StorageNetworks' Software Enhancements Ensure High Levels of Data Availability, Protection and Recovery; Company Continues to Set Industry Standard For Data Storage Management

Business Wire, Sept 26, 2001

Business/Technology Editors

WALTHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 26, 2001

StorageNetworks, Inc. (NASDAQ: STOR), the world's leading provider of data storage management software and services, today announced major enhancements to its industry-leading software platform, with new versions of the StorageNetworks(R) STORosSM operating system, Virtual Storage PortalSM software and STORvisionSM software. The software upgrade includes more comprehensive reporting and alerting, expanded technology support - including support for virtualization technology - and proven integration of customer management information. With this new functionality, StorageNetworks' software platform further enables large enterprises and service organizations to centrally manage their multi-vendor storage infrastructure and create efficient operational policies to dramatically improve data availability, protection, and recovery.

"Large enterprises want to centralize and automate data storage management as much as possible," stated Peter Bell, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of StorageNetworks. "Our software platform provides our customers with a storage `blue-print', combining comprehensive asset information with detailed management policies. As a result, our customers can manage their environments very efficiently and to high levels of availability and recoverability."

Host Agents Enhance Centralized Reporting and Analysis

StorageNetworks today announced version 2.1 of the STORos operating system including support for host agents. The STORos operating system is the industry's first storage-specific operating system that integrates and centralizes the distributed and heterogeneous management elements of a storage network.

With the addition of host agents, the STORos operating system captures detailed utilization statistics for both direct-attached and networked storage environments. Version 4.1 of the Virtual Storage Portal software enables enterprise customers to centrally view these utilization statistics for SAN, NAS, and direct-attached storage environments within a single, integrated interface. Additionally, customers can be automatically notified when capacity thresholds are exceeded.

"These reports allow our customers to quickly identify under-utilized and inefficient storage assets," said Bill Miller, Chief Technical Officer of StorageNetworks. "As companies plan to migrate from a direct-attached to a networked environment, our host agent enables enterprises to prioritize migration plans and improve utilization rates, availability and the underlying cost structure of their storage infrastructure."

Virtualization Support Extends Multi-Vendor Storage Management Platform

This latest version of the STORos operating system now supports several new storage technologies including Vicom's virtualization engine. Virtualization provides enterprise customers with greater flexibility in provisioning new storage resources through a single, logical pool of networked storage.

StorageNetworks also added support for McData fiber channel switches, Hewlett Packard storage arrays, and new filers from Network Appliance. These technologies, qualified through StorageNetworks' interoperability labs, further extend StorageNetworks' storage management leadership and broad multi-vendor support. The STORos operating system supports technologies from the following industry-leading vendors: Compaq, EMC, Hitachi Data Systems, Sun Microsystems, Network Appliance, Hewlett Packard, Brocade, Cisco, McData, StorageTek, ADIC, Veritas, Legato and Vicom.

Application Programming Interface Integrates Customer Management Frameworks

StorageNetworks also announced that Pihana Pacific is integrating StorageNetworks' STORos API technology into its delivery of storage services. The STORos API enables customers to incorporate information from the STORos operating system into existing management frameworks and applications, including billing, provisioning, and ticketing systems. Pihana Pacific, one of StorageNetworks' STORfusionSM service partners, is in the process of leveraging this information and integrating it into customized storage management tools.

"StorageNetworks' application programming interface allows us to create compelling storage management tools for our customers located in our facilities across the Asia/Pacific region," said Rich Kalbrener, Chief Executive Officer, Pihana Pacific. "These robust management tools are key to improving data availability and customer satisfaction within large, complex storage environments and will help us provide additional value to our customers."

About StorageNetworks, Inc.

StorageNetworks, Inc. is the world's leading provider of data storage management services, and an innovator of storage management software. Our technology, software, and services enable enterprises and service providers to easily and cost-effectively store rapidly growing volumes of business-critical information. We simplify data storage management and empower our customers with increased control and optimal utilization of their complex storage environments. StorageNetworks, headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts, has offices worldwide. For further information, visit our Web site at www.StorageNetworks.com, email info@StorageNetworks.com, or call 1.800.463.7105.