Контроллер Silverback Systems iSNAP2100 1 GB StorageNetwork Accesscard iSCSI HBA, 2  Ethernet Ports RJ45 Copper, 64-bit 133MHz PCI-X

Описание

Accelerating the design and adoption of Internet Protocol (IP)-based storage networks, Silverback Systems is now introducing its storage network access processor family, called iSNAP. The iSNAP family provides high performance IP network connectivity and storage network protocol processing. The first product in the family, the iSNAP2100, is suited for a variety of applications in IP-based, Storage Area Networks (SANs) including servers, storage arrays and fabric devices such as virtualization boxes and storageaware routers, and specific implementations like host bust adapters (HBAs).

"The growth of e-commerce, online transaction processing, streaming media, and overall need for real-time access, processing and storage of information are fueling an unrelenting demand for data storage within the enterprise," said Steven Denegri, Managing Director, Equity Research, RBC Capital Markets. "The most optimal approach to facilitate the scale, performance and manageability necessary for such growth comes through networking of storage."

A report by CIBC Oppenheimer on communications IC and equipment companies supports this assessment, forecasting 25.8 percent CAGR through 2006 for storage area networking IC vendors. The overall SAN equipment market will increase from $9.5 billion in 2001 to $24.0 billion by 2006, a CAGR of 20.3 percent. "Leveraging the current TCP/IP and Ethernet infrastructure, an ubiquitous technology that systems and network administrators already understand, creates tremendous value as they don't have to undergo an extensive learning curve, like they do with FibreChannel," said Danny Biran, president and CEO of Silverback Systems. "By leveraging current TCP/IP and Ethernet infrastructures, SilverBack offers a simplified approach to IP network storage. SilverBack's iSNAP is to IP storage what email was to the Internet --transparent application -- as IT professionals don't require extensivelearning curves found in other storage configurations," said Dianne McAdam,senior analyst with Illuminata, Inc.

While the market opportunity and value proposition is clearly robust, the right kind of technology is required to unlock the potential. A processor specifically dedicated to storage networking applications, as opposed to a generic network processor, is needed. "The networking of storage, especially using IP, is not only critical, it is strategic. But it requires a new type of network protocol engine," said Ron Kroesen, Silverback VP of marketing.

"The generic network processors in use today generally focus on packet processing only, without regard to full connection context. It is in effect, a stateless processor unable to fully terminate TCP connections or Upper Layer Protocols. Nor is the typical NPU capable of managing and bookkeeping connection and session events, among other functions common in network storage applications," continued Ron. "Network processors are typically found in switches and routers within the fabric, while iSNAP can be used in the fabric for storage-aware switches as well as all types of edge devices. "Storage network access processors are the only way to really accelerate the adoption of IP-based SANs," said Ron.

iSNAP iSNAP is a turnkey solution in hardware and software allowing customers to focus on applications and proprietary value added. The iSNAP family supports demanding storage traffic profiles such as generated by online transaction processing applications. It processes packets, full TCP/IP connections as well as ULPs (upper layer protocols) such as iSCSI, providing protocol processing, bookkeeping and management for all layers of the OSI networking model. The iSNAP2100 provides optimized mapping of TCP/IP and ULP through selectively mapping the protocol into hardware, programmable state machines and firmware. Data center robustness is provided by fail over support, data and storage network separation and patented, memory protection algorithms. Pricing and Availability The iSNAP 2100 will sample this quarter. Packaging is 927-pin BGA. Volume pricing is expected to be $150 each in quantity.

A complete development kit is also available and includes an evaluation board, DDK software and documentation, and an installation and configuration guide for Linux. Silverback Systems, Inc., designs and markets iSNAP (storage network access processors) accelerating the adoption of IP storage networking.