Interphase to Provide New Storage Networking Adapter for HP 9000 Enterprise Servers

Business Wire, March 15, 2000

Business Editors & High Tech Writers

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 15, 2000

Interphase ``SlotOptimizer(TM)'' provides two Ultra2 SCSI and two

10/100 Ethernet connections using only one server slot

Interphase Corporation (NASDAQ:INPH), an international supplier of enterprise networking technologies, today announced plans to supply Hewlett-Packard Company with storage networking interfaces for their HP 9000 A-Class, N-Class and L-Class Enterprise Servers. HP will utilize Interphase 552C SlotOptimizer Storage Networking Adapters to provide high capacity Ultra2 SCSI and Fast Ethernet connectivity options for entry-level and midrange systems running the HP-UX operating environment.

"We are pleased with our strong relationship with Interphase and its ability to complement our server products with the right communication technologies," said Patrick Rogers, worldwide marketing manager for HP's Business Critical Computing Business Unit. "Our relationship allows the rapid deployment of systems aimed at Internet-age computing, for which our customers demand solutions that enable them to focus on running their businesses without worrying about their servers."

The adapters supplied to HP by Interphase provide two Ultra2 SCSI connections and two 10/100 Ethernet connections from a single board, providing maximum connectivity while at the same time optimizing PCI slots in the host system.

Ultra2 SCSI has several advantages over earlier SCSI implementations including twice the data throughput and the ability to increase the cable length of attached devices by over 65 percent. The dual channel capability of the 552C enables HP 9000 servers to achieve maximum burst rates of up to 160 MBps.

The ability to provide Fast Ethernet connectivity is also significant because it conserves PCI bus slots in the host server. With the connectivity required by e-services and the Internet, PCI slots can be quickly filled in enterprise class servers, especially when one slot must be devoted to a networking card and another must be dedicated to a storage controller card. However, with the Interphase 552C, only one slot is needed to perform both networking and storage tasks.

"This opportunity to further expand our relationship with HP is exciting," said Greg Kalush, Interphase president and CEO. "HP is one of the most trusted vendors in Enterprise Computing and is also a highly respected industry leader in UNIX server solutions. We are well-suited to work with HP to provide additional connectivity options for the midrange and entry-level HP 9000 servers because of our outstanding product technology and quality."

This cooperative effort is the latest of several product alliances between HP and Interphase. Interphase provides products to HP as both an OEM supplier and authorized channel partner for communications technologies including Fibre Channel, ATM, FDDI, Fast Ethernet, 100VG-AnyLAN and SCSI.

About Interphase Corporation

Interphase Corporation (NASDAQ:INPH), a leader in Fibre Channel technology, designs and delivers high performance connectivity adapters for computer and telecommunication networks. The company's Host Bus Adapter products connect computer and telecommunication servers to storage area networks (SAN), wide area networks (WAN) and local area networks (LAN) utilizing Fibre Channel, Asynchronous Transfer Mode (or ATM), SS7, Frame Relay and ISDN technologies. Headquartered in Dallas, with offices in Austin, Paris, London, and Bangkok, Interphase 1999 revenues were $73.5 million. Clients include Hewlett Packard, IBM, Compaq/Tandem, Motorola, Sun Microsystems, Lockheed Martin, and Raytheon. Additional information about Interphase and its products is available through the company's web site at http://www.iphase.com.

The Interphase logo is a registered trademark and SlotOptimizer is a trademark of Interphase Corporation.