Features - Storage Innovations:

SGI TP9300 ADDS MIDRANGE ARRAY TO STORAGE SOLUTION LINE

To help customers harness the data tsunami created by advanced technical and creative computing applications, SGI unveiled the SGI Total Performance 9300 storage array. Designed for high-performance network-attached and direct-attached storage solutions, SGI TP9300 is a modular, 2Gb Fibre Channel storage array featuring a unique combination of advanced storage management features and scalability at a value-based entry price.

With the same advanced software features, heterogeneous host support, and drive expansion modules as the high-performance and highly scalable SGI TP9500 array, the entry-level TP9300 array is designed for workgroups and small businesses seeking a midrange storage platform with enterprise features for applications that demand constant data availability. For example, innovators in energy, science, government and defense, manufacturing and media markets develop applications that generate immense models and data sets. Maximizing productivity is crucial, and professionals in these markets demand storage platforms with industry-leading I/O bandwidth and storage capacity.

"We monitor real-time telemetry data for up to eight separate aircraft in flight, so it's critical to have the data managed in our test environment be available at all times," said Frank Cameron, IT lead for NAWCAD Atlantic Test Range's Telemetry Branch. "Along with the real-time monitoring capability that the Telemetry Branch's Real-Time Telemetry Processing System provides, flight-test engineers require rapid access to the test data collected. This is critical during the test flight, for post-mission debrief and for the lifetime of the project. We felt a SAN environment implementing the SGI TP9300 storage array was a good fit for our near-line storage solution, delivering excellent value when we considered features, performance and price point."

Key SGI TP9300 features include:

• Four 2Gb Fibre Channel host ports, supporting direct-attached or switched connectivity
• Two redundant 2Gb Fibre Channel drive channels supporting up to 112 drives and more than 16TB of raw capacity
• Optional advanced software features previously available only on expensive monolithic storage arrays, including point-in-time copy, partitioning for storage consolidation and mirroring for remote data replication applications
• Intuitive Web-based SGI TPSSM management software allowing for centralized management across multiple SGI TP9300 or SGI TP9500 arrays from any system on the network
• Ability to attach directly or through a fabric to a number of host environments, including IRIX, Windows 2000, Linux, Solaris and NetWare
• SGI CXFS' support, including heterogeneous CXFS multi-OS clients for sharing data in a storage area network
• Easy upgrade to TP9500 with minimal disruption and without the need to reformat data

"Advanced technical and creative computing environments are generating more data than ever before," said Gabriel Broner, senior vice president and general manager of Storage for Software, SGI. "These customers seek a storage platform that offers a low acquisition cost, the ability to match expected data growth, and the performance and functionality necessary to manage critical applications. With today's launch of SGI TP9300, we are delivering a solution that will handle their needs today and provide the headroom they'll need tomorrow."

The TP9300 represents the latest development in storage technology marketed by SGI through the company's OEM reseller agreement with LSI Logic Storage Systems Inc. The versatile TP9300 array easily manages data access as localized storage for moderate workloads. For more demanding network-attached storage requirements, customers can easily upgrade to the high-performance SGI TP9500 array, which supports 224 drives and 32.7TB of raw data without the need to reformat data, as both systems share the same data structure. Together, the two arrays provide a fully extensible storage platform with breadth for customers desiring flexibility in their storage investment.

Availability

The SGI TP9300 storage array is shipping today with entry configurations starting below $30,000 and is available directly from SGI or through the company's worldwide resellers.

About SGI

SGI, also known as Silicon Graphics Inc, is the world's leader in high-performance computing, visualization and storage. SGI's vision is to provide technology that enables the most significant scientific and creative breakthroughs of the 21st century. Whether it's sharing images to aid in brain surgery, finding oil more efficiently, studying global climate or enabling the transition from analog to digital broadcasting, SGI is dedicated to addressing the next class of challenges for scientific, engineering and creative users. SGI was named on FORTUNE magazine's 2003 list of "Top 100 Companies to Work For." With offices worldwide, the company is headquartered in Mountain View, Calif., and can be found on the Web at www.sgi.com.