Hitachi Data Systems Teams with Industry Leaders on Microsoft Systems Architecture for Enterprise Data Centers

Business Wire, Dec 10, 2002

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 10, 2002

Prescriptive Architecture Guides to Minimize Deployment Risks for Core

Data Center Services; Based on Windows 2000 Server Platform and

Hitachi Freedom Storage Hardware and Software

Hitachi Data Systems, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd. (NYSE:HIT), today announced its participation in the Microsoft System Architecture (MSA) for the Enterprise Data Center (EDC). The program pretested best-of-breed software, hardware, services and support for network connectivity in a data center infrastructure implementation based on the Windows 2000 Server platform. A prescriptive architecture guide (PAG) based on the MSA EDC is being made available to enterprise customers. By using the PAG as a guideline, enterprises can implement core data center services while minimizing the time, cost and risks associated with enterprise deployments.

"Enterprise customers will find the prescriptive architecture guides for the MSA enterprise data center very valuable," said Steve East, vice president, Storage Integration, Hitachi Data Systems. "In keeping with the objectives of our TrueNorth strategy--to simplify, protect and optimize customers' information infrastructures, we will continue to participate in programs that further the interoperability of best-of-breed solutions and provide customers with easier, time-saving and risk and cost-reducing solutions for building the critical storage infrastructures their companies depend on."

The enterprise data center core services were built, tested and documented collaboratively. Microsoft teamed with industry leaders including Hitachi Data Systems to ensure that the pretested configuration would help customers create a distributed enterprise data center environment, using Microsoft and partner technologies, that is secure, highly available, scalable and manageable. Other participating storage industry leaders included Brocade, CommVault Systems, HP, McData, NetIQ, Nortel and Unisys.

"Hitachi Data Systems has made a significant contribution to the MSA EDC through its contribution of both storage expertise and products, including its enterprise-class Lightning 9900 Series storage infrastructure solution," said Jim Hebert, general manager, Windows Server Product Management Group, Microsoft Corp. "The performance, reliability and scalability of Windows Server-based infrastructure in the enterprise data center is assured with the prescriptive guidance the MSA EDC provides."

The resulting enterprise data center prescriptive architecture guide storage solution (PAG) provides a recommended, standardized, and tested blueprint for building a secure, scalable, highly available, and manageable information technology infrastructure. It is based on Hitachi Freedom Storage(TM) Lightning 9900(TM) Series systems, software such as Hitachi Dynamic Link Manager(TM), ShadowImage(TM), Remote Console, Command Control Interface (CCI), and services including SplitSecond(TM) Solutions for SQL. The PAG provides step-by-step guidance for building and configuring the data services components of the MSA EDC, including installation of SQL Server(TM) 2000 Enterprise Edition, fail over clustering, configuration of SQL Server 2000 Network Load Balancing, and installation of SQL Server 2000 Enterprise Edition on a Unisys ES-7000 server using a Hitachi Freedom Storage Lightning 9900 Series system.

About Hitachi Data Systems

Hitachi Data Systems is committed to enabling organizations worldwide to exploit the full potential of information. By following and deploying our TrueNorth(TM) strategy, we provide customers with a broad range of storage solutions to simplify, protect and optimize their information infrastructures. Our offerings include enterprise and modular storage systems and software, professional services, fully complemented by best-of-breed products through industry alliances.

With 2,700 employees, Hitachi Data Systems conducts business through direct sales and resellers in the public, government and private sectors in over 170 countries on six continents. Its customers include more than 50 percent of Fortune 100 companies. For more information, please visit our Web site at www.hds.com.

About Hitachi, Ltd.

Hitachi, Ltd., headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is a leading global electronics company, with approximately 320,000 employees worldwide. Fiscal 2001 (ended March 31, 2002) consolidated sales totaled 7,994 billion yen ($60.1 billion). The company offers a wide range of systems, products and services in market sectors, including information systems, electronic devices, power and industrial systems, consumer products, materials and financial services. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company's Web site at http://global.hitachi.com.

Freedom Storage, Lightning 9900, TrueNorth, Hitachi Dynamic Link Manager, SplitSecond, and ShadowImage are trademarks of Hitachi Data Systems.

(c) Hitachi Data Systems is registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office as a trademark and service mark of Hitachi, Ltd.