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To: Twisted Pair who wrote (30253)	1/13/1998 11:54:00 AM
From: JW@KSC	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 31386

Re: SCSI and Adaptec Mike, As an investor in emerging technologies, I tend to look a few years down the road, and although SCSI interfaces will continue to grow as a faster alternative to IDE Ultra DMA, SCSI has inherent physical limitations prevent the technology from satisfying the expanding needs of enterprise storage. I believe Fibre Channel will be the new interconnect technology that will drive future growth of enterprise storage. Fibre Channel's success as a storage interconnect will be aided by it's use in two other key technology areas: System Interconnect (high speed box-to-box communications), and High Speed Networking (as an alternative to Gigabit Ethernet). Two basic topologies for Fibre Channel are Fabric Switch and Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop As a storage interconnect. FC-AL permits 128 ports to be connected on a single loop. SCSI is a shared bus, FC-AL provides a point-to-point connection. Depending on the media type, speeds vary from 12.5MBps to 106.25MBps. In the works are speeds of 200MBps and 400MBps Over the next two years, "Compaq expects a price parity between SCSI and Fibre Channel interfaces, and higher-end systems will shift toward Fibre Channel as the standard interface. As volumes grow, and Fibre Channel components become commoditized, prices will fall quickly, accelerating the adoption of this new standard." As 18GB disks which are just now becoming available, each disk subsystem can accommodate 126GB. With a simple port loop expansion module, one Fibre Channel adapter can support 756GB of online storage. So a typical server with 6 PCI slots can support over 4.5TB of storage. Adaptec has recently thrown it's Fibre Channel hat into the ring. adaptec.com adaptec.com Adaptec looks to be a good investment, though I have not looked at their management. If thier stated 3rd Q numbers of $0.35 - $0.40 and after the one time charge off $0.21 - $0.23 (due out on Jan. 20) bear out perhaps this might be a good time to get in, though at $20. a share I'm not a buyer, I just wanted to give you my take on Fibre Channel's future for enterprise storage. JW@KSC

To: Twisted Pair who wrote (30253)	1/13/1998 12:59:00 PM
From: pat mudge	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 31386

[Storm and ADPT] Mike -- I think my plane was the last one out of Portland on Sunday. I was fortunate --- but driving icy I-84 to get to the airport wasn't a lot of fun. Sort of like being stuck at the top of a black diamond and telling yourself, "Point those skiis downhill and get it over with!" I don't know Adaptec. Perhaps others do and can comment. Right now there are so many tempting buys it's overwhelming. I'd written VTSS and TQNT on my notes to revisit yesterday at the open and just didn't get around to it. VTSS up almost four as we speak. I did add TXN at 41+, so feel good about that. How's the weather where you are? San Diego's getting the storm that hit Northern Cal yesterday. The waves are wild. Later -- Pat