Hitachi Boosts Midrange Storage Systems with Integrated Multi-Protocol Connectivity

Bangalore, Nov. 19, 2007— Addressing the pressing need for storage consolidation and management simplification of mid-range customers, Hitachi Data Systems, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd. (NYSE: HIT) and the only provider of Services Oriented Storage Solutions, today announced significant connectivity enhancements to its Hitachi Adaptable Modular Storage (AMS) and Workgroup Modular Storage (WMS) midrange storage systems. With today’s news, Hitachi is now delivering multi-protocol connectivity throughout its entire midrange product portfolio—from the most advanced mid-range storage system, the AMS1000, all the way down to the low-cost WMS100.



Building on the company’s successful partnership with QLogic Corp. (NASDAQ:QLGC), a leader in networking for storage and high performance computing (HPC), Hitachi Data Systems now offers the QLogic SANbox 6140 iSCSI-to-Fibre Channel router to enable universal SAN connectivity between storage and servers via iSCSI to Fibre Channel connectivity protocols. The sophisticated multi-protocol connectivity support for the Hitachi AMS 200, AMS 500, and WMS100 mid-range storage systems facilitate simultaneously connection to multiple types of storage networks, while offering industry-leading price/performance value for mid-range customers looking to maximize their existing IT infrastructure investments and minimize acquisition costs of new storage gear.



From a handful of low-cost servers to up to 512 stranded servers on their Ethernet LAN, mid-range customers can now gain greater flexibility, cost containment and consolidation of resources into a single AMS or WMS dual-protocol storage system. For example, an organization can connect its business-critical SAP or Oracle servers to an AMS or WMS system via Fibre Channel connections, while simultaneously connecting lower-cost systems that support testing, development, data reporting or backup applications via iSCSI routing. This method can help to dramatically reduce the costs associated with SAN connectivity, while also driving greater efficiencies in application performance, availability and reliability.



As an easy-to-install entry point into storage networking, the Hitachi AMS and WMS storage systems provide ideal platforms for consolidating storage from numerous stranded servers and applications, by delivering greater deployment flexibility, a robust set of built-in features and scalable performance optimized for the critical data and applications of mid-range customers. The dual-protocol connectivity feature of the Hitachi AMS and WMS storage systems synergistically complements the systems’ high-availability architecture, performance, and advanced storage management options customers have come to expect from Hitachi’s comprehensive line-up of midrange storage systems.



“Hitachi Data Systems is committed to offering its customers a wide range of mid-range solutions that can scale easily, are easy to use, and deliver advanced functionality and unmatched reliability at a low cost, said Kevin Sampson, director of Product Marketing, Hitachi Data Systems. “With the new multi-protocol support for the AMS and WMS storage systems, we’ve established a new entry point to enterprise-caliber storage features, while providing expanded connectivity options to extend the value of our customers’ investments in their storage and networking infrastructure.”



"Our ongoing partnership with Hitachi Data Systems has allowed us to jointly deliver new levels of flexibility, performance, choice and investment protection to midrange storage customers," said Shishir Shah, vice president and general manager, QLogic Storage Solutions Group. "By integrating and certifying the SANBox 6140 with Hitachi's AMS and WMS storage systems, customers can select a powerful and cost-effective storage solution that will not only lower their cost of SAN connectivity, but also deliver the flexible scalability required so that they can grow along with their business and data requirements."



As an integral component to Hitachi’s Services Oriented Storage Solutions strategy, the Hitachi AMS and WMS midrange storage systems complement the Universal Storage Platform™ V and the Hitachi Universal Storage Platform VM as tiered or archive storage, especially when configured with SATA disk for lower costs. Utilizing the external virtualization services of Hitachi’s Intelligent Virtual Storage Controllers, customers can incorporate midrange Hitachi AMS and WMS systems, integrated under the same storage management umbrella, and benefit from the same common storage services. This is yet another example of Hitachi delivering unmatched cost-effectiveness and scalability to customers.



For more information on Hitachi’s advanced line-up of midrange storage systems, please visit: http://www.hds.com/products/index.html.





About Hitachi Data Systems

Hitachi Data Systems Corporation provides Services Oriented Storage Solutions that enable heterogeneous storage to be dynamically provisioned according to business needs and centrally managed via industry-leading Hitachi storage virtualization software. As an integral part of the Hitachi Storage Solutions Group, Hitachi Data Systems delivers storage infrastructure platforms, storage management software, and storage consulting services through direct and indirect channels in over 170 countries and regions. Its customers include nearly 60-percent of Fortune 100 companies. For more information, visit the company's Web site at http://www.hds.com.



About Hitachi, Ltd.

Hitachi, Ltd., (NYSE: HIT / TSE: 6501), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is a leading global electronics company with approximately 384,000 employees worldwide. Fiscal 2006 (ended March 31, 2007) consolidated revenues totaled 10,247 billion yen ($86.8 billion). The company offers a wide range of systems, products and services in market sectors including information systems, electronic devices, power and industrial systems, consumer products, materials and financial services. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company's website at http://www.hitachi.com.





© 2007, Hitachi is a registered trademark of Hitachi, Ltd. and/or its affiliates in the United States and other countries. Hitachi Data Systems is a registered trademark and service mark of Hitachi, Ltd. in the United States and other countries.



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