Cluster Computing:

XIOTECH SIMPLIFIES MOVE TO CLUSTERED ORACLE ENVIRONMENT

XIOtech Corporation, a storage networking innovator, announced the availability of Magnitude 3D RAC Pack, the newest version of XIOtech's solution for complete Oracle9i Real Application Clusters (RAC) implementations. Magnitude 3D RAC Pack's dynamic provisioning has been proven to deliver Oracle9i RAC readiness in a fraction of the time required by traditional implementations, dramatically reducing costs of deployment and ongoing management.

Traditionally, customers of Oracle8i looking to upgrade to Oracle9i RAC or looking ahead to Oracle 10g have faced complex upgrades that can take weeks to complete. Magnitude 3D RAC Pack takes full advantage of unique dynamic provisioning technology-enabling full database readiness within 24 hours of initial deployment. Dynamic provisioning also simplifies ongoing database and storage management. Consequently, Magnitude 3D RAC Pack delivers a complete clustered computing environment that lets end-users easily take advantage of clustering today and helps them prepare for full production of Oracle 10g.

Deployment of clustered Oracle-based applications is also simplified. Applications such as Oracle's Collaboration Suite can immediately take advantage of a fully clustered infrastructure to deliver mission-critical capabilities, at a fraction of the time and expense normally associated with competing database or clustered solutions.

Magnitude 3D, launched in August 2003, is the optimum solution for Oracle customers looking for storage area networks (SANs) that are affordable and easy to manage. In a recent study by Enterprise Management Associates, Magnitude 3D was proven to provide one customer with a payback period of just seven weeks. Oracle itself has recognized Magnitude 3D, choosing to highlight the solution in the company's Enterprise Technology Center in Atlanta, GA, and Oracle Government, Education and Healthcare Center in Reston, VA.

"We are thrilled to expand our relationships with industry leaders Oracle and CIBER," said Alain Andreoli, CEO of XIOtech. "Oracle leads the way in the development of next-generation clustered databases, and CIBER's expertise with Oracle makes them the perfect solution partner for the delivery of Magnitude 3D RAC Pack."

"Magnitude 3D RAC Pack's ability to significantly accelerate clustered database deployment and simplify management makes it the ideal solution for our customers looking to upgrade to Oracle9i RAC," said Kieran Doorley, Director of Technology for CIBER San Francisco. "Magnitude 3D RAC Pack paves the way for the deployment of 10g."

Magnitude 3D RAC Pack is a fully integrated, preconfigured solution bundle for the deployment of Oracle9i RAC, including servers, database, and storage infrastructure. Magnitude 3D RAC Pack enables "pay as you grow" scalability, delivering on-the-fly capacity and performance scale. This reduces initial capital expenditure by eliminating the traditional requirement to prepurchase and preconfigure storage, server, and database resources to avoid costly downtime for upgrades. The combination of Oracle9i RAC and Magnitude 3D's innovative clustering delivers a continuously scalable and unbreakable storage, database, and operating infrastructure for today's 24x7x365 environments.

Magnitude 3D RAC Pack will be shipped, installed, and completely supported by CIBER, Inc., a leading international system integration consultancy. For Oracle Collaboration Suite customers, CIBER offers a single point of contact for the procurement, implementation, and support of the Collaboration Suite and its underlying infrastructure. Magnitude 3D RAC Pack will be available in the second quarter of 2004.