Partnership with McDATA Allows SME Customers to Deploy IP-based SANs with Hitachi Thunder 9570V Storage Systems
SANTA CLARA, CALIF. November 19, 2003 - Hitachi Data Systems, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd. (NYSE: HIT), today announced that it has partnered with McDATA Corporation (Nasdaq: MCDTA/MCDT), the expert provider of multi-capable storage networking solutions, to offer small-and medium-sized enterprises a cost-effective alternative for storage area networking, the Hitachi TrueNorth™ iSCSI SAN Solution.
Small-and medium-sized enterprises can realize the many benefits of networked storage such as storage consolidation, improved capacity utilization, centralized backup, security and unified storage management, while lowering total cost of ownership by leveraging a customer's IP infrastructure. In addition, the solution has been tested with Microsoft's native iSCSI drivers making this a perfect fit for Windows environments.
Providing a lower-cost alternative to Fibre Channel SANs, the new solution from Hitachi Data Systems and McDATA includes the Hitachi Thunder 9570V™ modular storage system, the McDATA Eclipse™ 1620 SAN internetworking switch, and enablement services.
"The Hitachi TrueNorth™ iSCSI SAN Solution reinforces our strategy of providing a range of connectivity options that address customers' needs for performance and availability at an affordable price," said Scott Genereux, Vice President, Global Marketing & Business Development, Hitachi Data Systems. "Our new iSCSI solution provides an alternative for customers who have been priced out of the SAN market by the high cost of Fibre Channel. Our partnership with McDATA has enabled us to bring this solution to market quickly with a combination of products and services that allows customers to rapidly and cost-effectively achieve the benefits of networked storage."
Market demand for iSCSI is quickly increasing. IDC forecasts that the iSCSI array market will jump from $216 million in 2003 to nearly $5 billion in 2007. A number of factors are contributing to the growing appeal of iSCSI, including:
"As the need for access to information continues to grow, McDATA is committed to providing best-of-breed reliable solutions through partnerships with industry leaders," said Mike Gustafson, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing, McDATA. "iSCSI allows customers to realize the benefits of a SAN at a lower entry cost, and McDATA is pleased to work with Hitachi Data Systems to make this exciting technology widely available to the market."
The iSCSI SAN Solution is the first offering available as part of Hitachi Data Systems' iSCSI strategy. This approach will build on the existing TrueNorth open and collaborative business model to over time deliver a range of iSCSI solutions for both the SME and enterprise market that will be complementary to the existing Freedom Data Networks SAN and NAS portfolio from Hitachi Data Systems. Additional iSCSI offerings will be announced in 2004.
The Hitachi TrueNorth™ iSCSI SAN Solution, utilizing Hitachi Thunder 9570V storage systems and McDATA internetworking switch technology, is available today directly from Hitachi Data Systems, as well as through its TrueNorth Channel Partners. Prices start at about $60,000, depending on configuration.
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://www.hitachi.com.
McDATA (Nasdaq: MCDTA/MCDT) is the expert provider of Multi-Capable Storage Networking Solutions™ - hardware, software and services - that enable partners and customers around the world to reduce the total cost of storage management today, and be ready to adapt to the real-time information demands of tomorrow. Entrenched in over 8,000 data centers worldwide, McDATA solutions are at the heart of more than 80 percent of Fortune 100 storage network data centers, powering the latest e-business applications, customer databases, financial traffic and other mission-critical data. Customers leverage McDATA's multi-capable solutions to realize immediate cost savings, reduce their investment risk, ensure the continuity of their operations and adapt to changing business requirements.
Contacts:
Greg Peverill-Conti, Hitachi Data Systems, (617) 451-6070, gregpc@blancandotus.com
Kathleen Sullivan, McDATA Corp., (720) 558-4435, Kathleen.Sullivan@mcdata.com
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Hitachi Data Systems is registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office as a trademark and service mark of Hitachi, Ltd.
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