BlueArc Signs OEM Agreement with Vixel Corporation; Vixel Fibre Channel Switches to be Integrated into BlueArc's Si7500 Storage System.

Business Editors/Technology Writers

BOTHELL, Wash. & SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 14, 2002

Vixel Corporation (Nasdaq:VIXL), a leading provider of storage area networking (SAN) solutions, and BlueArc Corporation, provider of the world's highest performance enterprise-class network attached storage (NAS) systems, today announced the signing of an OEM agreement between the two companies.

With this new agreement, BlueArc's Si7500 Storage System, the world's fastest and most scalable NAS system, will incorporate Vixel's Fibre Channel switches to provide high-speed connectivity and path redundancy between servers and storage arrays.

The Si7500 Storage System employs BlueArc's unique SiliconServer(TM) Architecture, delivering an unprecedented throughput speed of 2,000 Mb/s. Vixel's crossbar architecture Fibre Channel switches offer the highest READ rates and frame buffers per port of any Fibre Channel switch, ensuring higher I/O performance regardless of scale. Both companies' products offer enterprise storage users new levels of scalability and incorporate no-single point-of-failure designs for exceptionally high availability.

"We're excited to have been chosen by a solutions provider whose design is so progressive that it's literally raised the bar for performance in the networked storage arena," says Beth White, vice president of marketing for Vixel Corporation. "Both BlueArc and Vixel have performance-centric architectures, so in many ways our new partnership is a validation of a common approach to technology and product development. This partnership underscores Vixel's position as a leading provider of embedded technologies that enable storage providers to deliver new levels of performance to their customers."

BlueArc's innovative SiliconServer architecture has reinvented existing server technology by embedding a broad array of functionality normally accomplished via software into re-programmable silicon. A true enterprise-class solution, the Si7500 Storage System enables storage managers to scale their storage capacity up to 250 Terabytes and service tens of thousands of simultaneously connected users.

"This partnership reasserts BlueArc's dedication to deliver the highest performance storage solutions to our customers," said Chuck Joseph, senior vice president, sales marketing and services for BlueArc. "The integration of Vixel's switching technology into BlueArc's Si7500 Storage System enhances our

ability to deliver the level of performance, scalability and interoperability demanded by businesses today."

About BlueArc Corporation

BlueArc Corporation delivers the world's highest-performance enterprise-class network attached storage system. BlueArc's systems are designed to simplify the way our enterprise customers design and build their storage infrastructures, allowing them to fully exploit their networks while dramatically lowering their total cost of ownership. BlueArc is able to provide products with groundbreaking speed, scalability and low total cost-of-ownership as a result of its unique SiliconServer architecture. This revolutionary technology removes the bottlenecks that limit performance in other network storage systems on the market today. The company's headquarters are in San Jose, California with UK operations based in Bracknell, England. More information on BlueArc is available on the Internet at www.bluearc.com.

About Vixel Corporation

Vixel Corporation offers customers real world solutions for storage networking. As a leading provider of Storage Area Network (SAN) solutions, the company's comprehensive portfolio of multivendor certified solutions, switches, hubs and integrated management software delivers reliable, interoperable solutions to its customers and partners. SAN InSite is Vixel's comprehensive open management software for SANs, providing remote control and diagnostics for Fibre Channel switches, HBAs, hubs and transceivers from a single console, reducing the administration and overhead of implementing a SAN. Vixel products and technology are used by major system suppliers including Avid Technologies, BlueArc, Compaq, Fujitsu Softek, IBM, Lucent, Network Appliance and Sun Microsystems. Products are available worldwide through its network of value-added resellers, alliances and OEMs. Vixel is an ISO 9001 certified company.

For more information, visit Vixel's web site at www.vixel.com. Vixel Corporation is headquartered at 11911 North Creek Parkway South, Bothell, Washington 98011 and can be contacted by phone at 425-806-5509 or by e-mail at [e-mail].

Vixel Safe Harbor 

Except for historical information contained herein, this news release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause such a difference include risks affecting performance and market acceptance of Vixel's products, Vixel's ability to meet its quality and performance standards, development of the storage area network, or SAN market, the competitiveness and performance of Vixel's products in the rapidly changing SAN market and the ability of Vixel to meet evolving product standards required by customers and others involved in the distribution channel for SAN products. Further information on the factors and risks that could affect Vixel's business, financial condition and results of operations, are contained in Vixel's Annual Report on Form 10-K and most recent Form-10Q, which are available at www.sec.gov.

All logos, trademarks and names contained herein are the property of their respective owners.