Adaptec's industry leading AHA-2940 ultra wide host adapter doubles I/O data transfer rates of high-performance servers and desktop PCs; PCI ultra wide SCSI Master is the low cost solution for connecting SCSI and UltraSCSI peripherals.MILPITAS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 5, 1995--Adaptec Inc. (NASDAQ NASDAQ in full National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations U.S. market for over-the-counter securities. Established in 1971 by the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD), NASDAQ is an automated quotation system that reports on :ADPT ADPT Automated Data Processing/Telecommunications ADPT Adaptec Corporation (stock symbol) ADPT Adaptive Prediction ADPT Auger Depth Profiling Technique ADPT Automated Data Processing Telecommunications ADPT Adapter ), an industry leader in input and output (I/O (Input/Output) The transfer of data between the CPU and a peripheral device. Every transfer is an output from one device and an input to another. See PC input/output. I/O - Input/Output ) technology, today announced the availability of its first UltraSCSI (also known as Fast 20) host adapter Also called a "controller" or "host bus adapter," it is a device that connects one or more peripheral units to a computer. It is typically an expansion card that plugs into the bus. IDE and SCSI are examples of peripheral interfaces that call their controllers host adapters. See host. , the AHA-2940 Ultra Wide. The AHA-2940 Ultra Wide extends the company's Small Computer Systems Interconnect (SCSI SCSI in full Small Computer System Interface Once common standard for connecting peripheral devices (disks, modems, printers, etc.) to small and medium-sized computers. SCSI has given way to faster standards, such as Firewire and USB. ) market leadership position and provides a new high-performance I/O connectivity solution for the PCI (1) (Payment Card Industry) See PCI DSS. (2) (Peripheral Component Interconnect) The most widely used I/O bus (peripheral bus). market. "The strength of SCSI continues to evolve and grow; we are seeing higher usage rates across the desktop and server level," said John Hamm John Frederick Hamm, MLA, MD (born April 8, 1938) is a Canadian physician and politician and was the 31st premier of Nova Scotia, Canada. Hamm, a graduate of the University of King's College and Dalhousie University, was a family doctor in his hometown of Stellarton, Nova , vice president and general manager of Adaptec's Enterprise Computing Refers to information technology in the larger company. See enterprise data and enterprise networking. business unit. "Faster disk drives, the popularity of PCI systems and multitasking multitasking Mode of computer operation in which the computer works on multiple tasks at the same time. A task is a computer program (or part of a program) that can be run as a separate entity. operating systems Operating systems can be categorized by technology, ownership, licensing, working state, usage, and by many other characteristics. In practice, many of these groupings may overlap. are driving the need for Adaptec to deliver faster I/O throughout the enterprise." I/O subsystems need to access and transfer larger data files almost instantaneously. Adaptec's AHA-2940 Ultra Wide single channel PCI-to-SCSI host adapter offers faster I/O throughput and improved efficiency for PCI-based systems by speeding data exchange between SCSI peripherals and the PCI system at speeds of up to 40 MB/second, twice the speed of current SCSI systems. In addition to increased speed, the adapter's flexible design allows customers to utilize existing SCSI peripherals, connections and cabling, protecting their existing investment. Adaptec's AHA-2940 Ultra Wide also can support the mixing of eight and 16 bit devices (Narrow and Wide, respectively) on the same SCSI cable without affecting reliable operation of the system. New features and complete backward compatibility See backward compatible. (jargon) backward compatibility - Able to share data or commands with older versions of itself, or sometimes other older systems, particularly systems it intends to supplant. New features include faster transfer rates of up to 40 MB/second, Plug and Play compliance with Windows 95 and connectivity for up to 15 SCSI devices. The Adaptec AHA-2940 Ultra Wide adapter also offers compatibility with all existing SCSI-1, SCSI-2, SCSI-3 and UltraSCSI peripherals, to allow mixing and matching of various peripheral devices. Automatic termination and SCSI Configuration Auto Magically (SCAM 1) make the addition and identification of existing SCSI IDs and configuration of peripherals simple. Adaptec EZ-SCSI software is included for simple installation and SCSISelect configuration software for customizing systems. Adaptec has added a flash BIOS A PC BIOS stored in a flash memory chip rather than a ROM chip. Years ago, the flash BIOS replaced the ROM BIOS to allow for updating in place. Updating a ROM BIOS meant removing the chip and replacing it with a newer version. See BIOS and flash memory. capability that allows new BIOS and software upgrades to be directly "flashed" onto the board through the network, without having to remove the adapter from the system. For RAID and other multiple drive operations, the adapter also offers multi-initiator support, which enables two host adapters located in separate host systems to access the same SCSI storage device and share data almost simultaneously. Market trends drive the need for faster I/O performance The Adaptec AIIA-2940 Ultra Wide adapter improves overall I/O performance by working seamlessly with today's software operating systems and applications that require faster I/O speeds and real-time access to data storage and peripheral devices. Current graphics and multimedia applications such as video capture and editing, animation, scientific modeling and desktop publishing desktop publishing, system for producing printed materials that consists of a personal computer or computer workstation, a high-resolution printer (usually a laser printer), and a computer program that allows the user to select from a variety of type fonts and sizes, , have increased data I/O requirements for normal operation, due to the functionality of today's new operating systems and high-end PCI-based systems. The AHA-2940 Ultra Wide adapter is designed for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and resellers seeking to improve I/O throughput in today's personal computers, workstations and servers. "UltraSCSI technology from Adaptec allows PC and server OEMs, resellers and integrators to double the I/O bandwidth of their systems," said Rajesh Vashist, product marketing manager of Advanced I/O products for Adaptec's Enterprise Computing business unit. "We are making UltraSCSI technology available at the same price point as our standard AHA-2940 PCI-to-SCSI host adapter, so in effect, customers can double I/O performance on their existing systems at no additional cost to the end user." The evolution of I/O interfaces While serial interface technology developments continue and certain products become widely available, Adaptec believes UltraSCSI offers the best migration path for improving today's server and desktop I/O performance. "The development of tomorrow's serial interface technology is underway at Adaptec," said Hamm. "We see UltraSCSI as a way to improve the value, performance and compatibility of our products today, especially as PCI-based systems are now establishing wide business and consumer acceptance. Customers require I/O subsystems based on UltraSCSI technology to exploit the 133 MB/second speed of the PCI bus PCI bus - Peripheral Component Interconnect ." At the desktop level, UltraSCSI subsystems using the AHA-2940 Ultra Wide adapter will benefit from faster access to files and improved performance in multitasking operating systems. For servers, the AHA-2940 Ultra Wide extends SCSI's near 100% penetration and is an incremental, low-cost feature for new systems and an ideal upgrade option for existing systems. Adaptec's proven performance, leadership and industry acceptance Like all Adaptec SCSI host adapters, the AHA-2940 Ultra Wide is tested for compatibility with today's major PC operating systems, third-party application software and major hardware platforms Each hardware platform, or CPU family, has a unique machine language. All software presented to the computer for execution must be in the binary coded machine language of that CPU. Following is a list of the major hardware platforms in existence today. See platform. and peripherals. Adaptec's AHA-2940 Ultra Wide host adapter uses the AIC-7880 "engine," the third generation of Adaptec's SCSI RISC processor RISC processor [Reduced Instruction Set Computer], computer arithmetic-logic unit that uses a minimal instruction set, emphasizing the instructions used most often and optimizing them for the fastest possible execution. technology. Software operating environments supported by the AHA-2940 Ultra Wide adapter include Windows 3.1, Windows 95, Windows NT (Windows New Technology) A 32-bit operating system from Microsoft for Intel x86 CPUs. NT is the core technology in Windows 2000 and Windows XP (see Windows). Available in separate client and server versions, it includes built-in networking and preemptive multitasking. , OS/2, NetWare, SCO UNIX An enhanced version of Unix System V Release 3.2 for Intel processors from SCO. In 1989, SCO Unix was introduced as a major upgrade to SCO XENIX with more security, networking and standards conformance. and Unixware. Several drive manufacturers, including Quantum, Seagate, Conner Peripherals, Hewlett-Packard and IBM (International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, www.ibm.com) The world's largest computer company. IBM's product lines include the S/390 mainframes (zSeries), AS/400 midrange business systems (iSeries), RS/6000 workstations and servers (pSeries), Intel-based servers (xSeries) have recently announced support for UltraSCSI and committed to implementing it on their systems. Quantum is already shipping its Quantum Grand Prix UltraSCSI drive which features a burst transfer rate (drive to the host) of up to 20 MB/second. Today's announcement allows Adaptec and its UltraSCSI technology partners to build market momentum for this enhanced technology. AHA-2940 Ultra Wide kits, availability and pricing Adaptec is offering the AHA-2940 Ultra Wide family to OEMs, and through the distribution channel in a complete kit, the PCI Ultra Wide SCSI Master. A kit includes: -0- -- The AHA-2940 Ultra Wide PCI host adapter -- Adaptec EZ/SCSI 3.11 for DOS, Windows, Windows 95, Windows NT and Windows for Workgroups A version of Windows 3.1 introduced in 1992 that added peer-to-peer networking. See Windows. (operating system) Windows for Workgroups - (WFW, WFWG) A version of Windows 3.1 which works with a network. Although stand-alone 3. installation -- Adaptec 7800 Manager Set, a series of software drivers for Windows NT, Windows 95, OS/2 2.X and 3.X, NetWare 3.X and 4.X SCO UNIX 3.2X and Unixware 1.X and 2.X -- SCSI application utilities: SCSI Tape Backup, QuickScan, CD Player, Photo CD Viewer, Advanced Power Management, SCSI Interrogator, SCSI Disk Partitioner, SCSITutor and SCSI Bench -- Two SCSI cables and user documentation -0- The PCI Ultra Wide SCSI Master kit is available immediately and has a suggested retail price of $375. OEMs and large systems integrator discounts for the AHA-2940 Ultra Wide are available. Adaptec Inc. (NASDAQ:ADPT) designs, manufactures and markets IOWare solutions to eliminate performance bottlenecks between microcomputers, networks, and peripherals. Solutions range from simple connectivity products for single-user and small-office desktops, to intelligent subsystem, high-performance SCSI, RAID and ATM products for enterprise-wide computing and networked environments. Adaptec I/O solutions are incorporated into the products of virtually all the major computer and peripheral manufacturers around the world. Founded in 1981 and headquartered in Milpitas, Calif., Adaptec is a recognized market leader in high-performance I/O technology. Adaptec currently employs approximately 1,800 people, and with its global distribution network, serves customers worldwide. Adaptec's World Wide Web home page address is http://www.adaptec.com -0- Note to Editors: Adaptec, IOware, AHA, SCSI Master, EZ-SCSI, SCSI Tape Backup, SCSITutor and SCSISelect are trademarks of Adaptec Inc., which may be registered in some jurisdictions. All other trademarks used are owned by their respective owners. CONTACT: Adaptec Inc. Adam B. Trunkey, 408/957-6761 atrunkey@corp.adaptec.com or Product Information Literature, 800/934-2766 Presales, 800/959-SCSI |
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