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QLogic Gets Stacked: Page 3 of 3

Finally, QLogic is collaborating with Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) to provide the SAN Connectivity Kit for Windows Server 2003. Priced at $6,999, the package includes an eight-port switch, four HBAs, cables, drivers, and management software. The bundle also includes QLogic's SANsurfer VDS Manager, a utility that presents a single user interface for managing different storage arrays. (VDS, a feature in Windows 2003, stands for "Virtual Disk Service.")

"Our focus is not trying to compete with Brocade and McData," Berry says. "It's the untapped market for low-cost switches. Our competitors are very focused on charging for a lot of value-added features. This is a different model."

Can QLogic make Fibre Channel smell more like Ethernet in terms of cost and simplicity? If so, it already has a healthy headstart.

Todd Spangler, US Editor, Byte and Switch