McData lends HDS a hand in iSCSI SME push

Hitachi Data Systems is partnering with storage networking system provider McData to offer small and medium-sized enterprises iSCSI connectivity.

HDS enlisted McData's help in its quest to offer a lower cost alternative to Fibre Channel SANs, by bundling the Hitachi Thunder 9570V modular storage system with McData's Eclipse 1620 SAN internetworking switch, and enablement services.

"The Hitachi TrueNorth iSCSI SAN Solution reinforces our strategy of providing a range of connectivity options that address customers' needs for performance and availability at an affordable price," said Scott Genereux, Vice President, Global Marketing and Business Development, HDS. "Our new iSCSI solution provides an alternative for customers who have been priced out of the SAN market by the high cost of Fibre Channel. Our partnership with McData has enabled us to bring this solution to market quickly with a combination of products and services that allows customers to rapidly and cost-effectively achieve the benefits of networked storage."

"As the need for access to information continues to grow, McData is committed to providing best-of-breed reliable solutions through partnerships with industry leaders," said Mike Gustafson, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing, McData. "iSCSI allows customers to realise the benefits of a SAN at a lower entry cost."

The iSCSI SAN Solution is the first offering available as part of Hitachi Data Systems' iSCSI strategy, with the company expecting to announce additional iSCSI offerings next year.

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