NEWS BRIEFS

Redwood City, CA — Netreon(TM), Inc., a provider of enterprise integration software for networked devices, announced today that they are demonstrating directory-centric administration of Brocade-based Storage Area Networks (SAN) using Microsoft(R) Management Console (MMC), a widely deployed management tool. The Netreon application will be demonstrated on January 17, 2001, at the first annual Brocade Fabric Threads Developer Conference being held in San Jose, California.

Using switch information captured from the Fabric Access(TM), and the Brocade Application Programming Interface (API), Netreon software will allow IT departments to configure, zone and administer Brocade SilkWorm(R) Fibre Channel fabric switches in a SAN with Microsoft(R) Active Directory(TM). Applications built on this industry-first achievement will help IT managers simplify and lower the cost of SAN management through centralized administration of the SAN. The directory agent software captures information from the Brocade switch through the Fabric API and then communicates with the directory to add the Brocade switches as objects in the directory. From the directory, an administrator using MMC can configure one or many switches in the SAN fabric.

“IT departments have a strong need for management software that enables them to discover and integrate new devices and architectures into their established environments cost effectively and simply,” said Adam Au, general manager of Netreon, Inc. “With Netreon’s directory integration technology, they can leverage their established management infrastructure and expertise to administer the SAN Fabric.”

IT departments will benefit because MMC provides a familiar interface to help administrators manage switches in the Brocade SAN fabric. IT managers can use Active Directory to maintain secure control of switch configuration so that policies are maintained and not circumvented by unauthorized users. The directory can also serve as an established, secure repository of persistent data for all switches, so that once installed and turned on, the devices can receive and update their configurations and zoning information as needed from the enterprise directory server.

“Netreon’s application demonstrates that a new generation of powerful SAN-designed applications are emerging to simplify SAN management and lower the overall cost of storage environments,” said Jack Cuthbert, Brocade vice president of worldwide sales, marketing, and support services. “Netreon’s integration of SAN management with enterprise network management will enable customers to have more control than ever before. We are delighted that our Fabric Access Partners are developing such a wide array of cost effective and flexible applications to benefit customers.”

Netreon also announced today that the company has become a Brocade Fabric Access partner. Netreon’s new application takes advantage of the Brocade Fabric OS(TM), which is an intelligent operating system for Brocade-based SANs. Brocade makes the value-added features of the Fabric OS available to partners through Fabric Access, an application programming interface (API) to Fabric OS.

About Netreon

Netreon, Inc., headquartered in Redwood City, California, provides directory and management software for networked devices to integrate them into enterprise networks. Netreon’s software makes the devices more broadly available to end users and more easily controllable for system administrators. Netreon, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Peerless Systems Corporation of El Segundo, California (NASDAQ: PRLS).

Web site: http://www.netreon.com

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