Adaptec Announces Industry's First 64-Bit PCI Ultra2 SCSI.

MILPITAS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 14, 1997--Adaptec, Inc. has announced the industry's first 32/64-bit PCI Ultra2 SCSI solution for next generation workstations and servers.

OEM evaluation kits are available now.

Ultra2 SCSI doubles the performance of UltraSCSI from burst rates of 40 Mbytes/sec to 80 Mbytes/sec. However, in certain environments, that enhanced performance would be limited by the bandwidth of today's standard 32-bit PCI bus. To unleash the full performance of Ultra2, Adaptec has incorporated support for the new 64-bit PCI bus.

This substantially higher bandwidth of 64-bit PCI is ideal for workstation applications such as CAD/CAM, financial analysis, and desktop publishing. It also offers more performance headroom in servers used for internet/intranet, video, and clustering applications.

"Adaptec's 64-bit PCI Ultra2 SCSI solution offers the best I/O in the industry. Our customers are eager to get the fastest Ultra2 SCSI solution available," said Rajesh Vashist, general manager of Adaptec's OEM SCSI Group. "With this 64-bit Ultra2 SCSI solution, Adaptec OEMs will be poised to offer customers a breakthrough in I/O performance."

A number of 64-bit workstation and server platforms are under development now. Industry leading system OEMs are already sampling products and are expected to announce 64-bit PCI systems that utilize Ultra2 SCSI technology at COMDEX and into early '98.

Compatible Family to Protect Legacy Investments

Adaptec's Ultra2 SCSI products, those introduced today and in the future, will comprise a compatible family. All will have backward compatibility with legacy SCSI products ensuring that customers' significant historical technology investments will be protected.

Adaptec's Ultra2 Products

Adaptec's 64-bit Ultra2 SCSI evaluation kit: Developed for system OEMs designing high-performance Intel-based servers and workstations, the kit is available for OEMs immediately from Adaptec and includes Adaptec's 32/64-bit PCI Ultra2 evaluation board using AIC-7891, Windows NT drivers, installation software, cables, and complete documentation.

The AIC-7891 is Adaptec's 64-bit PCI to Ultra2 chip targeted for OEMs interested in integrating Ultra2 solutions on the motherboard. The chip is available immediately to OEMs and the OEM evaluation kit includes all the tools to easily integrate the AIC-7891 on the motherboard.

Adaptec AIC-3860 transceiver chip: Adaptec recently announced the AIC-3860, a critical multipurpose single-ended to low voltage differential (LVD) SCSI chip that enables Ultra2 SCSI and legacy SCSI peripherals to coexist without compromising performance and extends cable lengths. The AIC-3860 is also utilized on the OEM evolution board to allow mixed generations of SCSI peripherals.

About Adaptec

Adaptec provides bandwidth management technologies for organizations building the global information infrastructure. Its high performance I/O, connectivity, and network products are incorporated into the systems and products of major computer and peripheral manufacturers.

Founded in 1981 and headquartered in Milpitas, Adaptec (NASDAQ:ADPT) employs 3500 people worldwide in design, manufacturing, sales, service, and distribution. Adaptec's home page is http://www.adaptec.com .

CONTACT: Adaptec, Inc.

Christina Bruno Scharrenberg, 408/957-4546

Adam B. Trunkey, 408/957-6761