NetApp Extends Leadership In Ethernet Storage With Expanded FCoE And DCB Infrastructure Solutions

Sunnyvale, Calif.--August 11, 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 centers and maximize 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 center; 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 centers 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 centers," 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 center complexity when running multiple protocols as they move to a unified Ethernet infrastructure."