JNI Corp Launches Zentai High Availability SAN Solutions for Intel-Based Windows Servers.

Business Editors & Technology Writers

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 24, 2002

JNI Integrates Software, HBAs For Packaged Dynamic Path Management;

High Availability Services for `Business Critical'

Data at Cost-Effective Price

JNI(R) Corporation (Nasdaq:JNIC), a leading provider of enterprise storage connectivity products, today formally launched its JNI Zentai(TM) High Availability SAN Solutions product line for Windows-based servers.

The JNI Zentai High Availability SAN Solutions, with a list price of $4,995 per server, combine two JNI Zentai Fibre Channel host bus adapters, the company's Path Command(TM) Plus dynamic path management software, and its SAN Management(TM) software enabling dynamic path management for Intel-based Windows servers connected to RAID devices and storage area networks (SANs).

JNI is the only major Fibre Channel HBA manufacturer to offer highly integrated, high availability solutions offering dynamic path management, such as automatic load balancing, failover and failback, in a complete, turnkey solution.

The new JNI Zentai solution offers a new way of assuring enterprise server reliability at a cost-effective price. It is an ideal solution for IT managers who feel "downtime" is unacceptable in Windows-based applications servers, such as e-mail, Web hosting, and database servers providing vital corporate data to the enterprise.

In most cases, dynamic path management is provided as an add-on software feature or as an upgrade to an existing RAID device. In either case the cost for a high availability solution can be up to 10-times higher per server. In such cases the IT department will often decide that high availability access to its business critical data isn't worth the cost.

The JNI Zentai solution provides a cost-effective alternative to expensive dynamic path management products, providing enterprise-grade high availability services for less than $5,000 per server.

"The Zentai High Availability SAN Solution is ideal for the IT manager who needs `always on' reliability between their application servers and their company's data," said Neal Waddington, president and CEO, JNI Corporation. "E-mail may not be `mission critical,' but it is always `business critical,' as are corporate Web sites, database servers and any other application servers managed from the data center. In today's fast paced, highly networked world, even the momentary loss of access to corporate data can grind a company to a halt, cutting productivity and effectiveness." JNI Zentai High

Availability SAN Solution

The JNI Zentai products provide a complete solution converting a standard storage network into a high availability SAN. The JNI Zentai offers both host and target-based dynamic path management, with automatic load balancing, failover and failback services for both the server (host) and the RAID storage device (target).

Dynamic path management is achieved through the creation of a `virtual HBA', which is the logical heart of the JNI Zentai solution. While in operation, the JNI Zentai solution processes data through two or more HBAs in the server. However, the server operating system only sees one `virtual HBA." The virtual HBA automatically distributes the data to each HBA, creating an efficient load balancing scheme. If one path fails, automatic failover distributes all the data to the working path. The server doesn't know a problem exists, only that there is one less path to use within the `virtual HBA.' Once the path link is restored, it automatically restarts the path that had failed, also known as failback.

In most dynamic path management solutions, at least one or more functions of load balancing, failover and failback must be done manually. However, with the JNI Zentai solution, all of these high availability services are automatic, without ever causing an interruption of the server itself to reboot or otherwise remove the server from operation.

Fully Certified Solution

The JNI Zentai High Availability SAN Solution has been tested and approved in a number of environments, including:

-- Microsoft Windows NT and Windows 2000 Hardware Qualification Labs approval
for Single Server, Mutli-Server and Clustered Server environments.

-- Brocade Fabric Aware qualification for Windows NT and Windows 2000

-- Hitachi Data Systems qualification for the Lightning 9900 and

9200 storage systems connected to servers running Windows NT

and Windows 2000

Currently, the JNI Zentai solution provides complete host dynamic path management services to any Windows-based server, and complete target dynamic path management to HDS 9900 and 9200 storage systems and for RAID systems using certain LSI Logic controllers. Target services for other storage devices should be confirmed with JNI prior to deployment where target services are required. Support, Pricing & Availability

As with all JNI products, the JNI Zentai High Availability SAN Solutions come with a three-year warranty covering all hardware and software. JNI is also unique among its peers in the Fibre Channel HBA industry, offering live 24 x 7 x 365 technical support. Suggested retail price per server is $4,995, with discounts for significant volume purchases. For information about purchasing the JNI Zentai High Availability SAN Solution, or any other JNI product, please contact a JNI distributor, reseller or a JNI sales representative toll free at 800/452-9267 or 858/523-7000, by e-mail at [e-mail], or at www.jni.com.

About JNI Corporation

JNI Corporation is one of the leading manufacturers of connectivity product for the enterprise data center and the leading provider of Fibre Channel-based host bus adapters (HBAs) for Solaris servers. JNI offers a broad line of HBAs, ASICs and software for storage area networks, as well as HCA Modules for InfiniBand. JNI's PCI products operate on Solaris, Windows 2000, Windows NT, HP-UX, AIX, Novell, Linux and Mac OS systems. JNI's SBus and CompactPCI products run on Solaris. JNI customers, distributors and strategic partners include Acal FCS, Avid, Bell Microproducts, Brocade, Chaparral, Compaq StorageWorks, Consan, Crossroads, EMC, Eurologic, Gadzoox, Hewlett-Packard, Hitachi Data Systems, IBM, Info X, LSI Logic, McDATA, Mellanox Technologies, Nishan Systems, StorageTek, Sun Microsystems, TidalWire and Veritas. Company headquarters are in San Diego, with offices throughout the U.S. and Munich (Munchen), Germany. www.jni.com.

JNI - enterprising solutions(TM)

Forward Looking Statements

With the exception of historical information, the statements set forth above include forward-looking statements (including without limitation express or implied statements concerning the anticipated performance and market acceptance of the Zentai products) that involve risk and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. These risks include: the ability to assure compatibility with all types of Windows environments and storage devices found on the market, the rapidly changing technology in the Company's markets; the evolving industry standards and frequent introductions of new products and enhancements and the other risks discussed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

JNI, JNIC, FibreStar and `enterprising solutions' are trademarks or registered trademarks of JNI Corp. Path Command Plus, SAN Command and Zentai are trademarks of Troika Networks used under license by JNI Corporation. All other registered trademarks and trademarks are the property of their respective holders.