ALISO VIEJO, Calif., June 7, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- QLogic(R) Corp. (Nasdaq:QLGC), the leader in Fibre Channel host bus adapters (HBAs), stackable switches and blade server switches, today announced that its SANblade(R) Fibre Channel (FC) HBAs have passed the Storage Networking Industry Association's (SNIA's) Interoperability Conformance Test Program (ICTP) for version 1.1 of the Storage Management Initiative-Specification (SMI-S). QLogic worked closely with the SNIA to help define the SMI-S 1.1 compliance specification, which ensures interoperability between storage hardware and software technologies. The result is a single, industry storage standard that lets users better manage their storage assets.
"Open industry standards such as SMI-S are the key to meeting customer demand for flexibility and interoperability of the storage elements in their IT environments," said Rob Sauerwalt, global brand manager, IBM Systems and Technology Group. "We are continuously working with QLogic on developing additional SMI-S features to enhance the storage management capabilities our customers need."
SMI-S is a storage area network (SAN) management interface that lets end users create interoperable multi-vendor storage networks. Version 1.1 of SMI-S introduces enhanced storage management services in the areas of configuration, provisioning and trend reporting, event management, security, and data protection. Solutions implementing SMI-S 1.1 also offer end users expanded multi-vendor support, and reduce training costs through standards-based management. QLogic is working closely with its partners, such as HP and IBM, to integrate QLogic SMI-S support with their storage management products.
"QLogic was an early supporter of the SNIA and the SMI-S standard. Their continued leadership and support have been key to driving SMI-S adoption by storage vendors and end-users," said Rob Callaghan, chairman of the SNIA's Storage Management Forum. "Working with QLogic and other industry leaders, the SNIA is enabling the highest levels of interoperability possible to further advancements in storage networking and data management."
QLogic FC HBA products already supported the previous versions of SMI-S, which have been adopted by leading SAN vendors to ensure interoperability between heterogeneous hardware and software elements of storage infrastructures. SMI-S is generally considered the standards base for future SAN management environments.
"QLogic and HP are committed to working together to deliver SMI-S based solutions that enable IT departments to reduce SAN management costs and complexity and improve efficiencies and interoperability," said Ash Ashutosh, chief technologist, StorageWorks Software Division, HP. "We see this as a win for customers and a key part of our continuing effort to improve storage and information management, and as a natural fit with HP's unified infrastructure management strategy."
"QLogic is strongly committed to providing businesses with the technologies and tools to better manage data storage, and this SMI-S 1.1 compliance is yet another example of it," said Frank Berry, vice president of marketing at QLogic. "By collaborating with industry standards organizations such as the SNIA, QLogic is helping to provide end users with a single standard to manage multi-vendor networks more efficiently, which ultimately improves ROI on their storage assets."
For More Details About SMI-S 1.1 Visit www.snia.org/smi
About QLogic
QLogic is a leading supplier of high performance storage networking solutions including Fibre Channel host bus adapters (HBAs), blade server embedded Fibre Channel switches, Fibre Channel stackable switches, iSCSI HBAs, iSCSI routers and storage services platforms for enabling advanced storage management applications. The company is also a leading supplier of server networking products including InfiniBand host channel adapters that accelerate cluster performance. QLogic products are delivered to small-to-medium business and large enterprises around the world via its channel partner community. QLogic's products are also powering solutions from leading companies like Cisco, Dell, EMC, Hitachi Data Systems, HP, IBM, NEC, Network Appliance and Sun Microsystems. QLogic is a member of the S&P 500 Index. For more information go to www.qlogic.com.
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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: potential fluctuations in operating results; gross margins that may vary over time; revenues may be affected by changes in IT spending levels; the stock price of the Company may be volatile; the Company's dependence on the storage area network market; the ability to maintain and gain market or industry acceptance of the Company's products; the Company's dependence on a limited number of customers; seasonal fluctuations and uneven sales patterns in orders from customers; the Company's ability to compete effectively with other companies; declining average unit sales prices of comparable products; a reduction in sales efforts by current distributors; dependence on sole source and limited source suppliers; the Company's 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 attract and retain key personnel; recognition of compensation expenses related to employee stock options and employee stock purchases; 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; reliance on third party licenses; the use of "open source" software in our products; changes in our tax provisions or adverse outcomes resulting from examination of our income tax returns; computer viruses and other tampering with the Company's computer systems; charter documents that may discourage a business combination; and facilities of the Company and its suppliers and customers are located in areas subject to natural disasters.
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