trades on the American Stock Exchange under the
symbol NSO, and markets its products through a direct sales force and a global
network of reseller and OEM partners. Additional information about nStor can be
found by visiting our web site at www.nstor.com.
This press release includes statements that may constitute "forward-looking"
statement, usually containing the words "believe," "estimated," "project,"
"expect," "anticipate," or similar expressions. These statements are made
pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements inherently involve risks and
uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the
forward-looking statements. Factors that would cause of contribute to such
differences include, but are not limited to, continued acceptance of the
Company's products in the marketplace, competitive factors, dependence upon
third-party, vendors and other risks detailed in the Company's periodic report
filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. By making these
forward-looking statements, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these
statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release. nStor is a
registered trademark of nStor Technologies, Inc.
CONTACT: nStor Corporation, Lake Mary, Fla.
James Campbell, Director of Marketing Communications
407/829-3592
James.Campbell@nstor.com
or
Investor Information:
KCSA Worldwide, New York
Todd Fromer, 212/682-6300
tfromer@kcsa.com |
