ALISO VIEJO, Calif., July 26, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- QLogic Corp. (Nasdaq:QLGC), a leading provider of iSCSI host bus adapters (HBA), today announced that it will supply QLogic iSCSI expansion cards for IBM eServer(r) BladeCenter(tm) servers, creating the industry's first iSCSI blade server platform. The iSCSI adapter, shipping today, is powered by a single-chip TCP/IP and iSCSI offload engine designed to deliver user-friendly, high-performance storage networking while preserving CPU resources.
"As BladeCenter servers become more prevalent, there is a greater need for more SAN connectivity options," said Tim Dougherty, director of IBM eServer BladeCenter Products, IBM Systems and Technology Group. "This flexible server platform now gives BladeCenter customers the ability to leverage their Ethernet infrastructure while optimizing valuable CPU resources."
iSCSI -- Now Customers Have a Choice
Ethernet networks have been used as a highly efficient way to move file-oriented data. In the last decade, high-bandwidth SANs have evolved as the best way to move blocks of data to multiple users faster and more reliably, using the SCSI protocol across Fibre Channel. iSCSI is a new protocol that enables block-oriented storage data to be carried by Ethernet networks. The promise of iSCSI is to simplify networking by merging IP and iSCSI traffic onto a single Ethernet infrastructure. With SANblade Fibre Channel and iSCSI HBAs from QLogic, customers now have a choice -- a Fibre Channel SAN, an iSCSI SAN, or a combination of both.
QLogic iSCSI Advantages
QLogic SANblade QMC4052 iSCSI HBA solutions offer high performance, low CPU utilization, and server connectivity directly to iSCSI storage or to iSCSI storage through an Ethernet network. These 1Gbps iSCSI-to-133MHz PCI-X HBA solutions offer several key features and benefits including:
-- Offloading iSCSI + TCP/IP Processing -- The SANblade QMC4052
provides access to a high performance iSCSI SAN without
sacrificing server performance. Interrupts, CPU utilization,
memory bus utilization and host bus access associated with
iSCSI and TCP/IP are significantly reduced by offloading the
tasks onto the SANblade QMC4052 adapter. With iSCSI offload
engines, fewer servers are required to maintain application
performance. Recent testing by Network Computing's Storage
Pipeline magazine shows less than 3 percent CPU utilization by
QLogic iSCSI HBAs.
-- Common iSCSI and Fibre Channel HBA Interface -- The most cost
effective and simple architecture for server connectivity to
SANs is to standardize on a single HBA interface. With a
single SANsurfer management software interface for both iSCSI
and Fibre Channel host bus adapters, architecting a SAN with
QLogic HBAs is extremely cost effective and simple.
-- Broad Platform Support -- Realizing the cost and ease-of-use
benefits of iSCSI HBA standardization requires drivers for
multiple operating systems. Drivers for popular operating
systems are available for the QLogic iSCSI HBAs including
Windows, Solaris and Linux.
-- Boot from External Storage (SAN) -- Managing several
operating system "boot images" is a complex and time-consuming
task for system administrators. By consolidating operating
systems on external storage and booting servers from external
storage-- changing, adding and removing servers is easier and
faster. The SANblade QMC4052 includes "boot-from-SAN"
capability, enabling this cost and time saving strategy.
About QLogic
QLogic is the leading supplier of Fibre Channel host bus adapters (HBAs), Fibre Channel blade server switches, Fibre Channel stackable switches, tape controllers and hard disk controllers. The Company is also a leading supplier of iSCSI HBAs. QLogic products are delivered to small, medium and large enterprises around the world, powering solutions from leading companies like Cisco, Dell, EMC, Fujitsu, Hitachi, HP, IBM, NEC, Network Appliance, Quantum, StorageTek and Sun Microsystems. QLogic is a member of the S&P 500 Index and NASDAQ 100 Index. For more information, visit www.qlogic.com.
Disclaimer -- Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains statements relating to future results of the Company (including certain beliefs and projections regarding business trends) that are "forward-looking statements" as defined in 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. The Company advises readers that these potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: fluctuations in operating results; gross margins may vary over time; revenues may be affected by changes in IT spending levels; our stock price may be volatile; our dependence on the storage area network market; the ability to maintain and gain market or industry acceptance of the Company's products; our dependence on a limited number of customers; seasonal fluctuations and uneven sales patterns in orders from customers; our ability to compete effectively with other companies; declining average unit sales prices of comparable products; a reduction in sales efforts by current distributors; reliance on third party licenses; dependence on sole source and limited source suppliers; our dependence on relationships with certain silicon chip suppliers; the complexity of the Company's products; sales fluctuations arising from customer transitions to new products; the uncertainty associated with SOX 404 compliance; environmental compliance costs; terrorist activities and resulting military actions; international, economic, regulatory, political and other risks; uncertain benefits from strategic business combinations; the ability to maintain or expand upon strategic alliances; the strain on resources caused by growth and expansion; the ability to attract and retain key personnel; the decreased effectiveness of equity compensation; difficulties in transitioning to smaller geometry process technologies; the ability to protect proprietary rights; the ability to satisfactorily resolve any infringement claims; changes in tax laws or adverse tax audit results; computer viruses and other tampering with our computer system; charter documents and stockholder rights plan that may discourage a business combination; and facilities located in areas subject to earthquakes and other natural disasters.
More detailed information on these and additional factors which could affect the Company's operating and financial results are described in the Company's Forms 10-K, 10-Q and other reports filed, or to be filed, with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company urges all interested parties to read these reports to gain a better understanding of the many business and other risks that the Company faces. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made only as of the date hereof, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
QLogic and the QLogic logo are registered trademarks of QLogic Corporation. Other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of the companies with which they are associated.
IBM, eServer and BladeCenter are either trademarks or registered trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation in the United States or other countries, or both.