Product Watch: TurboLinux Announces New Workstation. Intel Introduces New Flash Memory. Qualstar Announces Tape Library Shipments.

October 20, 2000

SHORT TAKES

TURBOLINUX ANNOUNCES NEW WORKSTATION

San Francisco, CA — TurboLinux, Inc., the high-performance Linux company, announced the release of its new TurboLinux Workstation Pro 6.1 that includes the first commercial version of Linux for Intel’s forthcoming Itanium processor systems (IA-64). TurboLinux Workstation Pro 6.1 lets developers build content and solutions quickly using powerful Open Source tools and commercial IDEs and Java technology from industry leaders IBM, Sun and Inprise/Borland. Workstation Pro 6.1 includes new developer release versions of TurboLinux for Sun Microsystem’s SPARC processors and for PPC processors. O’Reilly Publishing’s definitive Linux reference book, Linux In A Nutshell, is also included.

“We’re pleased to offer customers the first commercial release of Linux for Intel’s new IA-64 platform,” said Craig Oda, vice president of Product Marketing for TurboLinux. “We think customers who develop on Linux will also appreciate the comprehensive integrated development environments we offer from companies such as IBM to complement the robust Open Source tools we deliver.” TurboLinux Workstation Pro 6.1 ships with easy-to-use office productivity software, including the most recent StarOffice 5.2 release from Sun (for Microsoft Office files compatibility on Linux) as well as Netscape and hundreds of other popular applications. TurboLinux Workstation Pro 6.1 is a developers dream, including Borland JBuilder, Sun Forte for Java Community Edition, IBM Developer Kit and Runtime Environment for Linux Java Technology Edition, IBM Developer Kit for Linux Java2 Technology Edition, IBM WebSphere Application Server, IBM HomePage Builder, IBM ViaVoice TTS and much more. The new TurboLinux Workstation’s easy-to-use TurboTools speeds configuration of networks, printers, user accounts and a wide variety of other system settings and administration. TurboLinux is located on the Internet at http://www.turbolinux.com .

INTEL INTRODUCES NEW FLASH MEMORY

San Diego, CALIF. — Intel Corporation introduced a new flash memory chip designed to enhance the performance of next-generation Internet phones and wireless devices. The Intel 1.8 Volt Wireless Flash Memory is the highest performance flash chip available, carrying out key functions up to four times faster than existing flash solutions. This increased performance results in higher data throughput rates that speed up data-intensive Internet phone applications such as browsing, data streaming and text messaging. The new chip consumes just 1.8 volts of power. The Intel 1.8 Volt Wireless Flash Memory’s low voltage allows Internet phone energy savings of up to 60 percent, extending stand-by and talk time as well as battery life. “This is the highest performing flash for Internet phones, and we expect this architecture to become the de facto standard for next-generation Internet phones and handheld devices,” said Curt Nichols, general manager, Intel Flash Products Group.

The flash product is the newest addition to Intel’s growing wireless product portfolio and compliments the recently introduced Intel Personal Internet Client Architecture-a framework designed to accelerate the development of Internet applications and wireless devices. The Most Complete Flash Solution With Intel 1.8 Volt Wireless Flash Memory, Intel is introducing its second flash product built on 0.18-micron process technology, allowing for high-volume manufacturing to meet flash market demands. The product also incorporates several major enhancements that increase performance, including flexible partition architecture and enhanced factory programming. Flexible partition architecture allows the phone or device to read from one partition while writing to or erasing another partition. “Next-generation cellular and wireless devices will incorporate more data features like Internet browsing, voicemail recording and receiving text and fax messages,” said Nichols. “These types of applications are much more data-intensive and will require the higher data throughput rates that are achieved with this flash memory.”

Meanwhile, enhanced factory programming is a programming algorithm built into the flash chip that speeds device programming, saving manufacturing time and costs as much as 80 percent. The Intel 1.8 Volt Wireless Flash Memory will be sampling 32Mbit and 64Mbit densities this month, with production in the first quarter of 2001. The 128Mbit density will follow later in 2001. In 10,000-unit quantities, the 32Mbit density is priced at $16 each and the 64Mbit density at $30 each. Intel, the world’s largest chip maker, is also a leading manufacturer of computer, networking and communications products. Additional information about Intel is available at http://www.intel.com/pressroom .

QUALSTAR CORP. ANNOUNCES TAPE LIBRARY SHIPMENTS

Canoga Park, CALIF. — Qualstar Corp. announced that production shipments of its TLS-412600 and TLS-412300 Tape Libraries have begun. The TLS-412600 and its companion TLS-412300 can house up to 12 tape drives and either 600 or 300 data cartridges. As IT groups deal with exploding data storage requirements, storage density is one of the key factors in product selection. These models require barely five square feet of floor space, offering some of the highest-density storage in the industry. “These new libraries enable us to offer very cost-effective storage solutions for enterprise-class customers,” said Bob Covey, Qualstar vice president of marketing. “They extend the benefits of our technology to meet the demands of larger organizations.”

The TLS-412600 and TLS-412300 are the latest additions to Qualstar’s widely respected TLS-4000 Tape Library Family, which includes 12 models offering capacities from 300 gigabytes (native) to more than 78 terabytes using data compression. Aggregate data transfer rates can exceed 1.2 terabytes per hour. Both new models can be configured with dual SANSmart Fibre Channel technology to support the latest LAN-free and serverless backup applications. The TLS-412300 can be expanded in the field to the TLS-412600’s full 600-tape capacity in less than an hour. The TLS-4000 Tape Library Family supports three popular tape formats, including Sony AIT (Advanced Intelligent Tape), Exabyte M2 and Ecrix VXA. More information about Qualstar can be found on its Web site at http://www.qualstar.com .

SIS ACCOMPLISHED X86 PLATFORM FOR LINUXBIOS

Taipei, TAIWAN — SiS, a leading core logic and graphics supplier, announced its integrated-chipset-based platform has reached a remarkable milestone: the first BIOS free, disk-less, single flash device platform in the world by cooperating with two Open Source Software (OSS) projects. A prototype based on the SiS630 family, will be publicly demonstrated at the technical session of the Atlanta Linux Showcase (ALS) from Oct. 10 to 14 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. This new architecture incorporates SiS integrated chipsets with the innovative ideas of the LinuxBIOS Project and the unique feature of the M-Systems DiskOnChip Millennium. The LinuxBIOS Project led by Ronald G. Minnich of Advanced Computing Laboratory (ACL) affiliated to Los Alamos National Lab (LANL) aims at seeking the minimal booting software configuration for Linux applications that can be achieved by using the Linux kernel to handle most chipset initialization. This leads to a faster booting process and fewer flash memory consumption. In contrast to traditional BIOS, the LinuxBIOS takes less than 32KB of flash memory and enables the whole booting process within 8 seconds. These two leading-edge features are considered to be the keys of the future Internet Appliance (IA).

With the M-Systems DiskOnChip Millennium driver from the Linux Memory Technology Device (MTD) Project, the SiS630 family is the worldwide first chipset that can use the DiskOnChip Millennium to implement LinuxBIOS. Traditionally, an embedded system needs two seperate flash devices, a Boot ROM holding the system initialization code, and a Flash disk for storing user’s data. The DiskOnChip Millennium combines both in one package and provides an Initail Program Loader (IPL) area of only 512 bytes in size. Among all project players, SiS first identifies necessary IPL code and thus successfully minimizes it to 512 bytes in size. “SiS is now our “Benchmark” machine, in that we test all changes on it first”, adapted from the LinuxBIOS Project home page http://www.linuxbios.org . SiS joined the LinuxBIOS Project this year and has been recognized as the major contributor. SiS is the largest logic IC product company in Taiwan. Founded in 1987, it is located in the Science-based Industrial Park in Hsinchu, northern Taiwan. The company focuses on leading edge logic products for the mainstream PC market, including core logic, multimedia, and connectivity. SiS web site can be found at http://www.sis.com.tw/ .

INSTITUTES LICENSE IDEA PREDICTIVE MODELS

San Diego, CALIF. — Trega Biosciences, Inc. announced that Janssen Research Foundation (JRF) and The R.W. Johnson Pharmaceutical Research Institute (PRI), members of the Johnson & Johnson family of companies, have licensed the first two modules of Trega’s iDEA predictive models – absorption and metabolism. The iDEA models are designed to simulate in the computer (in silico) how new drug candidates are processed in the body. Trega has granted JRF and PRI a multi-year worldwide license to the iDEA absorption and metabolism modules, including all upgrades and enhancements. JRF and PRI will collaborate with Trega to further enhance the predictive capabilities of iDEA. This license expands Trega’s existing relationship with PRI, which was an original member of the consortium of companies that contributed to the development of the initial iDEA absorption module. “We welcome the expansion of our relationship with PRI and the addition of JRF,” said Michael G. Grey, Trega’s President and CEO. “In silico testing, which provides pharmaceutical companies with a method to predict bioavailability without using animal testing models, is gaining momentum. With this deal, seven of the world’s top tier pharmaceutical companies have accessed iDEA through multi-year or initial licenses.”

By year-end 2000, Trega expects that both the absorption and metabolism iDEA modules will be available via a company’s intranet, which will allow unlimited access to the modules worldwide. This will give an entire organization immediate access to the latest available software versions of the iDEA modules, enabling consistent use of the iDEA models to predict bioavailability throughout the drug discovery and development effort. Trega developed the absorption module of the iDEA predictive model, an acronym for “In Vitro Determination for the Estimation of ADME” (absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion), with input from a consortium of pharmaceutical companies. The iDEA absorption module was constructed to simulate the physiological process of drug absorption, and incorporates human physiological parameters. The model is based on information from a proprietary database of in vitro and human in vivo pharmacokinetic data for selected drugs and drug candidates, including many that failed in the development process. This set of compounds is unique in that it represents a diverse set of drug properties. Trega plans to introduce a metabolism module commercially and intends to develop additional modules that will enable the complete prediction of bioavailability. For additional information on Trega, please visit http://www.trega.com .

TURBOLINUX CLUSTER SERVER 6 ARRIVES

San Francisco, CA — TurboLinux, Inc., the high-performance Linux company, announced general availability of its new and advanced TurboLinux Cluster Server 6. The new Cluster Server 6 has enhanced the core clustering technology to meet and exceed customer demand. Cluster Server 6 is now offered as a pure application, allowing it to be installed on top of TurboLinux Server or Red Hat. TurboLinux also continues to offer heterogeneous server clustering support for Linux, Unix, Solaris and Microsoft Windows NT/2000. “Today Linux is often found supporting important Web and network infrastructure services which absolutely must provide high performance and be highly available,” said Dan Kusnetzky, VP system software for International Data Corporation. “IT management would be well advised to consider products such as TurboLinux’s Cluster Server 6 when designing a high-performance, highly available network.” “TurboLinux has once again revolutionized the Linux clustering market by advancing upon its award-winning TurboCluster Server 4.0,” said Rok Sosic, TurboLinux CTO. “The new TurboLinux Cluster Server 6 offers a robust, secure and highly available solution at a very affordable price.”

TurboLinux’s Cluster Server 6 offers customers one of the most affordable and robust web clustering solutions on the market. The new TurboLinux application further demonstrates TurboLinux’s commitment to customers and to pioneering technology innovations within the high availability and scalability space. TurboLinux Cluster Server 6 is already deployed at sites around the world, including Birkenstock’s new online Web store, clustering the Web site behind ASP translation service Worldlingo.com, and as the clustering infrastructure for one of the largest ISPs in the Mediterannean, Planitis.Net. TurboLinux has added more than 20 new powerful features, building upon the award-winning technology of its original TurboCluster Server 4.0, honored by Linux Journal as the Best Web Solution and selected as Best Product for Enterprise Customers at the prestigious IT 2000 Sydney conference. TurboLinux developed a completely new and easy-to-use web-based administration framework, Cluster Management Console (CMC), for managing the cluster. In addition to allowing administrators to check on the status of their cluster, administrators can now view real-time graphical statistics on site, service, node performance and load. TurboLinux Cluster Server 6 also supports web farms of up to 250 clusters of unlimited nodes. To learn more about Cluster Server 6 visit http://www.turbolinux.com/products/tcs/ .

CD-ROM CONSOLIDATES CYPRESS’S DEVELOPMENT TOOLS

San Jose, CALIF. — Cypress Semiconductor announced availability of the Cypress Lab CD-ROM, consolidating development tools for its programmable logic, timing and USB ICs. Cypress now provides all of its development software in a single location, reducing overhead and simplifying development tool management for design engineers who use Cypress’s solutions. “We have found that an increasing number of design engineers are using devices from several different Cypress product portfolios, and the availability of a comprehensive development tool package simplifies system development efforts,” said Scott Harmel, senior director for corporate marketing. “Cypress is unique in the semiconductor industry as the only company to include timing, programmable logic and USB devices in its portfolio, and we believe a unified software solution will help customers reduce system design cycles.”

“The Cypress Lab CD-ROM is a collaborative product of the entire Cypress organization, transcending traditional product division lines,” said Ralph Schmitt, vice president for marketing and sales. “This project reflects the company’s recently-announced segment marketing initiative, a company-wide effort to align product portfolios with target market segments, rather than independent product line divisions. Cypress’s segment marketing initiative will take advantage of the synergy among our product portfolios as they are designed into different types of applications. Cypress Lab is a whole product solution for designers using our IP. We believe this is a starting point for more IP tool integration, supporting designers in their drive for quick time-to-market using Cypress system solutions.” More information about Cypress is accessible electronically on the company’s worldwide web site at http://www.cypress.com .

TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR PROTOTYPES CIRCUITS

New York, N.Y. — Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company announced that it is the first foundry in the industry to offer prototyping of integrated circuits in the 0.13-micron geometry. TSMC’s CyberShuttle program is already the foundry industry’s most active device-prototyping program. Among the launches set through the first half of 2001, 30 percent will be run on the 0.13 process, and another 20 percent will be targeted to TSMC’s 0.15 process. Earlier this year, TSMC became the first foundry in the industry to offer prototyping of integrated circuits in the 0.13-micron geometry, the geometry that truly enables high-performance, high-density system-on-chip designs.

With CyberShuttle, engineers can validate their designs on TSMC’s leading-edge 0.13-micron technology without committing to large-volume wafer starts. This dramatically reduces non-recurring engineering charges for small wafer-volumes, enabling fast, low-cost prototyping. Designers can also use the 0.13-micron CyberShuttle to test-market devices and multiple designs. In addition, library developers can validate their intellectual property (IP) cores. The 0.13-micron CyberShuttle launches will support prototypes across the technology family, including core, high-performance, ultra-high-speed and low-power process options. In the future CyberShuttle is expected to support all TSMC technology offerings, including logic, embedded flash and mixed signal. “Mask costs typically increase with each process generation, so it is an expensive proposition for one designer to run an entire shuttle of wafers just to validate one design,” said Mike Pawlik, vice president of corporate marketing for TSMC. “CyberShuttle is TSMC’s answer for designers who need access to the world’s most advanced semiconductor technology.” More information about TSMC is available through the World Wide Web at http://www.tsmc.com .

3WARE TO DELIVER RAID STORAGE SOLUTIONS

Mountain View, CALIF. — 3ware Inc., a pioneer of innovative storage solutions, announced a RAID solution kit for enterprise-class storage systems that feature Maxtor, high-performance DiamondMax Plus hard drives. The Ultra ATA/100 Maxtor hard drives will complement 3ware’s Escalade RAID controller to provide next-generation storage solutions to the global enterprise market. Bell Microproducts Latin America, Inc., will distribute and integrate the 3ware/Maxtor RAID solution kit to the Latin American market, providing a wide range of RAID solutions for servers and workstation environments. The kit will include 3ware’s Escalade 6000 Series RAID controllers, the fastest-growing RAID controller board in the industry, and Maxtor’s DiamondMax Plus 7200 RPM high-capacity IDE disk drives. It will provide a high-performance Ultra ATA RAID alternative to traditional SCSI RAID technologies. The combined 3ware/Maxtor RAID solution satisfies today’s Internet-intensive storage requirements to access information on demand and deliver data-rich content 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“The 3ware/Maxtor RAID solution is an ideal Ultra ATA combination for performance and capacity in enterprise environments,” said Mike Cordano, vice president of worldwide sales at Maxtor. “We continue to see increased interest in our DiamondMax Plus drives from enterprise- class customers due to the advantages of our drive capacity and IDE’s cost and simplicity. ATA solutions also satisfy today’s demand for around-the-clock accessibility to data and can take advantage of new economies of scale.” “3ware provides a key component in our global initiative to deliver best-in-class storage solutions to meet the explosive data demands of the Internet economy,” said Louis Leonardo, president of Bell Microproducts Latin America. “In tests against other RAID controllers, 3ware was the clear winner. The combination of Maxtor technologies and 3ware scalable, high-performance controllers delivers ATA RAID storage at a fraction of the cost of SCSI RAID.” “The vision to steer IDE drives into new classes of commercial applications is realized with the 3ware/Maxtor RAID solution kit,” said Beau Vrolyk, president and CEO, 3ware. “By partnering with 3ware, system builders and integrators now have high performance and reliable RAID solutions. 3ware is please to have such a prestigious partner as Bell Microproducts Latin America join the effort to bring IDE RAID to the market.” Visit http://www.bellmicro.com or http://www.3ware.com for more information.

DATARAM OFFERS MEMORY SOLUTIONS FOR IBM SERVER

Princeton, N.J. — Dataram Corporation, a leading provider of gigabyte-class memory for high-performance network servers, announces immediate availability of memory upgrades for IBM’s new e(logo)server pSeries 640 (7026-B80). Dataram is offering memory in capacities of 256MB, 512MB, and 1GB. All products consist of two ECC SDRAM modules that were developed and tested for the reliability and high memory bus bandwidth required by these servers. These upgrades come with an installation manual, lifetime warranty, and toll-free technical support. The IBM pSeries 640 is a SMP server that supports up to four copper-based Power3-II processors running at 375MHz. The systems come with a base memory capacity of 256MB and can be extended to a full 16GB with Dataram memory for faster performance.

“Dataram will continue to aggressively develop and market high-performance memory upgrades for IBM users”, states Jeff Goldenbaum, Dataram’s Product Manager. “Our focus on these types of products allows us to react quickly and offer solutions to our customers when they need it.” Dataram Corporation is a leading provider of gigabyte memory for workstations and network servers, specializing in the manufacture of large-capacity memory products for Compaq/Digital, HP, IBM, Intel, SGI and Sun computers. The company serves users in diverse industries as financial services, internet service providers, aerospace, petroleum, graphics, automotive, telecommunications, utilities and education.

QUANTUM LAUNCHES FASTEST 18 GB PER PLATTER DRIVE

San Diego, CALIF. — Quantum Corporation’s Hard Disk Drive Group announced the Atlas 10K III disk drive for high performance workstations, enterprise servers and storage subsystems. Improving upon the industry-leading performance and proven reliability of the Atlas 10K II, the Atlas 10K III has the highest per platter capacity in the industry at 18 GB per platter as well as acoustic levels comparable to 7200 RPM drives. The Atlas 10K III offers customers the options of the latest Ultra 320 interface or the enhanced Ultra 160 interface. Both of these interfaces provide significant improvements including Packetization and Quick Arbitrate & Select features. With a seek time of 4.5ms and a 73.4 GB capacity, the Atlas 10K III is optimized for engineering and scientific support, digital content creation, workgroup, e-commerce and appliance server applications. “By launching Atlas 10K III, we are taking a leadership position in driving the adoption of 10,000 RPM drives in the mainstream high-end storage market,” said John Joseph, vice president of marketing for Quantum’s high-end storage division. “The Atlas 10K III outperforms the industry’s current 10,000 RPM champion, the Atlas 10K II, and solidifies Quantum’s product superiority. It not only doubles the capacity per platter over the previous generation, but also offers the most advanced Ultra 320 interface at exceptional acoustic levels.”

The Atlas 10K III combines the key drive features and firmware of its previous generation award-winning Atlas drives and is intended to provide a compelling product transition path for both its 7200 RPM and 10,000 RPM customers. “Quantum takes an aggressive approach to addressing the large and expanding 10,000 RPM market,” commented Dave Reinsel, senior research analyst at IDC. “At 18 GB per platter, the Atlas 10K III has an impressive combination of performance and reliability features and is a compelling offering to both the entry-level server market and midrange enterprise-level segment.” With the highest capacity per platter, the Atlas 10K III drive provides required capacities with fewer parts, greater reliability, lower power consumption, better acoustics, lower cost per megabyte and better performance. It delivers a sustained data throughput rate of 54 MB/sec and an 8 MB cache buffer. It also comes equipped with Quantum-developed Quiet Drive Technology (QDT), Data Protection System (DPS) and Shock Protection System III (SPS III). The Atlas 10K III is intended for a diverse range of applications including file, print and e-mail servers, engineering and graphics workstations, data warehousing and gaming systems.

PLASMON ANNOUNCES SHIPPING FOR TAPE LIBRARIES

Minneapolis, MINN. — Plasmon has begun shipping the first in its new line of LTO Ultrium tape libraries, the company announced today. The first of Plasmon’s LTO Ultrium tape automation products to ship will be a ten-cartridge autoloader model. Priced starting at under $13,000, the single-drive Autoloader is designed as an easy-to-use, flexible data backup solution with options for barcode and remote diagnostics. In addition, with high native capacity (100 GB per cartridge) and fast data transfer rates of 15 MB/s native, the new Plasmon LTO 10.1 is targeted toward back-up and restore applications for small and medium-sized businesses as well as government agencies that require both speed and capacity. “The new Plasmon LTO 10.1 Autoloader and LTO Ultrium tape library series further positions Plasmon as offering the broadest range of removable storage automation products in the industry. The automation contained in these new libraries will also set Plasmon apart from the rest in terms of performance,” said Rob McPherson, president of Plasmon IDE.

“IBM is extremely pleased to be able to partner with Plasmon to provide their customers with a tape storage solution that will continue to meet their needs today and in the future,” says Bill Sharrio, worldwide OEM sales manager, Storage Technology Division, IBM Corporation. “We are very familiar with Plasmon’s expertise in both the optical and tape automation markets and we are confident that Plasmon’s LTO Ultrium automation offerings will expand the midrange tape market.” Kelly Scharf, director of product marketing for Plasmon explained, “With high capacity, low cost, and the flexible open format architecture of LTO Ultrium, the Plasmon LTO 10.1 Autoloader and other Plasmon LTO Ultrium series models are suited for NAS and SAN installations as well as traditional backup situations.” Plasmon plans to ship a complete line of field-tested LTO Ultrium-based automation products later this year. The series will offer a broad range of LTO Ultrium libraries from the entry-level AutoLoader to an enterprise class library with more than 50 TB of native storage. Future tape automation products from Plasmon will integrate other popular tape technologies. Visit http://www.plasmon.com for more information.

STOREAGE LAUNCHES SAN VOLUME MANAGEMENT APPLIANCE

Haifa, ISRAEL — StoreAge Networking Technologies, a leader in the key field of Storage Area Network (SAN) Virtualization, announced European launch of its SAN Volume Manager (SVM) Appliance will be featured in upcoming Fibre Channel Conference October 17-18 at the Paragon Hotel in Earls Court in London. Collaborating with the leading UK storage distributor, Ideal Hardware Limited, StoreAge will demonstrate SAN virtualization in heterogeneous environment. “We are pleased to join forces with a reputable organization such as Ideal” said Dani Naor, StoreAge’s Director of Business Development. “Potential customers will be able to see how easy it is use our SVM appliance to organize SAN storage into stripe sets, storage pools, and volumes, which can be assigned to servers and mission-critical applications based on business needs, and then grow as their needs grow. Using our storage virtualization technology makes it really possible to maximize the use of expensive storage resources”.

“We selected StoreAge as it illustrates the dramatic enhancements now available in storage virtualization,” said Ian Lockhart, Enterprise Business Development Manager at Ideal Hardware. “Virtualization is a major component of any practical SAN deployment as it offers powerful answers to storage allocation, growth and control issues and StoreAge’s SVM Appliance provides this functionality for our customers”. The SVM is a SAN Appliance that provides virtual volume management in a heterogeneous environment with servers and storage from multiple vendors. The SVM features physical device monitoring, volume definitions, and virtual storage allocations for all servers and storage connected to the Fibre Channel loop or fabric. This innovative SAN management appliance provides a common GUI through which storage is virtualized and selectively presented to users in a flexible way with a high degree of granularity. Unlike competing solutions, the SVM does not impose any performance penalty on data traffic on the SAN.

CETIA ANNOUNCES SIGNAL PROCESSING SOLUTIONS

Raleigh, N.C. — Cetia, the leading supplier of COTS-based VMEbus hardware and software solutions for real-time systems, announced the VxG4a series – the newest addition to its PowerPC-based family of products. Available in dual or quad processor configurations designed for a single VME 6U slot, the COTS-based VxG4a boasts two or four PowerPC 7400 processors (G4) at 400 MHz. With an optimized memory architecture and two PCI busses, the VxG4a offers the bandwidth necessary to take full advantage of the Altivec Vector unit of the G4 processors in compute intensive applications like radar and sonar. The VxG4a series comes equipped with Cetia’s own proven supervision toolkit, the Powerline4, which provides all the necessary functionality to build high-end data or signal processing systems based on COTS hardware and software. Targeted at defense, aerospace and industrial applications, the VxG4a sets a new price/performance standard for Signal Processing solutions, offering the highest level of integration. Future versions of the product will also be available using “The Ruggedizer”, a Cetia proven technology to meet the requirements for harsh environments.

To take full advantage of its multi-CPU support, the VxG4a architecture implements several new concepts. Through the use of an IBM CPC710 bridge chip, called Avignon, data can be exchanged via two PCI busses. The Avignon crossbar supports an aggregated bandwidth of 2.6 gigabytes/sec for inter-node communication. The memory sub-system is optimized to support the quadG4 architecture. In addition to an L1 cache of 64KB and an L2 cache of 2MB per processor running at 1.6 GB/s each, the multiprocessor node is built around a dedicated Fast SDRAM array of 128 MB available on the PowerPC bus. This approach boosts the inter-processor communication on the board to 850 MB/s sustained and 1.064 GB/s peak. Managed by the Avignon chip, this memory is the key factor needed to accelerate Signal Processing algorithms while increasing the effective memory bandwidth. Additionally, there is a main memory of up to 1GB, organized in a fast double bank of SDRAM, which offers 1.064 GB/s peak and 530 MB/s, sustained throughput. The dual PCI bus configuration is ideal to sustain concurrent input and output throughputs: the PCI32 at 33MHz is ideal for data acquisition up to 132 MB/s, and the second PCI64 at 66MHz is specially devoted to intense inter-board communication up to 528 MB/s peak. The Powerline4 supervision toolkit supports the standard COTS operating systems of LynxOS by LynuxWorks and VxWorks by Wind River Systems. With one operating system per CPU, the user can build versatile configurations that match the most demanding algorithms when using standard C or C++ CASE tools. In addition, PowerLine4 provides the required interfaces with multiprocessor debugging tools.

SOLIDWORKS ANNOUNCES THE 2000 LAB PACK

Concord, MASS. — SolidWorks Corporation, a leading provider of affordable, easy-to-use 3D CAD software for the mainstream market, announced the availability of the new SolidWorks 2000 Lab Pack for educators. The Lab Pack is a complete design package developed specifically for instructors who use Microsoft Windows applications in their engineering classrooms and computer labs. The Lab Pack provides all the necessary components to teach state-of-the-art 3D design including: 10 licenses of SolidWorks 2000 software, a Windows-based solid modeling solution; 10 licenses of PhotoWorks, photorealistic rendering software, and 10 licenses of SolidWorks Animator, an integrated animation tool. The SolidWorks Lab Pack also includes one-year of SolidWorks Subscription Service, which provides comprehensive product support throughout the subscription period. A “Getting Started with SolidWorks 2000” book, a SolidWorks 2000 Teacher Guide, 10 copies of the SolidWorks 2000 Student Workbook, and 10 SolidWorks mouse pads are also included. Written by educators for educators, the SolidWorks 2000 Teacher Guide provides a complete syllabus, comprehensive eight-week lesson plan, quizzes and homework assignments, learning exercises, reproducible study sheets, assessment plans, and correlations to algebra and geometry curricula.

“For years, teachers have struggled to integrate difficult and expensive CAD software into their curriculum with limited results,” said Rosanne Kramer, manager of Worldwide Education Markets for SolidWorks Corporation. “The SolidWorks 2000 Lab Pack makes it easy to incorporate CAD software into the classroom while providing an exciting, affordable way for both teachers and students to explore the world of 3D design. SolidWorks’ rapid learning curve and robust functionality enable students to design incredibly complex, realistic models. The SolidWorks 2000 Teacher Guide makes it easy for teachers to provide step-by-step instructions to students at their own pace, with complete ancillary resource materials ready and available.” SolidWorks Corporation, a Dassault Systemes S.A. company, develops and markets mechanical design software solutions. Founded in 1993, SolidWorks mission is to deliver the power of 3D to everybody in design and manufacturing. For the latest news, information, or a live online demonstration, visit the company’s Web site http://www.solidworks.com .

INTELLIJ SOFTWARE PRESENTS JAVA CODE SEARCH TOOL

Prague, CZECH REPUBLIC — IntelliJ Software, an innovative company producing intelligent tools for the Java platform, announced general availability of their advanced code search tool IntelliJ CodeSearch. IntelliJ CodeSearch is an add-in to Borland JBuilder, performing intelligent code searches and helping teams maximize productivity and reduce the time to deliver complex object-oriented applications. The product release is another move of the company in the direction of becoming a leader in code refactoring support for building small to enterprise-sized applications.

IntelliJ CodeSearch adds a great value to the leading Java development environment by providing quick Java-oriented search capabilities that allow finding different kinds of usages of any program element. For example, one can find all places where a particular method is called from or find all classes implementing a particular interface, and much more. The abilities appear to be extremely helpful in everyday development of projects of any size, from small to enterprise-wide. IntelliJ CodeSearch on the Web: http://www.intellij.com/products/codesearch/ . IntelliJ Software is a young and innovative company based in Prague, Czech Republic, producing intelligent development and refactoring tools for the Java platform. The company is known for its industry-leading Java code refactoring tool IntelliJ Renamer available on the Web at http://www.intellij.com/products/renamer/ . To learn more, visit IntelliJ Software at http://www.intellij.com/ .

CONNEX OFFERS FREE TRIAL OF SANAVIGATOR

San Jose, CALIF. — Connex, a developer of Storage Area Network (SAN) and Network Attached Storage (NAS) solutions, today announced that a free trial of its SANavigator software – the simple, safe and scalable solution for managing complex storage networks – is now available for download directly from http://www.sanavigator.com . After completing a registration form and downloading the software, users will have access to SANavigator’s powerful, coherent and easy-to-use graphical user interface designed and specifically developed for enterprise storage management. SANavigator automatically discovers every device attached to a storage network, including both SAN and NAS resources. The SANmap component of SANavigator then presents an intuitive visual map of the SAN showing all devices and their interconnections. This visual map makes it an easy task for an IT manager to review and analyze port utilization and both physical and logical data paths. The user can then simply select any mapped device to create or modify the data path, allowing a manager to establish new data path zoning, create redundant paths and other management routines, completing with just a few mouse clicks a process that previously took several hours. Device-specific control software can be launched simply by clicking the device icon.

SANmap provides a real-time display of the entire SAN topology. As new devices are added to the SAN, they show up automatically in the display with no changes required to the software or configurations. Network managers gain immediate access to all properties of the new device. “This free 30-day trial gives potential SANavigator users the ability to try the software in their own environment, and to better understand our innovative approach to simplifying heterogeneous SAN management,” said Robert Wright, Connex Vice President of Software Engineering. “After seeing how simply and easily SANavigator integrates into their current storage architecture, dramatically reducing the effort and complexity of storage network management, we are confident that they will want to continue enjoying SANavigator’s benefits long after their trial period has ended.” Visitors to the SANavigator web site can click on the “Download SANavigator Now” button located on the home page. After filling out the online registration form, an email will be sent to the user with a license key. They can then download SANavigator to their system, expand it and begin better managing their storage networks. Specific instructions for Windows, UNIX or Linux installations are available on the web site and in the SANavigator ZIP file. Documentation is provided in the form of a PDF quick start guide for Windows or a README text file for UNIX and Linux systems.

IMATION LAUNCHES BLACK WATCH T9940 TAPE CARTRIDGE

Oakdale, MINN. — Imation Corp. announced the availability of Imation Black Watch T9940 half-inch tape cartridges for use in StorageTek’s T9940 tape drives. The new capacity-centric 9940 system is designed for data-intensive applications such as archive, backup and disaster recovery. Capacity: With up to 60 GB native capacity (typically with compression the capacity will range from 120 to 240 GB, or more), 9940 provides high capacity tape storage for high performance, enterprise storage systems.

“The 9940 drive and media provides a compelling combination of capacity, performance, reliability and cost-effectiveness,” said Steve Ladwig, president of Imation Data Storage and Information Management. “The 9940 combines the technologies and performance of StorageTek’s proven 9840 drive platform in the 1/2″ media form factor to provide enhanced capacity and performance. The 9940 promises to continue to expand the capabilities of tape storage, meeting the ever-growing demands of end users.” “The new T9940 is the most effective mass storage solution for the enterprise environment,” said Roger Archibald, StorageTek vice president and general manager, Enterprise Business Group. “With Imation tapes and StorageTek tape technology, we are providing customers with solutions to optimize their hardware investments and save floor space.” “Many enterprises that use StorageTek tape drives and tape libraries will want to take advantage of the enterprise-grade reliability, performance and capacity of StorageTek’s new 9940 tape drives,” said David Hill, research director of the Aberdeen Group. “These enterprises will find Imation Black Watch 9940 tape cartridges attractive as the media to feed those drives.”

SUSE LINUX BRINGS OPEN SOURCE TO KOREAN MARKETS

Seoul, KOREA — SuSE Linux, an international technology leader and solution provider in Open Source (OS) operating system software announced a joint venture with, Information Network Center (INC) Co., Ltd., a South Korean IT Company. Together, they are launching SuSE Linux Korea Co. Ltd. based in Seoul, Korea. With the new joint venture, SuSE extends its Open Source Initiatives and development and sales activities deeper into the Asian market. “The Korean IT-industry has grown very rapidly,” said Dirk Hohndel, CTO of SuSE Linux AG. “With INC as our partner, a well-established and thoroughly appreciated company within the growing high-tech center of Seoul, we are ready to deliver high-quality Linux and open source applications to our customers in Korea.”

Since its foundation in 1998, Information Network Center Co. Ltd. has successfully established itself as an IT Publishing House. Their “Linux Magazine” is a well-respected, high-quality publication and is the only printed magazine specifying Linux and Unix in the Korean market. INC Ltd. has built up a wide distribution network and contributes extensively to the Korean fonts development according to Korean standards. “The time has come for Linux in Asia,” adds Yong-Chul Yoon, CEO of SuSE Linux Korea Co., Ltd. “We are entering the Korean Linux market with a powerful partners in SuSE. With its truly cross platform Linux distribution, SuSE has taken a decisive step towards enhancing Linux as a relevant server operating system in the business space. SuSE Linux Korea Co., Ltd will not only focus on sales, but also soon provide training and certification for the Korean market.” The new SuSE Linux 6.4k offers on 6 CD-ROMs more than 1500 applications including HancomWordR5, a professional word processor and most widely used program in Korea. The complete package includes a comprehensive handbook in Korean Hangul fonts and 60 days of free installation support. SuSE Linux Korea Co., Ltd can be contacted at http://www.susekorea.net .

POWERQUEST PRESENTS SERVERMAGIC 4.0 FOR WINDOWS

Orem, UTAH — PowerQuest Corporation, a provider of proven solutions for storage management, announces the release of ServerMagic 4.0 for Windows NT, the newest version of the company’s software solution to simplify server storage management and server deployment. Version 4.0 adds support for Windows NT and Windows 2000 volume sets, including the ability to check, format, delete, resize or copy volume sets. IT professionals can also create, format, copy, move and delete partitions to or from a remote server using across-the-wire functionality. ServerMagic allows network administrators to reduce the amount of time required to manage and maintain server storage while increasing data security. Version 4.0 also includes improved scripting capability from an enhanced GUI interface, enabling users to easily create scripts.

“Our customers who use Windows NT Servers have indicated the ability to manipulate Windows NT volume sets is critical to managing their complex server storage needs,” said Anne Vincenti, director of product marketing, PowerQuest Corporation. “With the latest version of ServerMagic for Windows NT, we deliver to those customer needs, allowing network administrators to leverage and extend the investment they have already made.” With enterprises demanding a fast, inexpensive solution for setting up servers and upgrading existing servers, ServerMagic 4.0 for Windows NT minimizes system downtime and reduces the overall cost of network ownership and administration. Typically, administrators spend hours, and sometimes days, deploying and reconfiguring servers. Network administrators upgrading a server, for example, have to back up the data on the old hard drive, install and configure the new hardware and restore the data to the new drive. With ServerMagic 4.0 for Windows NT, an administrator can shrink one partition or volume and enlarge another without ever having to perform a risky and time- consuming backup and restore process. “ServerMagic 4.0 for Windows NT is a very powerful set of utilities for system administrators; a must-have,” said Steve Herrick, president of SBH Associates, a venture capital firm located in Menlo Park, Calif. “It’s hard to believe there is so much functionality in the product. If you don’t have ServerMagic when you need it, the cost to your users is far greater than the cost of the product.”

NETGENICS GENE EXPRESSION DATAMART RETRIEVES DATA

Cleveland, OHIO — NetGenics Inc. will feature its NetGenics Gene Expression DataMart at IBC’s Chips to Hits Conference, November 6-9, 2000, in Philadelphia. NetGenics Gene Expression DataMart is a high-performance data repository that cleans, normalizes and integrates gene expression data from any combination of sources, including oligo-array, spotted-array, RT-PCR, Taq-Man(R) and many others. Employing a multi-dimensional data model, NetGenics Gene Expression DataMart expedites queries of multiple, disparate databases, returning results in seconds versus hours or days compared to other methods. Using an “Extraction-Transformation-Load” (ETL) paradigm borrowed from data warehousing, gene expression data is “published” into a single repository, normalizing diverse data and optimizing it for browsing and easy access. This integrated approach allows scientists to ask broad scientific questions across the various types of expression data owned or licensed by their organization.

In contrast with the “wrappered” approach to database integration, where information retrieval is slowed by the need to merge multiple queries and query results, NetGenics Gene Expression DataMart provides immediate access to requested data with a single query. Original data sources are not modified in any way, and if any of those data sources goes offline, the NetGenics Gene Expression DataMart remains accessible. “The ability to access clean data is an enormous advantage for the user, since errors in identification, classification, spelling, and vocabulary conformation can severely hinder the discovery process,” stated Richard Resnick, NetGenics Director of Database Development. “NetGenics Gene Expression DataMart frees scientists to focus on science versus data integrity.” NetGenics Gene Expression DataMart is component-based and will integrate with future domain-centric NetGenics DataMart solutions as they become available.

CYNAPPS ADDS CYN++ TO OPEN-SOURCE TOOLBOX

Santa Clara, CALIF. — CynApps, a methodology leader in C/C++ based design and verification, added to the EDA community’s open-source toolbox by making its Cyn++ macro preprocessor available under an open-source license at http://www.cynapps.com . Cyn++ simplifies the job of describing hardware in C++ for those used to working with Verilog and VHDL. Designers can now freely download the company’s original open source offering, the Cynlib C++ class library for design and verification, and Cyn++ on the CynApps Web site. Cyn++, a bridge between traditional HDLs and C++, enables HDL designers to code in a syntax similar to that of Verilog or VHDL and still take advantage of the higher-level features of C/C++. The preprocessor’s output is standard Cynlib/C++, but this is transparent to the logic designer since the simulation and debugging environment is related directly to the Cyn++ code.

“Cyn++ substantially lowers the barrier to writing hardware models in C++, making it unique in the high-level language arena,” said Dr. John Sanguinetti, president of CynApps. “We have been demonstrating it at trade shows for the past year, and virtually everyone who’s tried it can go from Verilog to C++ effortlessly. Cyn++ is a perfect complement to Cynlib, so making it available under an open-source license is a natural thing to do.” The majority of system architects and software engineers already use C/C++ for their system modeling and software programs, although they are generally unfamiliar with hardware design at the register-transfer level. Logic designers can benefit from using C++ with a class library such as Cynlib because it provides a higher level of abstraction than VHDL or Verilog as well as a platform for enterprise-wide, free simulation. CynApps offers a complete unified design and verification environment using Cynlib/C++ that has evolved from a standard HDL design flow. Since announcing availability of its Cynlib open-source C++ hardware design library and simulator last year, thousands of engineers worldwide have downloaded the software. Additional momentum is clearly demonstrated by the fact that dozens of companies, including the biggest names in EDA, IP, semiconductors, and systems design, have now endorsed C++ as the only viable, next-generation design language.

SIMPLE TECHNOLOGY ADDS HIGH-DENSITY FLASH DRIVES

Santa Ana, CALIF. — Simple Technology, Inc., a manufacturer of standard and custom memory solutions, announced a high-density line of solid-state IDE Flash Drive with capacities up to 8Gbytes. The Flash Drives are available in 2Gbytes and 3Gbytes capacities in the standard 2.5-inch or 3.5-inch form factors. They consist of an array of flash memory devices and a custom IDE controller that supports the standard ATA register and command set. Simple Technology has developed a special controller to enable faster data transfer speeds and increased capacity to 8Gbytes in custom form factors. “These IDE Flash Drives provide full IDE compatibility and are ideal replacements for traditional magnetic IDE hard disk drives for applications that require long-term reliability, data integrity, and longevity,” said Mark Moshayedi, COO, Simple Technology. Solid-state Flash Drive mass storage systems are designed for applications that require virtually no down time, as well as harsh environments where shock, vibration, and temperature are at extremes. Simple Technology’s high-density line of Flash Drives are targeted for use in telecommunications and networking equipment, industrial control systems, in-flight data recorders on airlines, embedded systems, and other applications including avionics and test equipment.

Simple Technology’s 2.5-inch and 3.5-inch IDE Flash Drives are available in 2Gbytes and 3Gbytes configurations, with write speeds of 3.0 Mbytes/sec. Additional information is available on the Simple Technology’s OEM division, SiliconTech’s web site: http://www.silicontech.com . The high-density Flash Drive product line is currently available through Simple Technology and its OEM division, SiliconTech. Other Flash products include Flash Drives ranging in capacity from 32Mbytes-1Gbyte, Flash Disk Modules ranging in capacity from 32Mbytes-1Gbyte, ATA Flash Cards ranging in capacity from 32Mbytes-1Gbyte, Compact Flash Cards ranging from 8Mbytes-320Mbytes capacities, Linear Flash Cards from 512Kbytes-64Mbytes, and also Linear Flash Modules ranging in density from 2 Mbytes-128Mbytes. Simple Technology’s 2.5-inch and 3.5-inch IDE Flash Drives are now available through Simple Technology and its OEM division, SiliconTech. Prices for the 2Gbytes and 3Gbytes IDE flash drives are $4000 and $6000, respectively, in 100 unit quantities. Simple Technology is an independent provider of standard and custom memory solutions, with products based on dynamic random access memory, or DRAM, static random access memory, or SRAM and Flash memory technologies, such as CompactFlash. The company designs, manufactures, and markets a comprehensive line of over 2,500 memory and storage products, as well as connectivity products that connect memory cards and hard drive upgrade kits to PCs.

FCIA ANNOUNCES 10GB FIBRE CHANNEL

San Francisco, CALIF. — The Fibre Channel Industry Association (FCIA) announced that the 10GFC (10 Gigabit Fibre Channel) working group has completed the core content of its proposed 10GFC standard, which was started in August of 1999 under the direction of the ANSI/NCITS T11 technical committee. “The completion of the 10GFC core content, which includes multiple technology roadmaps, leverages the work done by the IEEE P802.3ae Task Force and shares a common link architecture and components with Ethernet and InfiniBand,” states FCIA Chairman Skip Jones. “We are on schedule and the final standard to provide 10GFC links to the installed base of Fibre Channel implementations as well are expected to be ready in early 2002.” The core content of the proposed 10Gbit Fibre Channel standard includes all of the logic elements, roadmaps and media access for single and multi-mode fiber-based LAN and WAN physical layer devices which support media and corresponding link distances from 15m up to over 10km. 10GFC will support MAN and WAN transports through direct support for native dark fiber (DWDM) and SONET/SDH resulting in high-speed interconnection of SAN islands through MAN and WAN. This enables applications such as geographically distributed clusters for disaster tolerance and storage virtualization. While preserving the Fibre Channel frame format and size, therefore providing full backward compatibility with existing standards, the draft also addresses support of media selected from ISO/IEC 11801 and of a data/payload rate of approximately 10Gbps. The core content’s roadmap addresses speed and feeds, protocol, fabric services, management, security and technology. In addition, the content draft provides information for various interfaces, including disk drive physical interface, removable small form factor connector and transceivers.

The 10Gbit Fibre Channel standard takes into account compatibility for investments made in today’s 1 and 2 Gigabit Fibre Channel implementations, sharing the same common link services and specifications. Also, users will only have to be concerned with one physical infrastructure for multiple network applications. Just like Fibre Channel and Ethernet today share the same optical 1Gbit spec, cables, and transceiver infrastructure – Fibre Channel, Infiniband, and Ethernet will all share the same physical transmission infrastructure. “Fibre Channel, Ethernet and InfiniBand will use the same 10Gbit physical layer technology – same cable, connectors and optical transceivers,” adds Jones. “The industry will enjoy great economies of scale since they will only need to cultivate one physical technology for all three network applications – the benefit to the IT and network administrators are that they need to deploy only one type of cable plant.” Visit http://www.fibrechannel.org for more information.

AXIS INTRODUCES LOW-COST NAS WORKGROUP SERVER

Chelmsford, MASS. — Axis Communications announced the addition of a new Network Attached Storage (NAS) server to their product family, providing multi-protocol support and at a price point suitable for entry-level and work group applications. AXIS StorPoint NAS 100 IDE takes advantage of low cost IDE drives, while providing a flexible architecture that allows system integrators to offer solutions with up to eight drives. Native support for NetWare, NT and Unix environments, combined with the ability to add additional drives, makes this new offering considerably more powerful and versatile than existing entry-level NAS servers. Easy to install and manage, there is virtually no learning curve for administrators, who are supported with advanced tools and a Web-based management interface. “Axis has raised the bar with the tremendous flexibility we have built into the AXIS StorPoint NAS 100 IDE,” said Axis Communications Product Marketing Manager Dominic Bruning. “Four IDE ports can accommodate as many as eight IDE hard disk drives, comfortably adding up to 200 GB of storage. The server grows with the customer’s needs, addressing a major shortfall with existing low-end offerings. Additional hard drives can easily be added by the end user, a far less expensive and more manageable alternative than adding additional single drive NAS devices to the network.”

Bruning said AXIS StorPoint NAS 100 IDE is suitable for a wide range of applications, such as project storage, remote office operations, backup for laptop and desktop data and other short term storage needs. “There is a great need for education about this emerging market, as we believe much of the target customer base is not yet aware of what these kind of NAS products could offer,” Bruning said. IDC projects significant market growth, particularly to support work groups, one of the primary AXIS targets. IDC pegs global revenue last year at $850 million and anticipates revenue of $6.7 billion by 2003. “This new offering builds on Axis’ years of proven experience in delivering Storage servers,” said Luca Loria, president of Litco Systems. “Easy installation, remote management via a Web browser and multi-protocol support makes this an excellent choice for environments where installing a file server is an expensive proposition. Our customers now have a low cost storage solution that is ideally suited for satellite offices, work groups and small businesses.” Information about Axis can be found at http://www.axis.com .

BUZZEO ANNOUNCES RELEASE OF CORBA COMPONENT WIZARD

Scottsdale, ARIZ. — Buzzeo, a leading builder of Web-based development tools and distributed applications built to run on the Internet, Wednesday announced that CORBA programming will get much simpler with the release of ZEO CORBA Component Wizard (ZCCW). Buzzeo’s new development tool automatically generates CORBA’s complex IDL (Interface Definition Language) code after stepping developers through the specification of a CORBA component’s interface. “Development of Internet-based applications for e-business is soaring,” said Robert DeAnna, Buzzeo’s vice president of ZEOLogic Architecture, “and more of those projects are using CORBA standards to ensure interoperability between a wide variety of operating platforms and the Web.”

DeAnna explained that Buzzeo’s new CORBA wizard offers developers solutions to two of the major challenges they face. “Time-to-market is a critical issue in the development of Internet applications,” DeAnna said, “and the skill set required by these developers is already incredibly high. Having to learn CORBA sets the bar even higher. Our CORBA Wizard helps developers meet these challenges: First, as does any good wizard, ZCCW decreases development time. Second, it hides the complexity of CORBA IDL programming by automatically generating the code required to build CORBA components.” Buzzeo is introducing and demonstrating the ZEO CORBA Component Wizard at this year’s OOPSLA Conference (Object-Oriented Programming, Systems, Languages, and Applications) at the Minneapolis Convention Center, October 15 through 19. The ZEO CORBA Component Wizard will be available for download soon from Buzzeo’s Web site, http://www.buzzeo.com .

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