Acopia Joins With StorageNet

LOWELL, Mass. -- Acopia Networks, Inc., the leader in high-performance intelligent file virtualization, today announced that it has joined the StorageNetworking.org initiative at The University of California’s Information Storage Industry Center (ISIC) to help further StorageNetworking.org’s mission to educate data storage technology users.

“We are delighted to add Acopia to our growing list of influential industry sponsors,” said Ron Durbin, industry relations director, ISIC. “Their expertise in the relatively new and increasingly critical area of data storage – file storage virtualization – will be a great addition to our knowledge base.”

According to the recent TheInfoPro (TIP), Wave 8 Storage Management Fortune 1000 Study, Acopia is “edging out” its competition in the file virtualization space. The list of competitors included such companies as Network Appliance, Microsoft, Cisco, Brocade, and others. The study also showed file virtualization is now at the top of TheInfoPro's Storage Technology Heat Index™ - an effective measure of users' spending and implementation plans based on interviews with Fortune 1000 IT professionals.

“A most interesting takeaway from the survey is the obvious and pressing need for education in the space,” said Kirby Wadsworth, senior vice president of marketing and business development, Acopia. “It’s telling that file virtualization is at the top of the heat index, yet when asked which vendor they currently use for file virtualization, a large number of respondents listed a vendor that does not, in fact, offer file virtualization today.”

“We are delighted to join with StorageNetworking.org, who in addition to the countless number of data storage end users, counts the Storage Networking Industry Association (SNIA), among its members,” he continued. “Who better to help spearhead this education process?”In a separate release:

LOWELL, Mass. -- Acopia Networks®, Inc., the leader in high-performance intelligent file virtualization, today announced that its Acopia ARX™ systems have successfully completed interoperability testing with IBM’s Systems Storage N-Series products and have been confirmed as IBM System Storage Proven. The IBM System Storage Proven program builds on IBM’s already extensive interoperability efforts to develop and deliver products and solutions that work together with third party products.

"Being confirmed under this program greatly enhances the value and credibility of Acopia’s ARX solution to the channel – and ultimately to the end user customer,” said Janet Waxman, vice president hardware channels and alliances, IDC. “Channel partners are now able to deliver these solutions knowing that interoperability issues have been addressed, thereby allowing for an even greater level of customer satisfaction."

“As a longtime IBM partner, and winner of IBM’s 2006 Beacon Award for Overall Technical Excellence, Lighthouse maintains the highest standards of technology and process. We rely on IBM’s Storage Proven designation when architecting storage management solutions,” said Mike Adams, storage practice leader, Lighthouse Computer Services. “Acopia’s achievement today further increases our enthusiasm in bringing the power of Acopia’s intelligent file virtualization paired with IBM’s N-Series arrays to our customers.”

“Successfully completing interoperability testing with IBM’s N-Series is further proof of Acopia’s commitment to quality,” said Kirby Wadsworth, senior vice president of marketing and business development, Acopia. “Achieving IBM’s Storage Proven™ designation assures both partners and customers that Acopia ARX systems can be confidently integrated with IBM’s N-Series products to architect scalable, intelligent file storage virtualization solutions that conquer the cost and complexity of massive and growing file storage environments.”“Our customers are asking for a better alternative to manage rapidly growing file data. The combination of Acopia’s industry leading virtualization and automation technology with IBM’s state of the art N-Series storage systems offers a compelling solution. Today’s Storage Proven™ announcement eliminates any ‘FUD’ in the marketplace surrounding interoperability and support, putting customers’ minds at ease,” said Nigel Buttery, president of Dataline, one of the nation’s leading information technology consulting services firms serving both the government and commercial sectors.

Acopia Networks Inc.