Data General Enhances High Availability With NSI Software and American Power Conversion; Key High Availability Components Added to Consolidation Solutions Portfolio

Business Wire, May 22, 2000

Business/Technology Editors

WESTBORO, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--MAY 22, 2000

Data General, a Division of EMC Corporation (NYSE:EMC), today announced alliances with NSI(R) Software and American Power Conversion (APC) to incorporate industry-leading data replication, backup and reliable power protection products into Data General's portfolio of high-availability consolidation solutions.

Adding to Data General's portfolio of "In-A-Box" and high-availability solutions for consolidation, these new components include NSI Software's Double-Take(R) data replication technology and GeoCluster(TM) distance clustering technology as well as APC's Smart-UPS(R) 5000 rackmount uninterruptible power supply (UPS), a customized version of APC's PowerChute(R) Network Shutdown power management software and APC's Redundant Switch. These solutions are ideally suited for rackmount configurations based on Data General's renowned in-a-box rackmount servers, and further the company's vision of a simplified, consolidated computing infrastructure that enables control, reliability and lower total cost of ownership. The NSI software combined with Data General's AViiON(R) servers, storage, clustering solutions and industry-leading 99.9% uptime guarantees provide multiple levels of data availability through site level data protection and distance clustering. In addition, the high availability characteristics of the APC solutions will provide even higher levels of system uptime for clustered "in-a-box" solutions.

"Data availability is a top concern of customers. With an existing portfolio of leading high availability solutions and valuable partnerships with companies like NSI and APC, we are offering increased protection for our customers' computing infrastructures and even higher levels of uptime," said Bob Guilbert, director of software marketing for Data General, a Division of EMC Corporation. "Data General is delivering the most complete portfolio of data availability solutions in the industry."

NSI Software's Double-Take provides on-line data protection and replication to reduce data loss and downtime, while enhancing the performance of existing backup applications. Double-Take monitors file changes as they occur on one or many source servers, replicating them in real-time to a target server over existing network links.

"Double-Take adds a significantly higher level of protection than previous solutions," said Don Beeler, chief executive officer of NSI Software. "We offer unique management solutions for clustered data and provide flexible and reliable protection for customers looking for increased availability. We are confident that our partnership with Data General will further our vision of simple, cost-effective and easily managed and deployed data availability solutions across the enterprise."

APC's slim line rackmount Smart-UPS, which is fully compatible with the AViiON line, delivers premium uninterruptible power and the most advanced performance features available. In conjunction with the Smart-UPS, the customized version of APC's PowerChute Network Shutdown software, which offers enhanced reporting capabilities for AViioN customers, provides network-based shutdown between a UPS and multiple computer systems. In addition, APC's Redundant Switch automatically transfers the computer load from the primary Smart-UPS to the redundant UPS if it detects a potential disruption to the load.

"High availability solutions play an increasingly important role in the foundation of today's business infrastructures," said Peter Rumsey, vice president, Enterprise Systems Group of APC. "We share a common vision with Data General for furthering data availability and uninterrupted power for server environments and believe that Data General's dedication to high availability and simplified computing solutions, combined with APC's industry-leading solutions, will result in a winning partnership."

Data General's High Availability Solutions

Data General offers a unique portfolio of high availability solutions that combine traditional strengths in server level high availability with EMC's industry-leading portfolio of high availability storage solutions. In addition to the announcements today, the company provides leadership in high availability, clustering, systems management, scalability and a comprehensive professional services offering that is central to Business Continuity. Data General provides a variety of high availability AViiON server platforms, with features such as "in-a-box" packaging for easy `scaling out', centralized control and management with DG/ManageSuite(TM) and DG/RackManager(TM), hot swap redundant cooling and power, and fault-tolerant SCSI and Fibre Channel EMC CLARiiON(TM) storage solutions.

Data General has been a pioneer in setting the industry standard for uptime, offering the first 99.9 percent uptime guarantees for Windows NT, SQL Server 7.0, and Exchange 5.5. As part of the recently announced EMC and Microsoft global alliance, Data General also became the first to announce a 99.9 percent uptime guarantee for Windows 2000.