QLogic's adapter performed without much tweaking on all the hardware we had in for testing. This, combined with error-free operation, earned it our Editor's Choice award. The performance numbers from this PCI card, especially its CPU utilization stats, are impressive, and we found it to be the easiest and most trouble-free card we tested. Setup was easy, and driver installation a snap. This card is also one of the fastest we tested, with one of the lowest CPU utilization rates.
Two quibbles: The QLA2300F came with a CD, titled the QLogic Management Suite, that was supposed to include a utility on it called Qlview for Fibre Channel. However, after extensive searching, we could not find the utility. There were applications for the SCSI HBAs, but none for the Fibre Channel cards. This CD could benefit from an autostart file and a menu. Also, the QLA2300F does not support the MD2 low-profile PCI 2.2 standard.
The QLA2300F's BIOS is complete. You can manage more than one board and get at all the advanced settings you might need in case of trouble. In our maximum throughput testing, the QLA2300F tied, within a 3 percent margin of error, the Atto ExpressPCI 3300 (no surprise since the ExpressPCI uses the same QLogic silicon as the QLA2300F).
However, the QLogic card's superior CPU utilization pushed it over the top. In the maximum I/O operations per second test, the QLA2300F again tied with the Atto card and again took the crown with superior CPU utilization. On the database test, it scores well but does not win. In the final contest, the Web server test, the QLA2300F ties with the Atto on performance but prevails again thanks to its superior CPU utilization stats. Clearly, QLogic has itself a winner, a consistent, stable card that can deliver the numbers.
QLA2300F, $1,995 with a standard three-year warranty. Available: Now. QLogic Corp., (800) 662-4471, (949) 389-6000; fax (949) 389-6126. www.qlogic.com
Note: The letter grades printed in our October 1 issue for QLogic's and Atto
Technology's products were incorrect. The correct grades are QLogic, B; Atto
Technology, B. The numerical grades did not change.
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The QLA2300F's BIOS is complete. You can manage more than one board and get at all the advanced settings you might need in case of trouble. In our maximum throughput testing, the QLA2300F tied, within a 3 percent margin of error, the Atto ExpressPCI 3300 (no surprise since the ExpressPCI uses the same QLogic silicon as the QLA2300F). 
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