Features - Storage Innovations:

iReady INTRODUCES WORLD'S MOST INTEGRATED iSCSI CONTROLLER

iReady Corp, a leader in Internet protocol processing in hardware, has announced a full lineup of iSCSI products, featuring the storage networking industry's first fully integrated iSCSI controller and iSCSI host bus adaptors (HBAs) -- at less than half the price of competing solutions. The iReady ethernetMAX iSCSI controller is the industry's first controller to integrate hardware iSCSI acceleration, full TCP/IP offload, full line-rate IPsec, and a GigabitMAC and GigabitPHY into a single semiconductor solution. The iReady HBA product family includes three product offerings: the IR-1011LC iSCSI Storage Adapter, the IR-1011C Secure Storage Adapter, and the IR-1011F Secure Storage Adapter for optical networks.

"One of the criticisms of iSCSI is that it is just as expensive as Fibre Channel solutions once a TOE-based NIC is added to the equation," said Arun Taneja, founder and consulting analyst of Taneja Group. "Based on what iReady is positioned to offer, there is no longer an argument against iSCSI performance and cost barriers. iReady is offering a level of integration and unparalleled pricing that will set a new industry standard for iSCSI."

ethernetMAX iSCSI Controller Enables Unmatched Capabilities for Storage Network Industry

The ethernetMAX controller leverages the patented and industry-proven iReady hardware TCP/IP technology to provide storage networking OEMs with a single chip solution that achieves an unprecedented level of price and performance in the iSCSI and Gigabit Ethernet markets. The ethernetMAX controller is redefining the HBA storage market by providing the lowest entry price point for iSCSI, IPsec, and full transport offload engine (TOE) HBAs. OEMs now have the option of simply upgrading their current Gigabit Ethernet strategy with the ethernetMAX controller, rather than face a more complex decision of when to add an expensive iSCSI adapter to their product lines.

"With the size and complexity of our global corporate network, we realized that National would benefit most by using both fiber channel and iSCSI; fiber channel is ideal for the campus environment; iSCSI is an ideal IP for long distance SANs," said Ulrich J. Seif, senior vice president and chief information officer of National Semiconductor and featured speaker at last month's Storage Network World. "iReady's iSCSI HBA solution is well-positioned to provide corporations like National with a rich iSCSI feature set, while allowing these corporations to maintain their existing Ethernet infrastructure."

ethernetMAX Key Features

• Patented hardware TCP/IP offload technology: The iReady patent streaming architecture provides line-rate performance without compromise to packet size, host CPU utilization, or latency.
• Complete iSCSI solution: A comprehensive hardware and software architecture enables both target and initiator functionality, including bandwidth teaming across multiple adapters, ensuring that the highest performance requirements of iSCSI targets are met.
• Gigabit Ethernet MAC and PHY connectivity: ethernetMAX controller incorporates National Semiconductor's latest generation of field-proven GMAC and GPHY technologies, for seamless access, robust interoperability, and low power consumption.
• Network security: ethernetMAX controller supports IPsec, a requirement in sophisticated Gigabit Ethernet networks. Because encryption and decryption are performed in the hardware, line-rate performance can be achieved without utilizing host CPU cycles.

iReady HBAs -- Addressing Architectural Requirements Today and Beyond

Using a highly integrated approach, iReady delivers the technology to achieve line-rate Gigabit Ethernet performance today while providing built-in scalability for tomorrow's storage networking performance environments. With the ethernetMAX controller fully integrated on iReady HBAs, companies can leverage their existing Ethernet infrastructure at a fraction of the cost of proprietary storage networks.

"With the advent of gigabit speeds, the use of Ethernet technologies is rapidly evolving to enable transport offload, IPsec, and iSCSI -- key technologies that will enable the next-generation capabilities users require to take full advantage of their existing Ethernet networks," said Ryo Koyama, co-founder and CEO of iReady. "With our ethernetMAX controller and iReady HBAs, iReady removes the technology obstacles and cost barriers by providing storage networking end users and OEMs with the most complete, integrated iSCSI solutions."

iReady iSCSI Storage Adapter Features

• Single chip ethernetMAX controller
• Dual DMA channels to bypass the CPU and enable faster data transfer
• Multiple command and status queues to optimize performance and minimize latency
• On-board 1000BaseT PHY to support standard CAT5 for optimal connectivity
• 32MB DDR SDRAM for control block and standard architectures
• Faster processing with a 32MB DDR memory for packet buffer memory
• Small PCI form factor to minimize real estate
• Drivers for iSCSI initiator (Linux, Win2K), iSCSI target (Linux only), and SNIA iSCSI APIs

iReady is also offering the iReady Secure Storage Adapter for sophisticated Gigabit Ethernet networks that need to support IPsec. The iSCSI target, bundled with the Secure Storage Adapter, is available for Linux on x86 and PPC platforms.

Availability and Pricing

The ethernetMAX controller will be generally available in Q3 2003 for $75 at volume OEM pricing. The iReady HBAs will be generally available in Q3 2003 at volume OEM pricing of $199 for the IR-1011LC iSCSI Storage Adapter, $299 for the copper IR-1011C Secure Storage Adapter, and $399 for the fiber IR-1011F Secure Storage Adapter for optical networks.