NetApp Extends Leadership in Ethernet Storage with Expanded FCoE and DCB Infrastructure Solutions
SYDNEY, Australia - 12 August, 2009
- NetApp (NASDAQ: NTAP) today announced a
convergence-ready end-to-end 10Gb Ethernet (10GbE) infrastructure
based on the Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) standard. This
infrastructure enhances enterprises' ability to efficiently migrate
to Ethernet and achieve capital and operational efficiencies.
NetApp, a pioneer in Ethernet storage,
continues to advance the technology with leadership and innovation.
Today, NetApp offers standards-based products that support
converged Ethernet (FCoE, iSCSI, NFS, CIFS) data access and help
customers streamline their data centres and maximise ROI. With
partners such as Cisco and QLogic, NetApp is expanding Ethernet as
a storage infrastructure, offering a next-generation unified target
adapter for its storage systems, switches, and converged network
adapters (CNAs). The move to converged data and storage networks
has recently driven increased adoption of 10GbE in the data centre;
NetApp 10GbE target port shipments have more than doubled since
June of 2008, from 3,000 to more than 7,500.
"We have been testing our new FCoE
infrastructure over the last few months and have been impressed
most by the performance," said Howard Eddy, vice president of
Information Technology at Subaru New England. "For instance, we are
seeing over 75% greater performance on SQL versus our existing DAS
solution. We've also been able to dramatically reduce our overall
complexity for our storage and networking by streamlining down to a
single network technology: Ethernet."
With NetApp and its solutions partners, customers can build
end-to-end FCoE infrastructures while still supporting existing
Fibre Channel investments and take a phased approach to
consolidating their data centres around Ethernet. Now customers can
build out their Ethernet infrastructure over time and while
protecting previous infrastructure investments. In addition to the
unified target adapter for NetApp systems, NetApp now offers the
new QLogic 8100 Series CNA, which offers customers greater choice
and flexibility while building out their infrastructures. With this
adapter, customers can run both FCoE and IP traffic through the
same port and on the same wire, eliminating the need and expense
for separate SAN and LAN adapters and cables.
"FCoE is changing the way customers can use
Ethernet in their data centres," said Amit Vashi, vice president of
Marketing, Host Solutions Group, QLogic. "Together with NetApp,
we're adding value to FCoE by helping customers reduce data centre
complexity when running multiple protocols as they move to a
unified Ethernet infrastructure."
NetApp also offers Cisco Nexus 5000 Series
switches, a leading family of high-performance, low-latency
switches for data centre networks supporting lossless 10GbE, Fibre
Channel, and Fibre Channel over Ethernet. The Cisco Nexus Series
switches offer a highly cost-effective access-layer strategy for
Gigabit Ethernet and mixed Gigabit and 10-Gigabit Ethernet server
environments.
"FCoE is a logical extension of our unified
storage architecture," said Patrick Roger, vice president of
Solutions Marketing at NetApp. "With our leadership in the space,
we're helping more customers than ever meet their business needs
without undue cost and complexity and without sacrificing
investments they've already made in more expensive Fibre Channel
systems. With our partners like QLogic and Cisco, customers will
have an ever-growing ecosystem of compliant, end-to-end solutions
as the Ethernet growth trend continues."
NetApp has been an active participant in the
development and marketing of the Fibre Channel over Ethernet
standard, which the FC-BB-5 working group of the T11 Technical
Committee recently completed work on and unanimously approved as a
final standard for FCoE, as well as the Data Center Bridging (DCB)
standard within the IEEE.
"FCoE is out of its infancy and has emerged
as a flexible and cost-effective technology for enterprise
infrastructures," said Dennis Martin, president of Demartek.
"NetApp, with its network of partnerships, has a unique ability to
provide end-to-end, native 10GbE unified solutions and is poised as
a leader as this technology continues to grow in popularity and
demand. I have tested the end-to-end NetApp® unified solution
in the Demartek lab and seen it in action."
The next-generation FCoE unified target
adapter, Ethernet switch, and CNAs mentioned above are all
available for order.
For more information about the QLogic 8100
Series CNA, please visit
http://www.qlogic.com/Products/Datnetworking_products_landingpage.aspx.
To read today's Ethernet announcement from
Brocade and NetApp, please visit
www.netapp.com/au/company/news/news-rel-20090812-brocade-fcoe-au.html.
For more information on NetApp Ethernet
storage news, visit
www.netapp.com/au/company/news/fcoe/fcoe-partnerships.html
For more information about NetApp's solutions
partnerships with Cisco and QLogic, please visit
www.netapp.com/au/solutions/solution-partners/infrastructure/platform-networking.html.
Discuss this news in the NetApp Community,
where you can exchange thoughts and ideas on a variety of topics
with our community members. Collaborate with our company, engage in
conversation with NetApp leaders and employees, our customers, and
partners. Participate in our passion to go further, faster. Join
now at www.netapp.com/au/communities.
About NetApp
NetApp creates innovative storage and data management solutions
that accelerate business breakthroughs and deliver outstanding cost
efficiency. Discover our passion for helping companies around the
world go further, faster at www.netapp.com/au.
NetApp, the NetApp logo, and Go further,
faster are trademarks or registered trademarks of NetApp, Inc. in
the United States and/or other countries. All other brands or
products are trademarks or registered trademarks of their
respective holders and should be treated as such.
Forward-Looking Statements
In addition to historical information, this document contains
certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section
27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The
forward-looking statements contained herein represent NetApp's
beliefs regarding future events, many of which are, by their
nature, inherently uncertain and outside NetApp's control.
Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to,
statements regarding the future of and trends in the Ethernet
industry.
NetApp cautions readers that the forward-looking statements
contained herein are subject to risks and uncertainties that could
cause actual results to differ materially from the results
anticipated by such statements. Important factors that could cause
actual results to differ materially from those in the
forward-looking statements include the adverse global economic and
market conditions, risks associated with the anticipated growth in
network storage and content delivery markets, NetApp's ability to
deliver new product architectures and enterprise service offerings,
and other important factors as described in NetApp's reports and
documents filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. NetApp disclaims any obligation to update and revise
the forward-looking statements contained in these materials based
on new information or otherwise.
Media Contact:
Rachel York
Max Australia
+61 2 9954 3492
rache.york@maxaustralia.com.au