Snap Appliances Demonstrates Next Generation of Network Attached Storage Servers With Java Technology at COMDEX

Business Wire, Nov 13, 2000

Business Editors and High Tech Writers

COMDEX Fall 2000

Booth No. L1967

LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 13, 2000

Strategic Relationship with Insignia Solutions Broadens the

Feature Set of the Snap Server 4100 to Create a Specialized

Application Appliance for Java Developers

Snap Appliances, Inc. today announced its next generation of network attached storage (NAS) servers with enhanced customization capabilities through support of Sun Microsystems' (Nasdaq: SUNW) Java(TM) platform in its Snap Server 4100. Snap Appliances will deliver this enhanced Java-based functionality through Jeode(TM) virtual machine technology from Insignia Solutions(R) (Nasdaq: INSGY). Jeode technology is a fundamental part of the feature set of the new Snap Server software v3.0, which is scheduled to be available in the first quarter of 2001.

The implementation by Snap Appliances of Insignia's patent-pending technology leverages the Java platform to enable independent and enterprise software developers to customize the Snap Server 4100 into a specialized application appliance, such as a database server, a communication server or a vertical market applications server.

"The integration of an open, Java technology based solution greatly expands the capabilities of NAS appliances," said Curtis Sasaki, director of technology advocacy, Sun Microsystems. "The new Snap Server provides Java developers with an easy-to-use and cost-effective foundation for the delivery of customized network services and applications."

"Enabling Java developers to manipulate the features of the Snap Server 4100 will yield applications that we believe have not been equated with the NAS industry," said Anders Axelsson, president and COO of Snap Appliances, Inc. "The addition of the Java technology is a natural progression of extending the capabilities of the Snap Server product line beyond the areas of general storage and file sharing."

"Our patent-pending Jeode virtual machine technology is the ideal Java-based solution to provide the Snap Server product line with its next generation of appliance products," said Ron Workman, senior vice president of marketing for Insignia Solutions. "We are excited to see our Jeode technology being used in a NAS device and we believe that Jeode-enabled Snap Servers will help to mold the future server appliance market."

"Together with Sun's Java platform and Insignia's Jeode virtual machine technology, Snap Appliances can offer an open standard to Java developers, which not only increases the flexibility of our embedded operating system, but enables a developer to design a Snap Server which best fits their unique needs," added Axelsson.

Developers Show Applications at COMDEX

PointBase, Inc., a premier world class pure Java RDBMS / data management vendor, is teaming with Snap Appliances, Inc. to deliver a seamless database solution on the Snap Server 4100 NAS server. This partnership will leverage the platform-independent nature of Java and the easy-to-install, easy-to-use appliance server to create an ideal database server for remote, small office and workgroup applications. More information about PointBase, Inc. is available at www.pointbase.com. PointBase's application can be viewed at COMDEX in the Snap Appliances booth (LVCC booth No. L1967).

KeyStone Learning Systems, the industry's leading provider of self-paced information technology training for home and business computer users, software developers and networking professionals, is also partnering with Snap Appliances to provide self-paced Java software instruction distributed on the Snap Server. Live demos of this application can be viewed at COMDEX either at the Snap Appliances (LVCC booth No. L1967) or at KeyStone Learning Systems (LVCC booth No. L1809 or at booth No. 1977 at the Sands Convention Center).

Snap Solutions Java Developer Program

Snap Appliances is simultaneously launching a new Snap Solutions Developer's Program to encourage and assist Java developers in fully utilizing the capabilities now offered with the Snap Server. This program will provide developers with a number of benefits, including hardware and software discounts, free technical support, and access to an online developer discussion board. The program is divided into different levels of partnership to meet the needs of all software developers, whether independent or enterprise.

About the Snap Server 4100

With capacities of 120GB and 240GB in a 1U rack mountable form factor, the Snap Server 4100 easily supports corporate workgroups of 150 or more users and offers excellent data protection or enhanced performance with support for RAID levels 5, 1 and 0. Available at a fraction of the cost of traditional general-purpose servers, the Snap Server 4100 is priced at $2,999 (MSRP) for the 120GB capacity and $4,499 (MSRP) for the 240GB capacity. The Snap Server typically installs in five minutes or less without any disruptions to the network and is the only file server in its class to automatically deliver simultaneous multi-platform, file-sharing support for Windows, NetWare, Macintosh and UNIX/Linux users on the same network.