Brocade Unveils HBAs

NEW YORK -- Brocade (Nasdaq: BRCD), the leader in data center networking solutions that help enterprises connect and manage their information, today announced the general availability of a new family of server host bus adapters (HBAs) that offers unique breakthroughs in terms of performance and end-to-end data center networking capabilities. The new server adapters offer key advantages for customers who are considering and deploying server virtualization as part of their evolving data center operations.

The innovative Brocade HBAs utilize an industry-first integration of important adapter functions into high-performance hardware and have been designed to enable the adapters to deliver twice the throughput of competing products. This performance is an important factor in highly virtualized environments. The adapters also offer new Quality of Service (QoS), Data Mobility and Data Encryption features that help ensure faster and more secure communications between virtual servers and storage.

Available in both 8-gbps (the Brocade 815/825) and 4-gbps models (the Brocade 415/425), the new adapters are designed to support servers in the following environments:

The new HBAs are available through a network of Brocade distributors and resellers including Arrow, Avnet, Bell Micro, Info-X and Tech Data. These channel partners will benefit from newly implemented Brocade partner programs, education, sales tools, server and support offerings, and joint marketing campaigns designed to make is easier to sell and implement total Brocade end-to-end server-to-storage solutions that include the new Brocade HBAs.“Through Tech Data’s Advanced Infrastructure Solutions Division, our IT reseller customers are increasingly deploying data center solutions that utilize virtualization to enhance performance,” said Pete Peterson, senior vice president and general manager, Advanced Infrastructure Solutions, Tech Data. “With that focus on performance and resource optimization, Brocade and our reseller partners are well positioned to address the market by utilizing the new 8-gbps HBA products.”

In a separate release:

NEW YORK -- Brocade® (Nasdaq: BRCD), the leader in data center networking solutions that help enterprises connect and manage their information, today announced strong customer response and third-party analysis that demonstrate significant strides in market adoption of Brocade’s Data Center Fabric architecture and the use of Brocade’s DCX Backbone to meet the demands of their next-generation data center.

According to the latest market share data from Dell’Oro Group, in calendar Q1 ‘08 Brocade grew its overall storage area networking revenue market share by nearly three percent, while other competitors declined. In addition, according to Dell’Oro, Brocade’s market share in the modular (director) segment climbed 5.5 percent over calendar quarter Q4 ‘07.

“Brocade’s Data Center Fabric architecture is generating enthusiastic support from our customers as evidenced by our company’s strongest marketshare position in the high-end of the storage networking market,” said Ian Whiting, Vice President and General Manager of the Brocade Data Center Infrastructure Division. “Brocade continues to lead the data center networking market by delivering real-world, high-performance solutions that meet the challenges of consolidating and virtualizing their IT operations today, but with a clear, differentiated investment-protection strategy that will provide sensible and realistic upgrade paths to emerging data center technologies.”Brocade Communications Systems Inc.