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Heightened Performance and Efficiencies
In today's competitive markets, anything an organization can do to speed information access and secure critical data can mean the difference between success and failure. Storage area networks (SANs) are proven to be up to the task. Optimal data storage and management solutions bring not only performance improvements but also operational and resource efficiencies. Network Appliance offers a comprehensive SAN solution-composed of hardware, software, and services-that enables any organization to easily consolidate data storage from dispersed systems into a single, highly performing storage pool to improve data availability and application uptime, enable comprehensive data protection, simplify infrastructure and management, and maximize existing investments and resources. Plus, because the NetApp solution is based on standard Internet protocol (IP) technologies, every enterprise is in a position to reap the benefits.

Dispersed Storage Impacts Operations
Business value centers on information; it is the lifeblood of any organization. Staff depend on proper information flow to communicate and conduct transactions; executives expect information security to protect intellectual property and respond to regulatory requirements. Consequently, the ability to easily access, migrate, protect, and store data is an absolute necessity. Despite the most heroic of efforts, many IT administrators cannot effectively distribute, manage, or protect data still residing in direct-attached storage (DAS). In today's fast-paced and demanding business environment, enterprises with scattered, disconnected application servers and data storage unnecessarily reduce productivity and increase vulnerability. As application data volumes continue to grow and data storage regulatory requirements increase, DAS problems are compounded. Networked storage solves the DAS dilemma. Data access and availability significantly improve; operations are simplified.

Legendary NetApp Results in a SAN
NetApp offers a SAN solution rallied around prevalent and mature IP technology. With a NetApp IP SAN solution, your organization can easily and cost-effectively consolidate distributed storage resources-from both local and remote sites and of multiple system types-and then centralize their administration. The result is a unified, highly manageable enterprise storage network that improves data accessibility and availability, provides greater application uptime, delivers networked storage capabilities to all parts of the enterprise, and allows valuable staff to be more effective.

The NetApp IP SAN solution has redundant storage components and multiple redundant paths. This means your enterprise can achieve near 100% availability (99.995% field-measured availability), permitting the highest possible support for application requirements. Compared to DAS, the NetApp IP SAN solution has been proven to deliver 41% faster throughput and 63% better response time. Incorporating more enterprise data and storage into a SAN, the NetApp IP SAN solution provides multiple hosts access to a broadened, interconnected storage pool and delivers networked storage ependability, performance, and functionality to the enterprise.

An Attractive Alternative to Standard SANs
Many companies view SANs based on Fibre Channel (FC) technology as their only solution. NetApp IP SANs are an effective alternative in situations where FC SANs are unfamiliar or economically unfeasible, yet the data storage consolidation
benefits of a SAN remain attractive. The NetApp IP SAN solution delivers the competitive advantages of an FC SAN, along with the maturity, ease, functionality, and pervasiveness of SCSI, IP networking, and Ethernet technologies. With a NetApp IP SAN, your company can amplify existing skills and infrastructure, including taking advantage of IP network assets to build SANs out to the edges of the enterprise. Every NetApp IP SAN solution stands on more than a decade of IP-based storage experience. Because of this fact, you are sure to accrue the benefits of working with a knowledgeable and reliable vendor partner.

Classic NetApp Flexibility and Functionality
Because all NetApp solutions are founded on a single platform and based on industry-standard protocols, NetApp IP SAN solutions allow you to leverage existing investments - both hardware and software. The NetApp IP SAN solution is able to fully interoperate with and easily integrate into enterprise environments. Plus, every NetApp solution is capable of incorporating advanced data protection, disaster recovery, and regulatory compliance capabilities.

NetApp Solution Description
NetApp IP SAN solutions are composed of NetApp storage systems and the iSCSI protocol (also supporting NFS, CIFS, FC, and HTTP protocols), software, services, and support. The following are brief descriptions of the components of the NetApp offering:

• NetApp storage systems. Based on the NetApp appliance architecture, NetApp storage enables high availability, reliability, and business continuance across multiple platforms - Windows®, UNIX®, and Linux® - and storage architectures - NAS or SAN.
  
• iSCSI protocol. The iSCSI protocol is supported by NetApp FAS200, F800, and FAS900 series storage systems and by NetApp NearStore® R200 systems. These storage systems, along with standard Ethernet infrastructure (cables and switches) and iSCSI initiators in servers, form the foundation for the NetApp IP SAN solution.
  
• iSCSI initiators. A networked storage solution using iSCSI requires the host server to run an iSCSI initiator. This is
  analogous to an NFS client in a NAS solution or an FCP initiator in an FC SAN solution. iSCSI software initiators are available from the OS vendors for Windows, NetWare™, Linux, AIX®, and HP/UX®. Multiple iSCSI hardware initiators also are available and qualified for use with NetApp iSCSI storage systems.
  
• NetApp services and support. NetApp global service and support are intendedto ensure a successful transition from direct-attached to networked storage, reducing data storage risks during and after implementation. NetApp consultants and the NetApp network of partners can assist in the data migration process.

About Network Appliance
Network Appliance, Inc. (NetApp) is a world leader in unified storage solutions for today's data-intensive enterprise.
Since its inception in 1992, Network Appliance has pioneered technology, product, and partner firsts that continue to drive "The evolution of storage.™” NetApp storage solutions include specialized hardware, software, and services, providing seamless storage management for open network environments. Major corporations and service providers - including Citicorp Securities, Lockheed, Merrill Lynch, Oracle, Texas Instruments, and Yahoo! - utilize NetApp global data management solutions. See how NetApp can bring performance improvements and greater efficiency to your enterprise. Visit our Web site at www.netapp.com and let us show you what "The evolution of storage” can mean for your business.