Network Services Company Optimizes Supply Chain Efficiency with XIOtech MAGNITUDE Storage Platform.

Business Editors

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 15, 2003

Network Services Company (NSC), a $6.8 billion distribution organization, has optimized its supply chain efficiency and cost effectiveness with the XIOtech MAGNITUDE(TM) storage platform. When their server-attached storage environment could no longer support their automated supply chain infrastructure, NSC implemented the XIOtech MAGNITUDE storage platform, eliminating planned downtime, reducing costs, improving backup procedures, and minimizing administrative overhead.

Created in 1968, NCS is North America's leading distributor of housekeeping and maintenance supplies, industrial packaging, food service disposables, and printing paper. NSC's member companies distribute more than 40,000 products to more than 750,000 customers nationwide. To optimize flow between suppliers and customers and to provide members with improved inventory management capabilities, NSC built an Internet-based automated supply chain infrastructure dubbed NetLink.

"With the success of NetLink, it soon became obvious that we were rapidly outgrowing the capacity of our existing server-attached storage," explained Michael Hugos, NSC's Chief Information Officer.

Meeting backup windows also provided a challenge. "We already had reached the point where we could not complete full backups in our 12-hour backup window," said Jerry Moon, NSC's Director of IT Operations, "and soon we would not be able to complete incrementals."

The rapidly increasing transaction volume also created another issue for NSC--data outages. Francis Zelek, E-commerce/Project Leader at NSC, recalled, "With an outage potentially costing hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost electronic orders--not to mention wasted labor costs and impact on our members--we needed a storage solution that offered higher reliability and availability." As storage requirements increased, the costs of server-attached storage also became a serious issue.

"XIOtech's solution empowered us to greatly improve availability and backup procedures, minimize administrative overhead, optimize server utilization, and reduce costs," Hugos said. NSC's downtime is virtually eliminated with the data replication and automation features provided by the MAGNITUDE storage platform. NSC mirrors all data to a second storage volume; should an outage occur in one copy, the other is instantly available and tape restores are not required. The solution also minimizes downtime associated with server failures and adding servers to the network. Hugos added, "With the MAGNITUDE storage platform's adaptive storage architecture, we will have no problem meeting our capacity, performance, and data availability requirements now and long into the future."

Hugos and Steve Lurie, Managing Partner of DAJA GROUP, a national SAN and Storage Consulting Organization, have written a paper titled, "Storage Area Networks Improve Operational Efficiency and Reliability of Automated Supply Chains." The paper discusses how Internet-enabled supply chains (eSCs) continue to catch on as they make products flow faster and cheaper--from the raw material phase through suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, shippers, and ultimately to customers. A complete copy is available by contacting Lurie at 847.564.8417 or [e-mail] or contacting XIOtech at 866.472.6764 (toll free) or [e-mail].

About XIOtech

XIOtech Corporation designs, manufactures, and markets comprehensive networked storage solutions and was the first in the industry to deliver true virtual storage. XIOtech's storage foundation architecture unifies the power of the MAGNITUDE(TM) storage platform and REal-Time Data Intelligence (REDI(TM)) software family to provide everything needed for an adaptive, easy-to-use, highly available networked storage foundation. This integrated architecture reduces complexity and demands on IT resources, while ensuring tremendous data availability, unmatched interoperability, and unparalleled ease of use. For more information, visit www.xiotech.com, email [e-mail], or call toll free 1.866.472.6764.

XIOtech is a registered trademark and MAGNITUDE and REDI are trademarks of XIOtech Corporation.