Alacritech's Top Performing SES1001 iSCSI HBA Qualified as Network Appliance Supported Solution.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 26, 2004

NetApp Customers Running Data-Intensive IP SANs to Benefit from

Efficient, Resilient, High Performing iSCSI HBAs

Alacritech(R) Inc., the innovator of data acceleration solutions that enable the highest performance and efficiency in networked systems, today announced its new line of Alacritech SES1001 iSCSI Accelerators have been qualified for use with Network Appliance(TM) (Nasdaq:NTAP) storage systems. Having completed extensive tests for enterprise performance, resiliency and manageability at an independent testing facility, Medusa Labs (a division of Finisar), Network Appliance awarded Alacritech iSCSI Accelerators "NetApp-supported" status. The proven, powerful NetApp(R) and Alacritech iSCSI solution enables customers running data-intensive environments with fast, reliable access to data, and an economical, scalable SAN consolidation strategy.

"Alacritech is the leading supplier of TCP offload and iSCSI HBA solutions, and our qualification with Network Appliance, the leading supplier of iSCSI storage systems, reinforces Alacritech's commitment to delivering superior solutions to the IP SAN market," said Joe Gervais, director, Marketing, Alacritech Inc. "Achieving 'NetApp-supported' qualification through a well-respected outside testing facility assures NetApp and Alacritech customers of a reliable iSCSI solution that provides the highest performance and efficiency levels in IP SANs available today."

"Medusa Labs is known for its rigorous iSCSI testing program, and their third-party qualification validates the Alacritech SES1001 iSCSI Accelerators meet or exceed industry standards for enterprise-class storage solutions," said Rich Clifton, vice president, SAN/iSAN Business Unit, Network Appliance. "Alacritech's iSCSI HBAs withstood every test, and we're pleased to have their robust, feature-rich cards available to our customers."

Medusa Labs qualified both copper and fiber versions of Alacritech's new SES1001 iSCSI Accelerators through its extensive testing program. Alacritech iSCSI HBAs are the only Accelerators to offer seamless hardware acceleration for the Microsoft(R) iSCSI Software Initiator along with the critical resiliency and systems management functionality customers require. Based on Alacritech's patented SLIC Technology(R) Data Path Offload (DPO) architecture, the Alacritech SES1001 enables wire-speed performance and quadruple the transaction rate over all other ASIC-based iSCSI HBAs. To ensure interoperable IP-based SANs, all Alacritech Accelerators are compatible with all iSCSI storage targets that have received the Microsoft Designed for Windows(R) Logo.

Leading Data Storage Resellers Recommend NetApp and Alacritech iSCSI Solutions

"As a leading, national storage consulting and system integration firm, SANZ' large customer base relies on us to recommend proven technology that meets their growing network and application performance requirements," said George Crump, vice president, Technology Solutions, SANZ. "We have had tremendous success with both NetApp's and Alacritech's leading iSCSI technology. With Alacritech's 'NetApp-supported' qualification, IT managers looking to consolidate and centralize storage management are further assured of seamless interoperability and maximum functionality in their IP SANs."

"XSI Data Solutions is the largest Australian owned data storage reseller and we provide a broad range of iSCSI solutions to small-to-medium size SANs up to enterprise-wide deployments consisting of thousands of servers," said Max Goldsmith, CEO, XSI Data Solutions. "Our customers recognize both NetApp and Alacritech as leaders in this space, and the qualified solution assures customers of a best-in-class implementation and should further accelerate the deployment of iSCSI SANs."

About Alacritech Acceleration Technology

As systems and servers move increasing amounts of network data, new solutions are needed to solve both efficiency and throughput challenges. Alacritech Accelerators are a complete line of Gigabit Ethernet and Fast Ethernet TNIC products and iSCSI HBA products based on SLIC Technology(R), Alacritech's patented Data Path Offload (DPO) architecture. Alacritech's SLIC Technology supplements the TCP software control plane with distributed hardware data planes to maximize data movement through Ethernet-based networks. This revolutionary architecture is designed to maximize server and storage performance and efficiency. All Alacritech products offer industry-standard failover and link aggregation.

Availability

Alacritech's SES1001 iSCSI HBAs in both copper and fiber versions are immediately available from Alacritech's channel partners worldwide.

About Network Appliance

Network Appliance is a world leader in unified storage solutions for today's data-intensive enterprise. Since its inception in 1992, Network Appliance has delivered technology, product and partner firsts that continue to drive "The evolution of storage.(TM)" Information about Network Appliance solutions and services is available at www.netapp.com.

About Alacritech Inc.

Alacritech Inc. is the world's leading supplier of TCP Offload Engine (TOE) solutions that enable the highest performance and efficiency in networked systems. Alacritech's complete line of Accelerators is based on the company's patented SLIC Technology to optimize data delivery in servers, network-attached storage and iSCSI storage devices. SLIC Technology, the basis of industry-accepted TOE solutions, ships in storage and server products worldwide. Alacritech is a privately held company based in San Jose, Calif. For more information about Alacritech and its products, please visit the company's Web site at www.alacritech.com.

Alacritech, the Alacritech logo, SLIC Technology, SLIC Technology logo and Accelerating Data Delivery are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Alacritech, Inc. in the United States. NetApp is a registered trademark and Network Appliance and The evolution of storage are trademarks of Network Appliance, Inc, in the U.S. and other countries. Other marks belong to their respective owners.