Features - Enterprise Data Insights:

EROSKI GROUP SELECTS SANsymphony TO CONSOLIDATE DATA

DataCore Software, a leading provider of enterprise-class, open-storage networking software, has announced the successful implementation of SANsymphony software for the Eroski Group, a leading player in Spain's food distribution sector. Eroski chose SANsymphony, DataCore's open storage network platform, for complete, centralized storage management of its data, complemented by data mirroring between its primary production site and a remote disaster recovery site.

"Our system had reached its limits and our storage administration was increasingly cumbersome. We were also looking for an efficient SAN solution that could integrate our Windows NT clusters," said Alfredo Fernandez, Eroski's central servers computer manager. "Above all, we really needed a data replication solution to guarantee uninterrupted data access."

Eroski selected SAN Solutions, DataCore's channel partner in Spain, who, after analyzing the group's needs, recommended SANsymphony as the best solution available on the market.

"We chose SANsymphony because of its multiple advanced functions that are so much more than just virtualization, such as data mirroring and disaster recovery, which are essential for our new system configuration," said Fernandez.

The Eroski Group is a major European business and joins DataCore's growing list of prestigious clients in the retail sector. With its EROSKI and MAXI hypermarkets, CONSUM and CHARTER supermarkets and its network of EROSKI travel agencies, the group provides its customers with a diverse range of commercial structures to meet requirements in terms of price, quality and service needs.

Eroski has a data center at its main production site and one backup site for business continuity, linked by Fibre Channel, situated 500 meters apart. Its high-availability IBM AIX application servers host Oracle databases, which run on Windows NT and Windows 2000 server clusters. A NetWare server cluster has also been configured to archive desktop application data. Eroski's infrastructure currently manages 12 TB (terabytes) of data (6 TB per site), which is extendable to 16 TB (8 per site), anticipating continuing growth. With its heterogeneous SAN architecture, managed by SANsymphony, the group will now reinforce the protection of its computer system while furthering the standardization of its storage management.

DataCore's SANsymphony was deployed with its advanced Network Mirrors, Alternate Path Fail-Over and Network Managed Volumes options. These advanced features have enabled Eroski to create a centralized, heterogeneous system with high-performance and high-availability, full security through synchronous data replication, and a completely open and scalable approach (with regard to various manufacturers).

Eroski Group

The Eroski group is a major retail business in Spain. The distribution of food products represents the group's main activity and generates the bulk of its sales. The group comprises some 1,800 sites of various forms. Its network currently includes 56 EROSKI and MAXI hypermarkets, 800 CONSUM supermarkets and 700 self-service CHARTER supermarkets, owned by Eroski or franchised, not to mention 25 cash & carry establishments, 36 service stations, 150 travel agency branches (Agencia de Viajes), 84 perfume shops, 10 FORUM sports shops and 5 restaurants. An online supermarket and an online travel agency complete the group's portfolio. In 2001, Eroski expanded its portfolio to include the investment income, car sales and optical sectors. Created 33 years ago, the Eroski group has since climbed up to the number one position on Spain's food distribution market.

About DataCore Software

DataCore Software Corporation's award-winning software automates and consolidates storage management for enterprise customers worldwide, significantly reducing their costs and increasing the return on investment from information technology assets. The company's SANsymphony software sets the standard for open storage networking platforms, supporting all major brands of disk arrays and operating systems. It is available and supported through major OEMs, system integrators and resellers. DataCore is privately held with corporate headquarters in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. For international office locations and more information, call 877-780-5111 or visit www.datacore.com.

Contact: Jan Jahosky, 407-331-4699, jan.jahosky@datacore.com.