SMART Modular Technologies Announces Drop-In Replacement for the Intel(R) Z-U130 Value SSD

The SMART Z-U130 Embedded USB SSD Is a Pin-for-Pin Replacement for Intel's Embedded USB Drive


FREMONT, CA--(Marketwire - November 20, 2008) - SMART Modular Technologies (WWH), Inc. ("SMART" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: SMOD), a leading independent manufacturer of memory modules, solid-state drives, embedded computing subsystems, and TFT-LCD display products, unveiled its new Z-U130 embedded USB (eUSB) solid-state drive (SSD) to attendees yesterday at its analyst day event at the NASDAQ MarketSite in New York City. SMART's new Z-U130 eUSB SSD is the latest edition to its family of eUSB products. SMART has been selected by Intel to offer a drop-in replacement for OEM customers currently using the Intel Z-U130 Value SSD. Manufactured using Intel NAND Flash components, the new SMART eUSB product has been specifically designed to support applications that previously used Intel's Z-U130 Value SSD.

"This recent collaboration represents an ongoing relationship between SMART and Intel. The Z-U130 eUSB SSD joins our product portfolio of Intel compatible Flash cards and modules. We are pleased to support existing and new customers with a drop-in-place solution for the Intel Z-U130 Value SSD," said Alan Gulachenski, Vice President of SMART's Advanced Memory Solutions group. "SMART has extensive experience with embedded USB drives and is well positioned to provide future product enhancements and seamless support to Intel's customers."

Targeting server, storage/accelerator, networking, data communications, mobile and embedded computing, medical, automotive, and industrial applications, the SMART Z-U130 eUSB SSD matches the Intel drive for power, reliability, profile, and RoHS compliance. Unlike the Intel drive, which supported 72nm single-level cell (SLC) NAND Flash, the SMART product also supports next-generation 50nm and 34nm SLC NAND Flash. In addition, SMART has enhanced the Z-U130 product's original features in terms of read/write performance (30/20 MB/s), NAND management (8b BCH error correction code as well as static and dynamic wear leveling), and operating temperature (commercial temperature range of 0° C to 70° C or optional industrial temperature range of -40° C to +85° C). The SMART Z-U130 eUSB drive is available in 1, 2, 4, 8, and 16GB capacities.

Using a USB 2.0 high-speed serial link, the SMART Z-U130 SSD provides a simple two-wire signaling interface to the host. The SSD is manufactured using non-volatile memory, allowing it to offer high reliability, measured as mean time between failures (MTBF) of 5 million hours. Featuring a footprint of 36.9mm x 26.6mm, it is provided in a standard profile (9.6mm) and low profile (5.88mm) version.

Sampling in December 2008, the Z-U130 eUSB SSD will be available in production volumes beginning in January 2009. Pricing is available on request. See the table below for relevant part numbers. For more information on the Z-U130 or to listen to the audio webcast of SMART's analyst day, visit www.smartm.com.

Intel Part Number     SMART Part Number     Product Description
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SSDUSMS0001G1          SG9ED52U1GG4N        1GB, 2.54mm Standard Connector,
SSDUSMS0001G110                             Intel NAND
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SSDUSMS0002G1          SG9ED52U2GGDN        2GB, 2.54mm Standard Connector,
SSDUSMS0002G110                             Intel NAND
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SSDUSMS0004G1          SG9ED52U4GGCN        4GB, 2.54mm Standard Connector,
SSDUSMS0004G110                             Intel NAND
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SSDUSMS0001GL          SG9ED52M1GG4N        1GB, 2mm Low Profile Connector,
SSDUSMS0001GL10                             Intel NAND
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SSDUSMS0002GL          SG9ED52M2GGDN        2GB, 2mm Low Profile Connector,
SSDUSMS0002GL10                             Intel NAND
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SSDUSMS0004GL          SG9ED52M4GGCN        4GB, 2mm Low Profile Connector,
SSDUSMS0004GL10                             Intel NAND
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About SMART

SMART Modular Technologies is a leading provider of memory products, offering more than 500 standard and custom products to top-tier OEMs in the computer, industrial, networking, and telecommunications sectors. Taking innovations from the design stage through manufacturing and delivery, SMART has developed a comprehensive memory product line that includes DRAM, SRAM, and Flash in various form factors. Through its subsidiary, Adtron Corporation, SMART offers high performance, high capacity solid-state drives for enterprise, defense/aerospace, industrial automation, medical, and transportation markets. SMART's Display and Embedded Products Group designs, manufactures and sells thin film transistors (TFT) liquid crystal display (LCD) solutions to customers developing casino gaming systems as well as embedded applications such as kiosk, ATM, point-of-service, and industrial control systems. SMART's presence in the US, Europe, Asia, and Latin America enables it to provide its customers with proven expertise in international logistics, asset management, and supply-chain management worldwide. More information on SMART can be obtained at www.smartm.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements contained in this press release, that are not statements of historical fact, including any statements that use the words "will," "believes," "anticipates," "project," "estimates," "expects," "intends" or similar words that describe the Company's or its management's future plans, objectives, or goals, are "forward-looking statements" and are made pursuant to the safe-harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include those related to the Company's business strategies and product plans, the timing of product and sample availability, and the market for the Company's products.

Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause the actual results of the Company to be materially different from the historical results and/or from any future results or outcomes expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that would cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, the post-closing integration of the businesses and product lines of SMART and Adtron, production or manufacturing difficulties, competitive factors, new products and technological changes, fluctuations in product prices and raw material costs, dependence upon third-party vendors, customer demand, changes in industry standards or release plans, and other risks detailed in the Company's periodic report filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Company's Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended August 29, 2008. Such risk factors as outlined in our Form 10-K may not constitute all factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in any forward-looking statement.

The Company operates in a continually changing business environment and new factors emerge from time to time. The Company cannot predict such factors, nor can it assess the impact, if any, from such factors on the Company or its results. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as a prediction of actual results. The Company is not obligated to revise or update any forward-looking statements in order to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this press release.

Intel is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and other countries.

Contact Information: Contact: Joy Donohue SMART Modular Technologies (978) 805-2164

SMART Modular Technologies Announces Drop-In Replacement for the Intel(R) Z-U130 Value SSD