Return On Data Storage Investment Headlines Content At Storage Networking World Spring 2001.

Business/Technology Editors

PALM DESERT, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 10, 2001

Users and Channel Representatives Learn Successful Deployment

Strategies and Witness Interoperability Initiatives

IDG's Computerworld and the Storage Networking Industry Association (SNIA) unveiled their unique content of keynote presentations and panels at Storage Networking World Spring 2001, held this week at the Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa in Palm Desert, Calif. The event, the world's largest storage conference, blends representatives from both the user and vendor communities in a single forum with more than 2,200 registered attendees and nearly 100 exhibitor companies. Topics addressed during the opening day included the overall growth of the storage networking industry, the importance of return on investment of global storage infrastructures and interoperability.

"The growth in the storage networking industry is astronomical. As companies struggle to get their hands around increasing amounts of data, storage has become a platform, not just a device," explained keynote speaker Gary Fox, senior vice president and director of enterprise data storage, First Union Bank. Fox recently initiated one of the largest storage area networking implementations in the country and the system now manages more than 250 terabytes of data.

"We are moving toward an era in which the intelligent management and storage of data is becoming the most strategic element of the IT infrastructure," said Greg Reyes, president and CEO, Brocade Communications Systems. "As user-companies develop and implement strategies to leverage information as a competitive advantage, Storage Networking World has become a critical event for the storage networking industry."

More than 50 press and analysts were on site at Storage Networking World to attend a series of press conferences hosted by BMC Software, Brocade, Cisco Systems and other leading storage providers.

Return on Investment = Return on Information

Conference organizers identified ROI, which now encompasses both return on investment and return on information, as a key focus for the storage networking industry. Several presentations addressed the role of storage as a primary component of overall IT strategies and budgets. Both vendors and end-users identified how and why CIOs and IT directors can save time and money with their investment in storage, and suggested strategies to maximize the benefits of existing data.

Interoperability

Storage Networking World attendees also identified interoperability as a continuing industry challenge. To manage the complexity of heterogeneous storage infrastructures, presenters encouraged vendors to work closely with end-users to develop open standards and deliver seamless interoperability across global storage networks.

"Interoperability is a key component to efficiently design, build and manage global storage networks, making the development of industry-wide standards an essential task," said Brian T. Maloney, president and CEO, AT&T Solutions, a professional services organization that designs, builds and manages global data networks. "Storage Networking World's Interoperability Lab, where more than 60 vendors collaborate in a real-life environment, is taking the lead in driving vendors toward open standards and seamless integration."

The latest conference agenda and program information are available online at www.computerworld.com/snw.

About Computerworld

Computerworld, Inc. is a complete information services company for the IT Leader community, providing print and online publications, books, conferences and research services. The company's flagship weekly newspaper for IT Leaders has been recognized numerous times by Folio: Magazine and the Computer Press Association as the best computer newspaper. With a circulation of 250,000, Computerworld, has a total audience of 935,200 according to IntelliQuest CIMS v.7.0. News and resources for the IT Leader community are available through Computerworld's Web site at www.computerworld.com. Computerworld is based in Framingham, Mass.

Computerworld is a business unit of IDG, the world's leading IT media, research and exposition company. IDG publishes more than 300 magazines and newspapers and 4,000 book titles and offers online users the largest network of technology-specific sites around the world through IDG.net (http://www.idg.net), which comprises more than 270 targeted Web sites in 70 countries.

IDG is also a leading producer of 168 computer-related expositions worldwide, and provides IT market analysis through 50 offices in 43 countries worldwide. Company information is available at http://www.idg.com.

About the Storage Networking Industry Association

SNIA is a not-for-profit organization, made up of more than 200 companies and individuals spanning the entire storage and networking industry from manufacturers and developers to end users. The members of SNIA share a common goal to "set the pace of the industry" by ensuring that storage networks become efficient, complete and trusted solutions across the IT community. To this end, SNIA is uniquely committed to delivering standards, education, and services that will propel storage networking solutions into the broader market. SNIA currently has multiple technical efforts under way. For membership inquiries, or to participate in working groups, please visit the SNIA Web site at www.snia.org.