ACAL Storage Networking Launches Bundle with Cisco and Emulex

Bringing Intelligent Storage Networking to Customers

Resellers take advantage of bundled storage networking solution from Cisco and Emulex, together with 24-hour support services in EMEA channel

April 27, 2006 - ACAL Storage Networking has signed a distribution agreement for departmental Fibre Channel storage area network (SAN) solutions comprising the Cisco® MDS 9020 Fabric Switch and the LP1150-F4 HBA from Emulex. Available to Cisco Advanced Technology Provider (ATP) Program member companies, this storage networking solution will help enable partners to access advanced storage networking capabilities at new price points. The Cisco ATP Program focuses on bringing emerging technologies successfully to market through qualified channel partners.
Already appointed as a Cisco Authorised Distributor for MDS-based SANTap applications across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), ACAL Storage Networking is taking advantage of its relationships with Cisco Systems® and Emulex to bring this bundle to Cisco ATP partners who are looking to offer customers cost-effective, 4 Gbit/s SAN performance.

“We recognise the value of working with our major vendors, and the distribution of the bundle solution from Cisco and Emulex is the first step in our new strategy to bring additional support and value to the EMEA market,” explained Hannah Baker, EMEA Channel Sales Manager, ACAL Storage Networking.

This is the first storage networking solution with Cisco SMARTnet® support to be distributed by ACAL Storage Networking to the channel. Unique to Cisco, SMARTnet contracts provide comprehensive support services to customers throughout EMEA 24 hours per day. It also helps enable the channel to integrate Cisco support and service offerings with those currently offered to the customer.

“Many large organisations are already benefiting from the innovations Cisco has brought to the storage industry since the introduction of the MDS 9000 family, which is already the recognised leader in the high-end SAN market,” commented Phil Andrews, operations director, Data Center, for Cisco in European and Emerging markets. “This new value proposition for departmental Fibre Channel solutions will help extend the intelligence of the SAN out to branch-office environments.”

“Emulex is pleased to collaborate with ACAL Storage Networking on this bundled solution. Our product, the LP1150e HBA, is perfectly complemented through the bundle, as it features specialised hardware able to yield superior performance in SANs. The LP1150e HBA helps provide sophisticated management capabilities, including remote firmware upgrades from a single console anywhere in the SAN,” said Craig Skelton, Director of Channel Sales, EMEA, Emulex Corporation.

Cisco ATP partners will benefit from a bundle well suited for branch offices and departments in large enterprises as part of a large core-and-edge SAN infrastructure. By offering advanced features in a compact, small-profile switching platform, the ACAL bundle meets the cost, performance, ease of management and connectivity requirements of small and medium-scale storage environments. This allows even small businesses to achieve the performance and availability typically attainable only by much larger enterprises.

This is a bespoke customer bundled solution. For further information, please visit www.acalsn.com

About ACAL Storage Networking

ACAL Storage Networking is Europe’s leading independent storage networking distributor. Founded in 1997, ACAL supplies the IT channel throughout Europe, Middle East and Africa, with high quality, reliable storage networking solutions. ACAL Storage Networking has an independent, “storage agnostic” position, regardless of the servers and storage being supplied.

Complementing this is a philosophy based upon outstanding technical excellence and first class customer service. ACAL Storage Networking is a subsidiary of ACAL plc, one of the largest value added distributors in the world. With 22 European offices and a comprehensive global presence, ACAL is in the perfect position to support resellers and integrators worldwide. For more information, visit the ACAL Storage Networking Web site at www.acalsn.com

About Emulex Corporation

Emulex Corporation is the most trusted name in storage networking connectivity, with solutions spanning host bus adapters, embedded storage switches, I/O controllers and SAN Storage Switches. Emulex products are selected by the world’s leading server and storage manufacturers to provide customers with industry-leading SAN connectivity solutions. Emulex ranked number 19 in the Deloitte 2005 Technology Fast 50 and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE:ELX). Corporate headquarters are located in Costa Mesa, California. News releases and other information about Emulex Corporation are available at http://www.emulex.com.

About Cisco Systems

Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet. Cisco news and information are available at http://www.cisco.com. For ongoing news, please go to http://newsroom.cisco.com. Cisco equipment in Europe is supplied by Cisco Systems International BV, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cisco Systems, Inc.

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Cisco, Cisco Systems, and the Cisco Systems logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and certain other countries. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company. This document is Cisco Public Information.

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