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MAXTOR, EqualLogic DEVELOP STORAGE SYSTEM BASED ON iSCSI, SAS

EqualLogic Inc and Maxtor Corporation announced plans to develop storage systems based on iSCSI and Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) technology. Maxtor performs disk drive testing services for EqualLogic in conjunction with EqualLogic's integration of PeerStorage arrays with Maxtor MaXLine Serial ATA (SATA) disk drives in the PeerStorage development process. In addition, Maxtor is extending its relationship with EqualLogic to support EqualLogic's development of storage systems based on SAS technology. The companies will cooperate in product planning and development activities for these new systems, including the exchange of prototype Maxtor SAS disk drives and EqualLogic storage systems to facilitate compatibility testing processes.

EqualLogic plans to integrate the SAS interface into its line of PeerStorage arrays. Adding the SAS interface to its line of storage arrays will extend the I/O performance of the architecture by providing support for high-performance, dual-port SAS disk drives.

"We are pleased to be working with EqualLogic on the development of storage systems based on the Serial Attached SCSI interface," said Mike Wingert, executive vice president and general manager of Maxtor's Server Products Group. "Serial Attached SCSI offers new level of flexibility in configuring storage systems. EqualLogic's PeerStorage arrays will combine this flexibility with the benefits of iSCSI and its self-managing PeerStorage architecture to simplify storage management."

SAS is the next generation enterprise disk interface that enables one storage system to use both high-performance, dual-port SAS drives and cost- effective, high-capacity SATA drives. SAS enables a common storage enclosure to serve as a universal building block for constructing a data center's storage infrastructure. SAS enclosures can be configured with SATA drives for applications requiring the maximum capacity at the best cost or SAS drives for the highest transactional performance.

EqualLogic's PeerStorage arrays utilize the industry standard iSCSI protocol to leverage the economies of scale and simplicity of Ethernet technology.

"iSCSI combined with Serial Attached SCSI will simplify storage management by minimizing the number of unique components in the data center," said Peter Hayden, executive vice president of business development for EqualLogic. "Our partnership with Maxtor supports our overall goal of reducing the complexity of installing and managing a company's storage infrastructure."

"By 2006, iSCSI will connect approximately 1.2 million servers to Storage Area Networks, more than any other technology," said James Opfer, research vice president at Gartner. "iSCSI lowers the entry costs for deploying storage area networks making SANs more attractive for mid size companies and remote offices that cannot afford the specialized support required to maintain a fibre channel SAN. The combination of Serial Attached SCSI and iSCSI will provide cost and configuration flexibility that is compelling to these customers."

For more information about EqualLogic's PeerStorage architecture, please refer to EqualLogic's Web site at www.equallogic.com/ . To learn more about Serial Attached SCSI, please go to the Maxtor Web site at www.maxtor.com/en/technologies/serial_attached_scsi/index.htm.

About EqualLogic Inc

PeerStorage solutions from EqualLogic, Inc. deliver the benefits of consolidated storage in a modular, self-managing, IP-based storage area network that is affordable and easy to use, regardless of scale. By eliminating complex tasks and enabling fast and flexible storage provisioning, PeerStorage solutions dramatically reduce acquisition and ongoing operational costs and make enterprise class shared block storage practical for the midrange storage market. EqualLogic is based in Nashua, NH. For more information visit www.equallogic.com/ or www.peerstorage.com/.