NEC Selects Emulex InSpeed for Enterprise-Level Storage Solutions

NEC's Utilization of InSpeed SBODs -- Switched Bunch of Discs -- Adds Enhanced Reliability and Serviceability across the Entire iStorage SAN Product Line


COSTA MESA, Calif., July 27, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- Emulex Corporation (NYSE:ELX), the industry's preeminent source for a broad range of advanced storage networking infrastructure solutions, announced today that NEC Corporation has implemented the award-winning Emulex InSpeed(tm) embedded storage switching technology into its new NEC iStorage S4900 Series of enterprise storage solutions. With this deal, NEC has standardized on Emulex InSpeed technology throughout its entire iStorage SAN product line -- including the entry-level, midrange and now enterprise storage solutions.

InSpeed allows NEC to create an "SBOD application," which improves the reliability and performance of its storage solutions by bringing 2Gb/s switched connectivity to each individual disk drive within the storage array. By simplifying the delivery of point-to-point switched connectivity to the individual drives in the storage array, InSpeed also enables new diagnostic and preventative maintenance capabilities.

"With its unique back-end architecture, the Emulex InSpeed technology already has delivered enhanced reliability, availability and serviceability to our midrange and SME iStorage series products," said Kazuyuki Fujiwara, Senior Manager of System File Products Division, NEC Corporation. "It makes perfect sense to extend this cost-effective technology to all of our customers, therefore we've integrated InSpeed across our entire iStorage SAN products line, including our newest enterprise products, too."

InSpeed Embedded Storage Switches have now become the industry standard for connecting disk drives in the back-end of storage systems. The InSpeed SOC 320 is Emulex's latest generation of 2 Gb/s embedded storage switch technology, incorporating a host of innovative features and functionality that are an outgrowth of Emulex's years of experience in helping solution providers integrate advanced switching architectures into their disk arrays. The NEC iStorage Model S4900 series products combine the benefits of the InSpeed SOC 320 with additional state-of-the-art technologies such as disk drives carrying rotational speeds of up to 15,000 RPM, a 192GB/s internal data transfer rate with enhanced Crossbar technology, and advanced diagnostic capabilities that enable preventive disk drive maintenance. The NEC iStorage Model S4900 series products are designed establish a new standard in the level of capabilities available in enterprise-level storage solutions.

"What a remarkable validation it is to have NEC utilize our InSpeed technology in all its storage solutions, regardless of system size," said Mike Smith, executive vice president of worldwide marketing, Emulex Corporation. "This design win underscores the broad applications that can be enhanced through switched back-end architectures. With the introduction of the iStorage S4900 series storage solutions, NEC has built on the success achieved through its SME and mid-range SAN applications to now extend the most advanced functionality and performance available to its enterprise-level customers."

About the Emulex InSpeed SOC 320 Embedded Storage Switch

The 20-port InSpeed SOC 320 serves as the core technology for Emulex's 2 Gb/s embedded storage switch products. Features of the InSpeed SOC 320-based family of embedded storage switch products include:



 -- Automatic Trunking - Multiplies internal bandwidth with failover
    pathing for reliable performance.
 -- Drive Fairness and Prioritization - Prevents drive starvation
    and ensures equal access for all drives within the storage array.
 -- Advanced Diagnostics, Performance Monitoring and Fault
    Isolation - Automatically ensures maximum storage system
    availability and performance.
 -- Compatibility with previous generation InSpeed Embedded Storage
    Switch products.

About NEC Corporation

NEC Corporation (Nasdaq:NIPNY) (FTSE:6701q.l) is one of the world's leading providers of Internet, broadband network and enterprise business solutions dedicated to meeting the specialized needs of its diverse and global base of customers. Ranked as one of the world's top patent-producing companies, NEC delivers tailored solutions in the key fields of computer, networking and electron devices, by integrating its technical strengths in IT and Networks, and by providing advanced semiconductor solutions through NEC Electronics Corporation. The NEC Group employs more than 140,000 people worldwide and had net sales of 4,855 billion yen (approx. $45.4 billion) in the fiscal year ended March 2005. For additional information, please visit the NEC home page at: http://www.nec.com.

About Emulex

Emulex Corporation is the industry's preeminent source for a broad range of advanced storage networking infrastructure solutions spanning host bus adapters, embedded storage switches, I/O controllers and SAN Storage Switches. Emulex ranked number 16 in the Deloitte 2004 Technology Fast 50 and most recently received recognition as one of Forbes 200 Best Small Companies.

The world's leading server and storage providers rely on Emulex HBAs, embedded storage switching and I/O controller products to build reliable, scalable and high performance storage solutions. The Emulex award-winning product families, including its LightPulse(tm) HBAs and InSpeed(tm) embedded storage switching products, are based on internally developed ASIC, firmware and software technologies, and offer customers high performance, scalability, flexibility and reduced total cost of ownership. The company's products have been selected by the world's leading server and storage providers, including Dell, EMC, Fujitsu Ltd., Fujitsu Siemens, Bull, HP, Hitachi Data Systems, Engenio, IBM, NEC, Network Appliance, Quantum Corp., StorageTek, Sun Microsystems, Unisys and Xyratex. In addition, Emulex includes industry leaders Brocade, Computer Associates, Intel, McDATA, Microsoft and VERITAS among its strategic partners. Corporate headquarters are located in Costa Mesa, California. News releases and other information about Emulex Corporation are available at http://www.emulex.com.

EMULEX -- We network storage

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: With the exception of historical information, the statements set forth above include forward-looking statements that involve risk and uncertainties. The company wishes to caution readers that a number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Those factors include the rapidly changing nature of technology, evolving industry standards and frequent introductions of new products and enhancements by competitors; fluctuation in the growth of Fibre Channel and IP markets; changes in economic conditions or changes in end-user demand for technology solutions; fluctuations or delays in customer orders; the highly competitive nature of the markets for Emulex's products; Emulex's ability to gain market acceptance for its products; the company's ability to attract and retain skilled personnel; the company's reliance on third-party suppliers. These and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements are also discussed in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its recent filings on Forms 8-K, 10-K and 10-Q.



            

Contact Data