Brocade Adds Server Connectivity to Storage Mix

Storage vendor Brocade this week added a new family of server-connectivity adapters to its product lineup, calling them a "natural extension" of its products.

The new Brocade offerings include HBAs (host bus adapters) and intelligent server adapters designed to help IT address data center consolidation, the vendor said. Such products are used to connect servers to storage and other data center resources--letting IT more flexibly manage and consolidate capacity.Brocade announced two new HBAs: the Brocade 2110 iSCSI Initiator HBA and a 4-Gbps Fibre Channel HBA running on a PCI-Express design.

In addition, Brocade outlined plans to introduce next-generation ISA products, including 8-Gbps Fibre Channel and 10 Gigabit Ethernet offerings. Brocade said the ISAs would combine the functionality of its current HBAs but add features such as tighter integration with next-generation SAN switching technologies.

The Brocade 2110 is available immediately; the new Brocade 4-Gbps Fibre Channel HBA is slated for a July release. The next-generation Brocade ISAs are slated for a 2008 release.