LSI Delivers Easy-to-Use, Low-Cost SAN Solution

New entry-level enterprise system features SAS drives and 4Gb/s Fibre Channel host connectivity, making SANs more affordable for enterprises of all sizes

 

MILPITAS, Calif., Jan. 16, 2007 - LSI Logic Corporation (NYSE: LSI) today introduced the Engenio 1932, the newest member of its Simplicity-managed family of enterprise-class storage systems. Available immediately to OEM partners, the new system is designed to meet the unique challenges of a wide range of users. Featuring Fibre Channel (FC) host connectivity and equipped with SAS back-end technology, the model 1932 provides entry-level enterprise and departmental customers an affordable, easy-to-manage Storage Area Network (SAN) solution for improved availability, performance, scalability and data consolidation.

As the third member of the Simplicity-managed family of Engenio arrays, the model 1932 is ideal for enterprise users with departments or remote offices that need to easily integrate inexpensive storage into existing FC environments to accommodate growth and connectivity. With the flexibility to deploy the system in a direct-attached storage (DAS) configuration and then seamlessly transition to a SAN configuration when ready, the model 1932 is also appealing to smaller organizations planning initial SAN installations. Managed by Simplicity Storage Manager software, the new system provides customers an intuitive, task-based management structure that significantly reduces the complexity of installation, configuration, management and diagnostic tasks.

"SAS continues to gain tremendous deployment traction and market diversity. Its integration with Fibre Channel host connections will enable SAS to keep building on this momentum," said Greg Schulz, founder and senior analyst, StorageIO Group. "Systems that can offer this combination, such as the new Engenio 1932 from LSI, further validate the strength and flexibility of SAS and present an appealing SAN option to customers ranging from enterprise departments, remote office branch office (ROBO) to growing SMBs."

The Engenio 1932 features a modular design so users can start by purchasing only the amount of storage needed and dynamically scale capacity without disruption. Entry-level systems begin with a 12-drive configuration that can scale up to 48 drives, offering more than 14TB of storage when using 300GB SAS drives. The 1932 system is based on the 2U, 12-bay Engenio DM1300 drive module. Featuring two 4Gb/s FC host ports per system, the model 1932 provides the ability to auto-negotiate FC link speeds, providing backward compatibility and investment protection for legacy SAN infrastructures operating at lower speeds.

"As performance, availability, backup and storage consolidation grow in importance, more and more customers are turning to SANs," said Phil Bullinger, senior vice president, Engenio Storage Group, LSI Logic. "As companies large and small seek these benefits to meet their unique challenges, our new 1932 storage system provides an ideal low-cost solution for customers to expand an existing FC infrastructure or deploy their first SAN."

Simplicity Storage Manager software manages the model 1932 and offers customers a familiar user experience that allows them to deploy external storage solutions comfortably and quickly. Once installed, Simplicity software helps discover and configure storage systems in fewer than six steps. With the software's online capacity expansion, volume creation and host-to-volume mappings, users have complete control of their storage system and the ability to quickly make changes when necessary. In addition, Simplicity software offers premium features to support data utilization and protection strategies, including storage partitioning, snapshot and volume copy capabilities.

Like other Simplicity-managed system models, the Engenio 1932 is an ideal solution for two-server clustering environments where continuous application and data availability, ease of use, and affordability are key requirements. Clustering allows multiple servers to share access to data stored on a single storage system and keeps applications running on a secondary server should the primary fail.

LSI offers the industry's broadest portfolio of SAS storage solutions, addressing the SAS infrastructure at every level. In addition to the line of storage systems, the LSI SAS family includes the market leading LSISAS1068 SAS controller IC, SAS expander ICs, SAS HBAs, a full line of MegaRAID® SAS adapters, and RAID-on-motherboard (ROMB) solutions. By offering best-of-breed SAS technologies, assured interoperability, and single vendor support, LSI is the silicon-to-systems supplier of choice for OEMs that want to deliver a broad set of storage solutions.

About LSI Logic

LSI Logic Corporation is a leading provider of silicon-to-systems solutions that are used at the core of products that create, store and consume digital information. LSI offers a broad portfolio of capabilities including custom and standard product ICs, host bus and RAID adapters, storage area network solutions, and software applications. LSI products enable leading technology companies in the Storage and Consumer markets to deliver some of the most advanced and well-known electronic systems in the market today. More information is available at www.lsi.com.

Editor's Notes:

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