Record-Setting TPC Benchmark Testing Features QLogic SANblade Host Bus Adapters

Sophisticated Hardware and Software Architecture of QLogic HBAs Delivers High Throughput and Exceptional Price/Performance in Linux Environments


ALISO VIEJO, Calif., Sept. 10, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- QLogic Corp. (Nasdaq:QLGC), the company that powers storage area networks (SANs), today announced its SANblade(tm) Fibre Channel host bus adapters (HBAs) contributed to the industry's highest throughput and exceptional price/performance metrics recently established by TPC-H benchmark testing conducted by International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM). The IBM eServer 325 running DB2 Universal Database and SuSE Linux achieved number one rankings in TPC-H benchmarks for both 100GB and 300GB database categories.

TPC-H benchmark testing evaluates decision support for ad hoc queries, the key capability for databases. The primary metrics for this testing are throughput and price/performance. Throughput, or query per hour performance, is a measure of online query performance by multiple, concurrent users.

Featured in the test setup were QLogic SANblade QLA2342 dual-port 2Gb/sec 133Mhz PCI/PCIX-to-Fibre Channel HBAs, IBM's eServer 325 with a 2GHz AMD 246 processor, and IBM's TotalStorage FastT Exp 700 storage server. The test system also featured DB2 Universal Database version 8.1 and the SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 8 operating system, which incorporates UnitedLinux technologies for various hardware platforms such as x86, PowerPC, RISC and mainframes.

QLogic HBAs feature advanced architecture software drivers that are tuned for performance and provide high availability for enterprise class servers. The drivers and SANblade HBAs feature patented technology for reduced interrupt operation, which allows for maximum scalability, lower I/O latency and lower CPU utilization.

"HBAs are key to facilitating the flow of information in today's landscape of scaling database clusters," said Gary Schneider, director of Linux business development, IBM Data Management Solutions. "The combination of high throughput QLogic HBAs, IBM DB2 Universal Database for Linux and IBM eServer 325 in the DB2 Integrated Cluster Environment (DB2 ICE) lowers the total cost of computing and generates a fast return on investment for customers."

"As the industry continues to push the boundaries of system performance and total cost of ownership, QLogic is providing innovative networking solutions that deliver outstanding performance at an outstanding price," said Frank Berry, vice president of marketing, QLogic Corp.

Complete Benchmark Results Available at TPC.org

The Transaction Processing Performance Council (TPC) is a non-profit corporation founded to define transaction processing and database benchmarks and to disseminate objective, verifiable comparative TPC information for end users.

The performance metric reported by TPC-H is called the TPC-H Composite Query-per-Hour Performance Metric (QphH@Size), and reflects multiple aspects of the capability of the system to process queries. These aspects include the selected database size against which the queries are executed, the query processing power when queries are submitted by a single stream, and the query throughput when queries are submitted by multiple concurrent users. Complete results of the testing featuring QLogic SANblade QLA2342 HBAs in IBM DB2 applications are available online at www.TPC.org.

QLogic SANblade QLA2342 Fibre Channel Host Bus Adapters

The QLogic SANblade QLA2342 2Gb/sec 133 MHz PCI/PCI-X-to-Fibre Channel host bus adapters are designed for optimal performance in SAN and cluster environments, doubling storage throughput over standard PCI products and offering best-in-class SAN performance and functionality. This flagship line offers an extensive checklist of features and benefits that is unmatched in the industry including performance of up to 80,000 Input/Output operations per second (IOPs) and more than 800 MB of throughput. The SANblade QLA2342 features a unique "bridgeless" dual channel design, eliminating the severe performance degradation of PCI-X bridges used in competitive HBAs. Additionally, it is the only Fibre Channel HBA to offer native support for Sun Solaris as well as all other major operating systems including Microsoft(r) Windows 2000 and Windows(r) Server 2003, Novell(r) NetWare, Red Hat(r) Linux(r) and SuSE Linux.

Powered by QLogic

Over 45 million QLogic products have shipped inside servers, workstations, RAID subsystems, tape libraries, disk and tape drives, 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, Sony, StorageTek and Sun, 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 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. For more information visit www.qlogic.com.

Note: All QLogic-issued press releases appear on the company's web site (www.qlogic.com). Any announcement that does not appear on the QLogic web site has not been issued by QLogic.

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.

Note to Editors: Trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of the companies with which they are associated.



            

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