FCIA and Storage Networking Switch Vendors Demonstrate Interoperability At NAB; Demonstration Focuses on Standards That Enable Open, Heterogeneous Multi-vendor Fabric Switch Interoperability.

Business Editors

NAB: Booth No. M8757

Sands Convention Center, Upper Level

LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 23, 2001

Continuing their commitment to offer heterogeneous Storage Area Networks (SANs), the Fibre Channel Industry Association (FCIA) and switch vendors Gadzoox Networks, McDATA, QLogic, and Vixel will demonstrate how new standards will enable the industry goal of multi-vendor fabric switch interoperability.

The demonstration will take place at the NAB conference and exposition from April 23-26, 2001 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The demonstration showcases the interoperability of the four vendors' advanced switches using E_port functionality (inter-Switch Links) and improved routing protocols contained in several emerging standards, including the forthcoming (ANSI) NCITS T11 Fibre Channel Switch Fabric-2 (FC-SW2) and Fibre Channel Methodologies for Interconnects (FC-MI) open fabric standards.

The FC-SW2 standard defines aspects of interoperability such as fabric configuration path selection, Fabric Shortest Path First (FSPF) routing, name server and management server synchronization, distribution of registered state change notification (RSCN), and exchange of zone information. The FC-MI standard defines interoperability behavior for loop devices, switch devices, fabric behavior, discovery and management.

Given the importance that customers have placed on multi-vendor fabric interoperability, each switch vendor participating in the demonstration has dedicated not only product resources, but also technical and marketing resources to ensure that the industry realizes the advancements that have been made with these new standards. The FCIA multi-vendor fabric interoperability demonstration at NAB will be followed by an aggressive schedule of six additional tradeshows before year-end, where customers, partners and resellers will have an opportunity to see the new standards at work.

The vendors first illustrated their intent to support the new standards by participating in a FCIA sponsored Plugfest Kickoff in January 2001. Switches from Brocade, Gadzoox Networks, McDATA, QLogic and Vixel were run through an early version of the FCIA SCD-3001 conformance test suite developed specifically to test SAN devices for FC-SW2 and FC-MI compliance. SCD-3001, developed by FCIA in cooperation with ANSI T11 and the University of New Hampshire, is a comprehensive series of tests designed to test the conformance of Fibre Channel fabric and fabric services behavior with standards from physical to application layer.

Vendors whose switches are qualified under SCD-3001 when it is formally released will receive the SANmark Trademark License under the FCIA SANmark(TM) Qualification and Trademark Licensing Program. SANmark is designed for Fibre Channel manufacturers or independent laboratories to verify compliance among products from multiple vendors. The SANmark program divides functionality of an entire I/O system, up to and including the application layer, to allow industry vendors to participate in the development of test suites and specifications.

"Fibre Channel has suffered both real and perceived interoperability issues in its infancy as with any technology," said Skip Jones, chairman, FCIA-US. "This demonstration goes a long way to dispel the myths and assist in the adoption of Fibre Channel."

"As a provider of intelligent storage networking solutions, Gadzoox Networks is pleased to join the other fibre channel switch vendors in this collaborative demonstration of support and compliance with the forthcoming open fabric standards," said Wayne Rickard, chief technology officer, Gadzoox Networks. "As a strong supporter of both FCIA and SNIA, Gadzoox Networks is proud of our involvement in defining the FCIA SANmark switch interoperability suite, and is committed to supporting the SNIA and FCIA efforts that endorse and demonstrate standards-based frameworks for all solutions."

"McDATA has long-recognized the importance of open storage networking and the need for interoperability leadership in the market," said Jeff Vogel, vice president of solutions and systems integration services for McDATA. "Our solutions development and qualification efforts at McDATA are focused on qualifying supportable, SAN business application solutions in collaboration with leading standards based initiatives such as the FCIA and SNIA."

"Open standards benefit vendors, the marketplace and most importantly, the customer," said Dave Hubbard, vice president of QLogic's Switch Products Group "Customers want the ability to implement a multi-vendor solution and today's demonstration shows that this is now possible. QLogic is strongly committed to the open compatibility standards set forth by the FCIA and the SNIA and we will continue to take a highly active role in the FCIA SANmark program and the formation of standards like FC-SW2 that advance switch-to-switch compatibility."

"Vixel will continue to work diligently in support of the FCIA and the SNIA's efforts to drive compliance of the open standard for switch interoperability," said Thomas Hughes, vice president of product development, Vixel Corporation. "By demonstrating SW-2 based interoperability, we have all collaboratively underscored the industry's commitment to open storage networking, and Vixel is very pleased to have been part of this broad-based effort."

About the FCIA

The Fibre Channel Industry Association (FCIA) is an international organization of manufacturers, systems integrators, developers, systems vendors, industry professionals, and end users. With more than 190 members and affiliates in the United States, Europe and Japan, the FCIA is committed to delivering a broad base of Fibre Channel infrastructure to support a wide array of industry applications within the mass storage and IT-based arenas. FCIA Working Groups focus on specific aspects of the technology that target both vertical and horizontal markets, including storage, video, networking and SAN Management. For information, please contact the Fibre Channel Industry Association at 415/750-8355 or via e-mail at [e-mail], or visit the FCIA web site at www.fibrechannel.org.