Snap Server - Adaptec Launches 700i Series of iSCSI Storage

MILPITAS, Calif.  September 10, 2007  Adaptec, Inc. (NASDAQ:ADPT), a global leader in trusted storage solutions, today announced the Snap Server 700i series of iSCSI storage appliances, which deliver 1 to 36TBs of easily expanded capacity using any combination of SAS and SATA drives. The 700i series sets new benchmarks for performance, price/performance, and scalability for medium-sized businesses looking to deploy an IP Storage Area Network (IP SAN) for their Linux, VMware, or Windows servers1. Synchronous mirroring between two Snap Server 700i series appliances with multi-pathing support for Windows servers provides maximum uptime for mission-critical applications such as Exchange, or SQL Server.

The Snap Server 700i series is comprised of three (3) 1U 19” rack-mount models, and leverages advanced Adaptec RAID technology for maximum performance and data protection. The Snap Server 720i provides 1TB or 2TBs using SATA drives. The Snap Server 730i provides 3TBs using SATA drives. The Snap Server 750i provides 1.2TB using 15K RPM SAS drives. Capacity can be added to any model by using 2U Adaptec SANbloc S50 expansion chassis, each of which houses any combination of up to 12 hot-swappable SATA or SAS drives.

“The Snap Server 700i series of iSCSI storage arrays from Adaptec provide an outstanding choice for Microsoft Exchange or SQL Server hosting,” said Jon Toigo, CEO of Toigo Partners International. “The Snap Server 730i that we tested provided excellent availability with synchronous mirroring and application consistent snapshots. With its excellent performance and competitive pricing, the Snap Server 700i series might just be the target to beat.”

For stand-alone or clustered Windows servers running mission-critical applications such as Microsoft Exchange, SQL Server, or Oracle database, two Snap Server 700i series appliances can be configured in a synchronous mirror and connected to the application servers through an IP SAN with redundant Ethernet cables and switches to ensure maximum uptime. Backups are accelerated when Microsoft VSS hardware snapshots stored in the 700i series are made available to a backup server on the IP SAN for fast backups without involving the application servers.

“The advantages are very compelling for IT professionals to move their storage from being isolated inside individual servers to residing in the Snap Server 700i series appliances,” explains Don Chouinard, Director of Product Management and Marketing for the Storage Solutions Group at Adaptec. “Server performance increases because I/O operations are spread across several disks. Reliability is enhanced through the use of RAID disk technology and redundant components such as power supplies and fans. And storage can be flexibly allocated to servers on the IP SAN without having to take the servers down.”

Early customer Total Quality Logistics (TQL), a leading freight shipping company, is currently deploying the new Snap Server 700i series to help achieve efficient utilization of resources and maintain optimal service availabilities. TQL supports nearly 1,000 employees and thousands of customers nationwide in facilitating over 180,000 truckload freight shipments annually.

“Cutting-edge technology is a fundamental component to our company’s continued success,” said John E Quigley II, senior network engineer at TQL. “I was not only impressed with the outstanding speed of the new Snap Server, but also how quickly and easily we were able to set it up. For a solution that offered such a wide range of management options, the initial configuration was very simple, and the interface clean and easy to navigate. As a result, we were able to attach servers literally within minutes, and they work great.”

Features and Benefits of the Snap Server 700i Series
Leading Performance and Value – Snap Server 700i series of storage appliances are powered by OnTarget OS, built upon the robust Linux operating system, and specifically tuned to deliver very high performance iSCSI storage using SAS and SATA drives, as well as enterprise-class features. The Snap Server 700i series competes with iSCSI storage appliances from leading competitors, delivering up to three times the performance, leading price/performance, and a rich set of bundled enterprise-class features.

Maximum Uptime  Storage reliability is delivered via RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 50 and 60 technology, as well as redundant hot-swappable power supplies and fans. The 700i series supports Microsoft clusters and delivers uptime for Windows servers via an MPIO DSM driver that runs on the Windows server to provide multi-pathing and load balancing. The Snap Server 700i series can be configured in a synchronous mirror, ensuring maximum uptime over non-mirrored configurations. Unlike competing products, the synchronous mirroring capability is bundled with each 700i series at no additional expense.
Flexible and Scalable– Users can easily add capacity to the 1U 19” rack mount Snap Server 700i series by using up to eight 2U Adaptec SANbloc S50 expansion chassis, each of which houses any combination of up to 12 hot-swappable SATA and SAS drives to optimize for either high capacity or high performance. Storage can then be flexibly allocated to servers and their storage capacity can be increased on the fly without having to take server applications down.

Easy to Manage – The Snap Server 700i series ships with automated, easy to follow set up wizards to significantly reduce deployment time. Snapshots can be scheduled to automatically provide application-consistent recovery points throughout the day. Unlike competing products, snapshot software is bundled with each model of the Snap Server 700i series at no additional expense.
Pricing and Availability
Snap Server 720i, 730i, and 750i are currently available through Adaptec resellers. Pricing for the Snap Server 720i (1TB SATA) starts at an estimated street price of $8,000, while the Snap Server 720i (2TB SATA) starts at an estimated street price of $9,600. The Snap Server 730i (3TB SATA) starts at an estimated street price of $13,400. And the Snap Server 750i (1.2TB SAS) starts at an estimated street price of $23,300