Adaptec, LSI Logic and Seagate Embrace SPI-4 Ultra320 Draft Specification.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

MILPITAS, Calif. & SCOTTS VALLEY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 2, 2000

Adaptec, Inc. (Nasdaq:ADPT), a global leader in innovative storage solutions, LSI Logic Corporation, (NYSE:LSI), a leader in providing storage products to the Internet, and Seagate Technology (NYSE:SEG), the world's largest disc drive supplier, today announced their adoption of the Ultra320 SCSI SPI-4 draft standard specification in their respective products. The companies plan to provide their Ultra320 product samples to OEMs before the end of the calendar year.

The Ultra320 SCSI products available from Adaptec, LSI Logic and Seagate will include host adapters, components, software and disc drives. The companies have collaborated to implement the industry's widely recognized SPI-4 draft standard specification in their products, including, 320 Mb/sec I/O performance; signal pre-compensation; packet protocol, and quick arbitration and select (QAS). Volume shipments of the companies' respective products are expected by mid-2001.

Ultra320 SCSI is the next generation of SCSI, the I/O protocol standard for mainstream direct attached storage requirements. Ultra320 SCSI transfers data at speeds of up to 320 Mb/sec, per channel, or 640 Mb/sec with dual-channel SCSI controllers.

"SCSI is known for its backward compatibility and legacy support," said Linus Wong, director of marketing at Adaptec. "Working with partners as well as competitors helps to ensure that future generations of the protocol maintain this important feature. Together, we are working towards providing the market with an Ultra320 product portfolio that is reliable, stable and compatible."

"One of the reasons for the widespread and continued adoption of SCSI as an industry standard in the market is the support by industry leaders which keeps SCSI as the dominant high-end storage interface. This support of the standard helps preserve the investment OEM systems customers make in SCSI while dramatically extending the capability of the interface," said Harry Mason, marketing director, Storage Standard Products Division at LSI Logic. "Developing and testing the end-to-end solution assures compatibility and signal integrity at the higher Ultra320 speeds."

Seagate Technology has been a leader in the development of SPI-4 (Ultra320) proposals, standards, and technical discussions for more than a year, showing the first 320 Mb/sec technology demonstrations at COMDEX last year. The company has shown that the migration from SCSI Ultra160 to Ultra320 in the server marketplace can be very simple for the system integrator.

"From an infrastructure perspective, the transition from 160 to 320 Mb/sec is not complex or costly. There are no new technology requirements embodied in Ultra320 training patterns, signal pre-compensation, or speeds," said Mike Robinson, executive director, VLSI Development Engineering at Seagate Technology. "Working with Adaptec and LSI Logic will enable us to verify compatibility and more quickly deliver a comprehensive Ultra320 offering to the market."

"System OEMs value the comprehensive testing and complete solutions that these collaborative efforts bring to ease the transition to new technologies, and speed OEM test and qualification processes," said Adaptec's Wong.

About Adaptec

Adaptec (Nasdaq:ADPT), is the global leader in innovative storage solutions. Adaptec's hardware and software solutions for business and Internet applications move, manage, and protect critical data and digital content. Adaptec's direct-attached storage, network storage solutions and desktop software solutions for digital content are found in high-performance networks, servers, workstations and desktops from the world's leading manufacturers, and are sold through distribution channels to ISPs, enterprises, medium and small businesses and consumers. Adaptec is an S&P 500 and a NASDAQ 100 member. More information is available at www.adaptec.com.

About LSI Logic

LSI Logic Corporation (NYSE:LSI) is a leading supplier of communications chips for broadband, data networking, wireless and set-top box applications. In addition, the company provides chips and boards for network computing and supplies storage network solutions for the enterprise. LSI Logic is headquartered at 1551 McCarthy Boulevard, Milpitas, CA 95035, 408/433-8000, http://www.lsilogic.com.

About Seagate

Seagate (NYSE:SEG) is a leading provider of the Internet Infrastructure enabling people to store, access, and manage information. The Company is committed to providing best-in-class products to help people get information when, where and how they want it. Seagate is the world's largest manufacturer of disc drives, magnetic discs and read-write heads, an innovator in tape drives, Storage Area Network (SAN) solutions and a leading developer of Business Intelligence software. Seagate can be found around the globe and at http://www.seagate.com. For automated news, stock and financial information by phone, dial toll-free 877-SEG-NYSE. Outside the U.S. and Canada, dial 760-704-4368.

Note to Editors: Seagate and Seagate Technology are registered trademarks of Seagate Technology. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.