Compaq Selects QLogic to Supply 2 Gigabit Fibre Channel Products for ``Best of Breed'' VersaStor Technology.

Business Editors & High-Tech Writers

ALISO VIEJO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 22, 2001

QLogic to Provide Key Components of Compaq's Award-Winning

SAN-Wide Storage Virtualization Offering

QLogic Corp. (NASDAQ:QLGC), the only end-to-end storage area network (SAN) infrastructure provider, announced today that the company has been selected by Compaq Computer Corporation (NYSE:CPQ) to supply an advanced family of adapters and drivers for the product implementation of VersaStor(TM) Technology, Compaq's innovative new "best of breed" network storage management technology.

Compaq's VersaStor Technology recently was named "Best New Technology" by the assembled delegates at the Server I/O 2001 Conference. The VersaStor adapters will incorporate QLogic ISP2300 Series single chip controllers to enable high speed, 2 Gigabit Fibre Channel connectivity at low cost.

VersaStor Technology

Announced in June 2000, VersaStor Technology combines storage systems in a networked storage pool that allows capacity to be added and removed transparently to server applications. Data is distributed automatically and intelligently across the storage pool according to attributes specified by the user, and VersaStor migrates data throughout the storage pool automatically and dynamically when attributes are redefined. This advanced functionality is available to all servers and storage devices attached to the virtualized SAN. Integrated with Compaq's popular StorageWorks(TM) and SANworks(TM) product lines, Compaq's VersaStor solution will provide a new benchmark for application availability, a new foundation for application scalability, a new standard for storage manager productivity, and a new model for storage efficiency.

Comments on Compaq VersaStor Technology and QLogic Alliance

"Compaq's implementation of VersaStor Technology will dramatically simplify the deployment and management of enterprise storage," said Mark Sorensen, Compaq Vice President of Enterprise Storage Software. "It will help enterprise customers deal with the pressing challenges of skyrocketing storage capacity growth. QLogic was selected for its unique ability to meet Compaq's time-to-market, performance, cost and scalability goals. We are very pleased to form this strategic relationship."

According to Frank Berry, Vice President of Product Marketing for QLogic Computer Systems Group, "The asymmetric architecture of VersaStor Technology will support storage networks that scale upwards to thousands of nodes. VersaStor adapters based on QLogic single chip controllers will enable enterprise customers to scale their virtualized SANs cost effectively. QLogic is pleased to become part of the Compaq VersaStor solution."

Nick Allen, Vice President of Storage Research, Gartner Group said, "SAN architects in Global 2000 corporations are asking for a quantum improvement in scaling and managing storage. Out-of-band approaches like Compaq's VersaStor Technology promise such scale and simplicity. Partnerships will be key to the rapid acceptance of VersaStor."

"SAN-wide storage virtualization will become a major factor in shaping the storage industry in the near future by providing the beginnings of open SAN deployment," according to Robert Gray, Storage Systems Research Manager, IDC. "Such products as Compaq's VersaStor Technology will become key enablers of the truly open storage area network (SAN) environments needed by customers."

"The potential for VersaStor Technology to simplify enterprise storage is significant and exciting," stated Michael Peterson, President of Strategic Research Corporation and sponsor of the 2001 Server I/O Conference. "The fact that VersaStor Technology was recently voted `Best New Technology' by the storage, server, network, and I/O industries validates the promise of VersaStor solutions. Strategic Research Corporation is pleased to see two industry leaders, Compaq and QLogic, unite to bring this promising new technology to market."

"We feel that storage virtualization will be one of the most important technology areas going forward," said Steve Duplessie, Senior Analyst, Enterprise Storage Group. "We expect products and technologies such as VersaStor to be widely adopted very quickly. QLogic stands to once again benefit by their leadership in early design wins."

QLogic Corporation

QLogic SAN connectivity products control the flow of data between storage systems, tape libraries and network servers. QLogic's host adapters are leading solutions for Fibre Channel, the crucial technology that makes large data centers possible. By moving data at rates of up to a gigabit per second to hundreds of storage devices across distances up to 20 kilometers, Fibre Channel unleashes the power of SANs.

QLogic simplifies SAN implementations by providing OEMs, system integrators and resellers with a single point of contact for end-to-end SAN hardware and software. Customers value QLogic's technology, support and ability to provide best-of-breed products with short time-to-sales. QLogic saves customers time and resources by providing a portfolio of hardware, software and service components. With these tools, OEMs and resellers can develop and deploy SAN connectivity solutions faster, more cost effectively and with less risk.

About QLogic

QLogic Corporation (Nasdaq:QLGC) is changing the way the world views Storage Area Networks (SANs), serving OEMs, VARs and system integrators with the only end-to-end SAN infrastructure in the industry. With over 15 years of enterprise storage experience, the company delivers a full range of Fibre Channel switches, PCI host bus adapters, controller silicon and management chips for systems and peripherals, as well as the QLogic Management Suite of SAN management software solutions.

A member of the S&P 500 Index, QLogic was ranked fourth on Forbes' Best 200 Small Companies and number 22 on Fortune's 100 Fastest Growing Companies. QLogic is integrated in more than 200 OEM solutions, including: AMI, Compaq, Dell, EMC, Fujitsu, Hitachi, HP, IBM, INRANGE, Iwill, MTI Technology Corp., Quantum, Raidtec, Siemens, Sony, Sun and Unisys. For more information, contact QLogic Corp., 26600 Laguna Hills Drive, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656; tel: [phone] (sales); 949/389-6000 (corporate); fax: [phone]; home page http://www.qlogic.com.

All QLogic-issued press releases appear on the company's web site (www.qlogic.com). Any announcement that does not appear on QLogic's web site was not issued by QLogic.

Disclaimer -- Forward-Looking Statements

With the exception of historical information, the statements set forth above include forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. The Company wishes to advise readers that a number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Those factors include new and changing technologies and customer acceptance of those technologies; a change in semiconductor foundry capacity or conditions; fluctuations in the growth of I/O markets; fluctuations or cancellations in orders from OEM customers; the Company's ability to compete effectively with other companies; cancellation of OEM products associated with design wins; and reductions in the need for space and increased costs of operations due to facility relocation. Carrying additional expansion space may increase costs and adversely impact future earnings.

These and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially are also discussed in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its recent filings on Form S-3, Form 10-K, and Form 10-Q.

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