SAN JOSE, Calif., Sept. 16, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- QLogic Corp. (Nasdaq:QLGC), the company that powers storage area networks (SANs), today announced a line of SANblade host bus adapters (HBAs) that support PCI Express technology, a next-generation interconnect standard developed by Intel, QLogic and other industry leaders. QLogic SANblade PCI Express HBAs are supported with device drivers for major operating systems including Microsoft(r) Windows Server 2003(r), Windows 2000(r), Novell(r) NetWare, Linux(tm), and Sun(tm) Solaris(tm). The products are also supported by QLogic SANsurfer Management Suite device management software.
PCI Express architecture is a serial technology that enables data to move at faster rates than today's widely used PCI connections using a 2.5 Ghz signaling rate and scaling performance up to 8 GBps. PCI Express technology is designed to address numerous application requirements for multiple market segments and is built to complement legacy PCI installations and transition into the market segment over the next several years.
"PCI Express delivers the performance needed by today's servers and a road map that will make the technology attractive for many years to come," said Frank Berry, vice president of marketing, QLogic Corporation.
"The requirement for PCI Express slot performance in enterprise servers is well established," said Jim Pappas, director of initiative marketing for Intel's Enterprise Platform Group. "Delivery of enterprise adapters, including Fibre Channel HBAs, is critical to the successful launch of PCI Express solutions in the enterprise."
QLogic SANblade Host Bus Adapters
QLogic is extending the award-winning SANblade family of HBAs to harness the powerful throughput of PCI Express. The first family of PCI Express adapters, the SANblade QLE236X from QLogic, will run at 2Gb/sec, offering superior transaction performance. Other key features and benefits are:
-- Designed for compliance with PCI Express base specification 1.0a
-- Native support for major operating systems including Microsoft
Windows Server 2003 and Windows 2000, Novell NetWare, Linux, and
Sun Solaris
-- Single and dual channel versions to maximize performance and take
advantage of PCI Express slots
-- Auto-negotiation for 2Gb/second and 1Gb/second rates
QLogic SANsurfer Management Suite Software
Like all QLogic SANblade HBAs and SANbox(tm) switches, the SANblade QLE236X family comes standard with QLogic SANsurfer Management Suite. This comprehensive software package unifies switch and HBA device management, replacing the need to use multiple SAN device management products from multiple vendors. The QLogic SANsurfer Management Suite complements SAN management packages from leading software companies.
QLogic SANblade QLE236x HBAs are expected to be available later this year.
Powered by QLogic
Since 1993, over 45 million QLogic products have shipped inside servers, workstations, RAID subsystems, tape libraries, disk and tape drives. These products were delivered to small, medium and large enterprises around the world. Powering solutions from leading companies like Cisco, Dell, EMC, Fujitsu, Hitachi, HP, IBM, Network Appliance, Quantum, StorageTek and Sun Microsystems, the broad line of QLogic controller chips, host bus adapters, network switches and management software move data from storage devices through the network fabric to servers. A member of the S&P 500 and NASDAQ 100, QLogic was recently named to Business Week's list of 100 Hot Growth Companies for 2003. In addition, QLogic was named to Forbes' Best 200 Small Companies for the fourth consecutive year and was named to Fortune's 100 Fastest Growing Companies list for the third consecutive year during fiscal year 2003. For more information visit www.qlogic.com.
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Disclaimer - Forward-Looking Statements
With the exception of historical information, the statements set forth above include forward-looking statements as defined within the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or implied in the forward-looking statements. QLogic wishes to advise readers that these potential risks and uncertainties relate to, but are not limited to, in no particular order: the introduction of new and changing technologies in our industry and customer acceptance of those technologies; a change in semiconductor foundry capacity or conditions; fluctuations in the growth of I/O markets; fluctuations or cancellations in orders from OEM customers; QLogic's ability to compete effectively with other companies; cancellation of OEM products associated with design wins; and fluctuations in our operating results and our stock price.
More detailed information on these and additional factors which could affect QLogic's operating and financial results are described in QLogic's Forms 10-Q, 10-K and other reports, filed or to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. QLogic urges all interested parties to read these reports to gain a better understanding of the many business and other risks that QLogic faces. Additionally, QLogic undertakes no obligation to publicly release the results of any revisions to these forward-looking statements, which may be made to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
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