McDATA i10K Xtreme and EFCM 9.0 Now Available Through Hitachi Data Systems.

BROOMFIELD, Colo. -- Hitachi Data Systems' customers now have even more choice in SAN design with McDATA Corporation's (Nasdaq: MCDTA)(Nasdaq: MCDT) new i10K Xtreme and Enterprise Fabric Connectivity Manager 9.0. The i10K Xtreme is the first director with Open VSANs, non-disruptive 4 Gb/s configuration capabilities (added to previous 2 Gb/s and 10Gb/s capabilities), SAN LPARs for total SAN isolation, and Open Trunking for optimized performance between directors and switches. McDATA's i10K Xtreme is the only director that provides customers with a complete set of features designed for flexible SAN design and easier management. Complementary to Hitachi's HiCommand[R] Storage Services Manager, EFCM 9.0 makes SAN management even easier with features like advanced fabric management for McDATA directors and switches and multi-vendor fabrics; performance monitoring; and security features to optimize and protect resources, while reducing administration time and costs.

"We are pleased to team with McDATA to offer our customers the most advanced storage networking solutions," said Steve TenBarge, vice president, Global Product Marketing, Hitachi Data Systems. "Customers now have the ability to incorporate 4 Gb/s and other enhancements from McDATA's i10K Xtreme into the Hitachi Universal Storage Platform for easier SAN design options that translate to improved cost and workload efficiencies."

Supporting the requirements of customers with the Hitachi Universal Storage Platform, the i10K Xtreme's SAN LPARs provide complete, secure physical isolation required under the most rigorous standards. SAN LPARs also help customers save management and capital costs by allowing both FICON and Open Systems SAN LPARs to function independently within a single director chassis.

New Open Trunking capabilities allow customers even greater flexibility to optimize performance across multiple inter-switch links (ISLs), across different network speeds, and across switches and devices from any vendor. Added support for RADIUS authentication enables customers greater security options to lock down networks from accidental or malicious intrusions; while new advanced diagnostics (such as Fibre Channel ping and optic monitoring), eliminate down time by preventing problems before they occur.

EFCM 9.0 provides support for the latest features across McDATA switch and director portfolio, including its 4 Gb/s and 10 Gb/s interfaces for maximum application performance and throughput; Open Trunking to optimize data flows and reduce inter-switch links (ISLs); and McDATA's newly released Open VSANs as well as SAN LPARs for superior network segmentation and security in consolidated networks.

"We firmly believe these new products give our customers the most advanced data access options," said Chris Roberts, vice president, OEM channel development, McDATA. "McDATA and Hitachi Data Systems share a common commitment to providing simplified management and investment protection."

McDATA's i10K Xtreme and EFCM 9.0 are both available now through Hitachi Data Systems.

About McDATA (www.mcdata.com)

McDATA (Nasdaq: MCDTA)(Nasdaq: MCDT) is the leading provider of data access solutions, helping customers build, globally connect, optimize and centrally manage data infrastructures across SAN, MAN and WAN environments. With nearly 25 years' experience developing SAN products, services and solutions, McDATA is the trusted partner in the world's largest data centers, connecting more than two-thirds of all networked data.

Forward-Looking Statements 

This press release contains statements about expected future events that are forward-looking and subject to risks and uncertainties. Readers are urged to consider statements that include the terms "believes", "belief", "expects", "plans", "objectives", "estimates", "anticipates", "intends", "targets", or the like to be uncertain and forward-looking. Factors that could cause actual results to differ and vary materially from expectations include, but are not limited to, McDATA's relationships with EMC, IBM and Hitachi Data Systems and the level of their orders, aggressive price competition by numerous other SAN and IP switch suppliers, OEM qualification of our new products - such as the Intrepid 10000 Director, integration of CNT's sales and marketing functions, manufacturing constraints, constraints in obtaining third party product for resale and other risk factors that are disclosed in McDATA's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These cautionary statements by McDATA should not be construed as exhaustive or as any admission regarding the adequacy of disclosures made by McDATA. All cautionary statements should be read as being applicable to all forward-looking statements wherever they appear. McDATA does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.