Features - Storage Innovations:

McDATA's NEW SANavigator 3.5 DELIVERS ENHANCED SECURITY

McDATA Corporation, a worldwide leader in open, ultra-high availability storage networking solutions, has announced the worldwide availability of SANavigator 3.5, the latest version of its award-winning storage network management software. SANavigator 3.5 delivers enhanced security, extended asset management, business level views, and improved diagnostics, all of which allow IT professionals to take better control of their SAN infrastructure. SANavigator 3.5 allows IT managers to control the assets, costs, access to data, and risks associated with maintaining a complex, multi-vendor and mission critical storage network.

With the release of version 3.5, SANavigator increases data security and centralizes control of a company's stored data through multi-vendor fabric zoning, multi-vendor LUN management and role-based user access. SANavigator is a key component in McDATA's EON (Extendable Open Network) Architecture, a platform-based solution that enhances the intelligence, design and functionality of the fabric and the storage infrastructure.

"McDATA is continuing to enhance its SANavigator storage network management solution to address the needs of the marketplace. Issues surrounding security, performance and provisioning of capacity are addressed with the SANavigator 3.5 release through features like access control and LUN masking and management," said Nancy Marrone, senior analyst for The Enterprise Storage Group. "McDATA is also focusing on enabling SANavigator solutions to be integrated in with Enterprise Network Management solutions, providing the customer with a very comprehensive way to manage all of their network assets."

The added functionality of SANavigator 3.5 enables the following capabilities:

• Enhanced security to minimize risk to data through multi-vendor LUN management and role-based access control;
• Extended asset management for emerging technologies with support for FC-IP and iSCSI routers used in conjunction with fibre channel SANs;
• Improved awareness for faster user response times due to expanded network management framework interoperability;
• Greater control with a highly customisable user interface;
• More intelligent decision-making with advanced diagnostics. McDATA's Patented Template Registers allow Quality of Service issues to be resolved through detailed examination of network traffic.

Companies around the world are saving millions of dollars every year using SANavigator to do more with fewer resources. Its multi-vendor, multi-device support; ease of use; and proactive, policy-based management capabilities allow IT professionals to manage more data with fewer resources and avoid unnecessary expenditures.

"SANavigator has saved HealthPartners both time and money. First, we've been able to avoid purchasing additional servers and storage because SANavigator enables us to configure and manage storage across multiple vendor products," said Alan Abramson, senior vice president & Chief Information Officer at HealthPartners Inc. "Additionally, SANavigator's Policy Engine's event monitor and automated alerts allow us to expedite problem resolution, which greatly increases our operational efficiencies. That is of enormous benefit to our members and patients. SANavigator's support for IP-based products gives us the confidence to know our investment will continue to grow and evolve as our storage needs change with emerging technologies."

"Companies that have deployed SANavigator 3.5 are better managing the complexity and increasing control of their storage networks. This directly translates to lowered IT costs, optimised storage resources, simplified management and minimized business risk," said Gary Gysin, McDATA's vice president and general manager of software. "This release brings our customers significantly closer to the storage networking ideal -- an automated, policy-based infrastructure that shifts the IT organization from a cost center to a profit center. McDATA again demonstrates that it is well on its way to delivering on this industry vision."

What The Industry Is Saying About SANavigator 3.5

Mitsubishi Corp: "The ability for us to customize SANavigator's interface goes a long way toward reducing and managing the complexity of our storage network," said Ting C. Chen, manager of network planning and implementation department at Mitsubishi Corp. "We can now change the look and feel of SANavigator 3.5 to match our unique needs and maximize our operational efficiencies. SANavigator increased the efficiency in the way we manage our storage network through its flexible, easy to customize interface and advanced diagnostics tools."

Aberdeen Group: "Using multi-vendor LUN management and role-based access, McDATA has enhanced SAN security, shielding enterprise data assets," said Dan Tanner, Director of Storage Research at Aberdeen Group. "And," he added, "McDATA multi-protocol support combines IP and fibre channel support for extended economy."

The Clipper Group Inc: "Delivering increased functionality is expected in this competitive SAN management space," said Mike Kahn, Managing Director of The Clipper Group Inc, a technology acquisition-consulting firm based in Wellesley, MA. "SANavigator 3.5 delivers more functionality where it counts -- with enhanced security in a heterogeneous storage environment, enhanced asset management for emerging technologies like IP routers, expanded network management framework interoperability, greater administrative flexibility, and more intelligent decision making."

Data Mobility Group: "Many vendors approach the storage network management opportunity with a one-size fits all solution. However, the differences in customer SAN implementations are many and varied," said John Webster, senior analyst and founder, Data Mobility Group. "The greater degree of flexibility offered by a customisable user interface should be well received by McDATA customers."

The Evaluator Group: "McDATA has provided a solid update to SANavigator with version 3.5. The very important area of SAN security has been strengthened with role-based administrative privileges and direct support for storage array LUN masking," said Dan Tanner, analyst with The Evaluator Group. "Administrators and users now have improved flexibility with a user interface that can be customized to their preferences. With the addition of support for the major enterprise management applications, IP-based storage routers, and advanced diagnostics, SANavigator will fit nicely into a wide variety of storage environments."

Yankee Group: "Enterprise customers will increasingly need storage network management tools that support high levels of storage security, policy, and asset management, as well as advanced diagnostic tools to help customers support service level agreements," said Jamie Gruener, Senior Analyst at The Yankee Group. "McDATA's SANavigator provides new advanced storage network security features, trouble-shooting management consoles and expanded support of both IP and FC switches, making it well positioned for gaining market share in 2003."

Berbee: "The latest release of McDATA's SANavigator allows our customers to reign in even more of their storage networks," said Dan Zehnpfennig of Berbee. "With the addition of LUN management, my customers can now consolidate all of their work onto 'one pane of glass' instead of going to different management consoles for the different storage devices. SANavigator 3.5's extended asset management has also empowered customers to include their IP storage routers to be used in conjunction with their fibre channel SANs."

TidalWire: "SANavigator 3.5's enhanced features provide key capabilities in security, asset management, performance and ease of use across the whole SAN environment," said Jeff Brandes, general manager of TidalWire, a McDATA distribution partner. "Those features are of tremendous value to our storage networking integrator customers and SANavigator 3.5 is an important addition to our product line."

About McDATA

McDATA is a worldwide leader in open, ultra-high storage networking solutions and provides highly available, scalable and centrally managed storage area networks (SANs) that address enterprise-wide storage problems. McDATA's core-to-edge enterprise SAN solutions improve the reliability and availability of data to simplify SAN management and reduce the total cost of ownership. McDATA extensively pre-tests its solutions to provide IT organizations with the comprehensive tools, methodologies and support essential to robust SAN implementation. McDATA distributes its products through its OEMs, network of resellers and Elite Solution Partners.