Hitachi Data Systems Empowers Channel Partners with NewPackaged Storage Services

Training, Certification and Marketing Tools Enable Channel Partners to Resell Services

STORAGE NETWORKING WORLD, ORLANDO, FLA. 27 October, 2003 - Hitachi Data Systems, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd. (NYSE: HIT), today expanded its TrueNorth™ Channel Partner Program with the introduction of packaged storage services for its indirect global channel partners.

Under this new program, Hitachi Certified Solution Providers can complement their current offerings, including Hitachi storage products, with several new packaged storage services. As a result, channel partners can create stronger, more productive relationships with their customers through the seamless integration of Hitachi storage products and services.

Channel partners can choose from three levels of participation — sell only, sell and co-deliver, and sell and deliver packaged services — depending on their market and customer requirements. Training, certification, and marketing tools will be available for each of these models. Eleven new packaged service offerings will be available this year, and Hitachi Data Systems expects to double that number over the coming year.

"With this program Hitachi Data Systems is expanding it's partners' value proposition: from selling products and related support services to selling integrated solutions that include high-touch storage services," said Ken Beaudry, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Global Solutions Services, Hitachi Data Systems. "We are receiving extremely positive feedback from our channel partners on our tiered approach to selling our packaged storage services, and many have leapt at this new opportunity to deliver cost-effective GSS solutions to their customers."

Hitachi Data Systems Global Solution Services (GSS) Division was formed in the fourth quarter of 2002 and is chartered with the development, sales and delivery of service-based storage solutions. GSS' offerings fall into three main categories:

• Product-Based Services, which address IT education and certification needs for HDS partners and employees;
• Storage Solution Services, which address storage management & infrastructure heterogeneity challenges with integration, business continuity, and disaster recovery services; and
• Industry Solutions, which focus on providing unstructured content solutions to key vertical industries such as financial services, rich media, healthcare, government, and life sciences

GSS delivers its services though its growing direct sales force and now, for the first time, will be offering these services through key resellers and distributors as part of its TrueNorth Channel Partner Program.

The initial eleven packaged services offered by Hitachi Data Systems' Global Solution Services division include services for Hitachi software products that are designed to provide knowledge transfer to users and enable quicker product implementation into IT production environments:

Hitachi ShadowImage™ Software

• Enablement Service
• Implementation Service

Hitachi TrueCopy™ Software

• Implementation Service

HiCommand® Tuning Manager and Device Manager

• Enablement Service
• Implementation Service

Data Migration Services

• Open Systems
• S/390®

Hitachi SplitSecond™ for Microsoft® Exchange

Data Consolidation Service

Hitachi Data Systems leverages global R&D resources to develop storage solutions built on industry-leading technology with the performance, availability and scalability to maximize customers' ROI and minimize their risk. By focusing on the customer's perspective as we apply the best hardware, software, and services from Hitachi and our partners, we uniquely satisfy our customers' business needs.

With 2,700 employees, Hitachi Data Systems conducts business through direct and indirect channels in the public, government and private sectors in over 170 countries and regions. Its customers include more than 50 percent of Fortune 100 companies. For more information, please visit our Web site at www.hds.com.

Hitachi, Ltd. (NYSE: HIT), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is a leading global electronics company, with approximately 340,000 employees worldwide. Fiscal 2002 (ended March 31, 2003) consolidated sales totaled 8,191.7 billion yen ($68.3 billion). The company offers a wide range of systems, products and services in market sectors, including information systems, electronic devices, power and industrial systems, consumer products, materials and financial services. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company's Web site at http://global.hitachi.com.

Contacts: PR

Greg Peverill-Conti, Hitachi Data Systems, (617) 451-6070, gregpc@blancandotus.com

TrueNorth, ShadowImage, TrueCopy, and SplitSecond are trademarks and HiCommand is a registered trademark of Hitachi Data Systems Corporation. All other trade names, trademarks, and service marks are the rightful property of their respective owners.