Ontario School Districts Give Hitachi Data Systems, McDATA and CONPUTE High Marks for Wireless Disaster Recovery Solution

  
    
  
  
    
      Hitachi Data Systems, provider of Application Optimized Storage™ 
      solutions and a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd. (NYSE:HIT), and 
      McDATA Corporation (Nasdaq:MCDTA)(Nasdaq:MCDT), a leading provider of 
      data access solutions, today announced in association with Redline 
      Communications, a leading provider of standards-based broadband wireless 
      equipment, and CONPUTE, a Solution Services company specializing in Data 
      Centre and broadband solutions, that two school boards in Peterborough, 
      Ontario will be deploying a combined Hitachi Data Systems and McDATA 
      remote data replication solution, using Redline wireless technology, for 
      disaster recovery and maintaining business continuity between their 
      respective data centers.
    
    
      The Kawartha Pine Ridge (KPR) District School Board serves 82 elementary 
      schools and 15 secondary schools, reaching more than 37,000 students in 
      Peterborough County. Neighboring Peterborough Victoria Northumberland 
      and Clarington (PVNC) Catholic School Board, encompasses 32 elementary 
      and 6 secondary schools, serves more than 15,500 students. The two 
      boards are working collaboratively to leverage economies of scale 
      offered by the solution in the event of a disaster situation. The 
      solution enables synchronous bi-directional replication between 
      locations to speed-up data recovery, minimize data loss and protect data 
      integrity in the event of an outage – securing 
      the information of thousands of students.
    
    
      “With our curriculum becoming ever more 
      reliant on educational software tools, students completing more of their 
      class work on school-owned systems, and school administrators utilizing 
      technology to interact with parents and maintain student records, our 
      school boards need to ensure that critical IT services can be assessed 
      and restored quickly in the event of potential outages,” 
      said Ronald Plaizier, chief information officer, KPR District Public 
      School Board. “With CONPUTE’s 
      assistance in the deployment of the solution relative to our Business 
      Continuity Plan, we are now able to mitigate the impact due to loss and 
      recovery of vital board functions.”
    
    
      “The integrated Hitachi Data Systems and 
      McDATA solution, designed by CONPUTE, provides us with an 
      enterprise-scale disaster recovery solution at a SMB price point,” 
      said Anthony Brice, manager, Technology Systems, KPR District Public 
      School Board. “This allows us to meet our 
      recovery point and recovery time objectives and provides our students, 
      teachers, and administrators the peace of mind to confidently and 
      confidentially utilize sophisticated storage solutions to enhance the 
      learning experience.”
    
    
      Making the Grade with a Lower Cost, High-Performance Wireless Solution
    
    
      For both KPR and PVNC, data replication over the WAN to enable disaster 
      recovery was unrealistic given the limited budgets constraints K-12 
      institutions operate under. It was cost prohibitive due to the dedicated 
      infrastructure and bandwidth required to replicate data and the 
      complexity of management.
    
    
      Working with Hitachi Data Systems GOLD channel partner CONPUTE, the 
      boards will utilize the world-class remote replication capabilities of 
      Hitachi Data Systems TrueCopy synchronous software running on Hitachi 
      Adaptable Modular Storage (AMS) systems, FC to IP conversion and 
      compression of the McDATA Eclipse 1620 SAN router, and the high speed 
      connectivity of the OEMed Redline AN-50 backhaul wireless solution. The 
      result is a simple-to-maintain, low-cost remote replication 
      configuration that enables the school districts to replicate 
      synchronously between their respective data centers, creating a 
      real-time redundant copy of critical information for use in the event of 
      an outage or scheduled downtime. For the two school boards, this joint 
      solution offered the flexibility, high performance and economy of scale 
      answer to their respective disaster recovery and business continuity 
      requirements.
    
    
      The boards, already familiar with secure wireless broadband solutions, 
      will share a data link of approximately 49Mbps+ between education 
      centers to facilitate their data replication needs. Utilizing the 
      bi-directional capabilities of their respective Hitachi AMS systems 
      running Hitachi TrueCopy the school boards required less investment in 
      dedicated Fibre Channel ports compared to other solutions. In addition, 
      McDATA’s Eclipse technology will perform data 
      compression to maximize their use of available bandwidth. Leveraging 
      each other’s IT staff (trained on like 
      systems) in the event of a pandemic or site failover was crucial to 
      maintaining flexibility in managing through a disaster. The ability to 
      restore critical data using remote volumes quickly versus tape recovery 
      will gain both boards precious time during any outage.
    
    
      “By leveraging off-the-shelf compression and 
      data replication technology, we were able to design a turn-key solution 
      that met the customer’s assessed risk and 
      mitigates the impact of lost IT services during a disaster, dramatically 
      improving their overall business continuity capabilities,” 
      said Terry Buchanan, vice president, Services, CONPUTE. “The 
      wireless component enables long distance-high speed IP network 
      connectivity between respective data centers, for a total CAPEX that 
      averages to a few months of traditional TELCO T3 leasing costs. This 
      eliminates OPEX traditionally associated with remote replication 
      bandwidth and allows funding to be allocated to a disaster recovery 
      infrastructure.”
    
    
      For more information on the wireless remote replication solution, visit 
      the live demo at Storage Networking World Fall 2006, JW Marriott Grande 
      Lakes Resort Orlando, Florida,
    
    
      Pavilion Booth P19 and Platinum Galleria Booth PG4.
    
    
      About CONPUTE
    
    
      Established in 1983, CONPUTE is a Solution Services Company helping 
      organizations use Information Technology to cut costs, increase revenues 
      and improve customer satisfaction. We partner with organizations that 
      need help expanding or managing their IT resources. CONPUTE specializes 
      in four practice areas to address customer IT infrastructure goals 
      including data centre, security, wireless & IP and outsourcing. CONPUTE 
      builds solutions that allow our clients to effectively secure, store and 
      access information. We continually reinvest in our team of experienced 
      professionals to deliver exceptional value in today’s 
      challenging business environment. We pride ourselves on offering an 
      outstanding customer experience to our clients through personalized 
      support and consultative advice. For more information, please visit our 
      Web site at http://www.conpute.com.
    
    
      About McDATA (www.mcdata.com)
    
    
      McDATA (Nasdaq:MCDTA)(Nasdaq:MCDT) is the leading provider of storage 
      networking solutions, helping customers build, globally connect, 
      optimize and centrally manage data infrastructures across SAN, MAN and 
      WAN environments. With nearly 25 years experience developing SAN 
      products, services and solutions, McDATA is the trusted partner in the 
      world's largest data centers, connecting more than two-thirds of all 
      networked data.
    
    
      About Redline Communications
    
    
      Redline Communications is the leading provider of standards-based 
      wireless broadband solutions. Redline’s WiMAX 
      Forum Certified™ systems and award-winning 
      backhaul and transport products enable service providers and other 
      network operators to cost-effectively deliver high-bandwidth services 
      including voice, video and data communications. Redline is committed to 
      maintaining its wireless industry leadership with the continued 
      development of WiMAX and other advanced wireless broadband products. 
      With more than 30,000 installations in 75 countries, and a global 
      network of over 100 partners, Redline's experience and expertise helps 
      service providers, enterprises and government organizations roll out the 
      services and applications that drive their business forward. For more 
      information, visit www.redlinecommunications.com.
    
    
      About Hitachi Data Systems
    
    
      Hitachi Data Systems leverages global R&D resources to develop storage 
      solutions built on industry-leading technology with the performance, 
      availability and scalability to maximize customers' ROI and minimize 
      their risk. By focusing on the customer's perspective as we apply the 
      best hardware, software, and services from Hitachi and our partners, we 
      uniquely satisfy our customers' business needs.
    
    
      With approximately 3,200 employees, Hitachi Data Systems conducts 
      business through direct and indirect channels in the public, government 
      and private sectors in over 170 countries and regions. Its customers 
      include more than 50 percent of Fortune 100 companies. For more 
      information, please visit our Web site at http://www.hds.com.
    
    
      About Hitachi, Ltd.
    
    
      Hitachi, Ltd., (NYSE:HIT)(TOKYO:6501), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is 
      a leading global electronics company with approximately 356,000 
      employees worldwide. Fiscal 2005 (ended March 31, 2006) consolidated 
      sales totaled 9,464 billion yen ($80.9 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 website at http://www.hitachi.com.
    
    
      © 2006, Hitachi Data Systems Corporation. 
      Hitachi Data Systems is registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark 
      Office as a trademark and service mark of Hitachi, Ltd. Application 
      Optimized Storage is a trademark of Hitachi Data Systems Corporation. 
      All other trade names, trademarks, and service marks used herein are the 
      rightful property of their respective owners.
    
  
Hitachi Data Systems, provider of Application Optimized
Storage(TM) solutions and a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd.
(NYSE:HIT), and McDATA Corporation (Nasdaq:MCDTA)(Nasdaq:MCDT), a
leading provider of data access solutions, today announced in
association with Redline Communications, a leading provider of
standards-based broadband wireless equipment, and CONPUTE, a Solution
Services company specializing in Data Centre and broadband solutions,
that two school boards in Peterborough, Ontario will be deploying a
combined Hitachi Data Systems and McDATA remote data replication
solution, using Redline wireless technology, for disaster recovery and
maintaining business continuity between their respective data centers.

   The Kawartha Pine Ridge (KPR) District School Board serves 82
elementary schools and 15 secondary schools, reaching more than 37,000
students in Peterborough County. Neighboring Peterborough Victoria
Northumberland and Clarington (PVNC) Catholic School Board,
encompasses 32 elementary and 6 secondary schools, serves more than
15,500 students. The two boards are working collaboratively to
leverage economies of scale offered by the solution in the event of a
disaster situation. The solution enables synchronous bi-directional
replication between locations to speed-up data recovery, minimize data
loss and protect data integrity in the event of an outage -- securing
the information of thousands of students.

   "With our curriculum becoming ever more reliant on educational
software tools, students completing more of their class work on
school-owned systems, and school administrators utilizing technology
to interact with parents and maintain student records, our school
boards need to ensure that critical IT services can be assessed and
restored quickly in the event of potential outages," said Ronald
Plaizier, chief information officer, KPR District Public School Board.
"With CONPUTE's assistance in the deployment of the solution relative
to our Business Continuity Plan, we are now able to mitigate the
impact due to loss and recovery of vital board functions."

   "The integrated Hitachi Data Systems and McDATA solution, designed
by CONPUTE, provides us with an enterprise-scale disaster recovery
solution at a SMB price point," said Anthony Brice, manager,
Technology Systems, KPR District Public School Board. "This allows us
to meet our recovery point and recovery time objectives and provides
our students, teachers, and administrators the peace of mind to
confidently and confidentially utilize sophisticated storage solutions
to enhance the learning experience."

   Making the Grade with a Lower Cost, High-Performance Wireless
Solution

   For both KPR and PVNC, data replication over the WAN to enable
disaster recovery was unrealistic given the limited budgets
constraints K-12 institutions operate under. It was cost prohibitive
due to the dedicated infrastructure and bandwidth required to
replicate data and the complexity of management.

   Working with Hitachi Data Systems GOLD channel partner CONPUTE,
the boards will utilize the world-class remote replication
capabilities of Hitachi Data Systems TrueCopy synchronous software
running on Hitachi Adaptable Modular Storage (AMS) systems, FC to IP
conversion and compression of the McDATA Eclipse 1620 SAN router, and
the high speed connectivity of the OEMed Redline AN-50 backhaul
wireless solution. The result is a simple-to-maintain, low-cost remote
replication configuration that enables the school districts to
replicate synchronously between their respective data centers,
creating a real-time redundant copy of critical information for use in
the event of an outage or scheduled downtime. For the two school
boards, this joint solution offered the flexibility, high performance
and economy of scale answer to their respective disaster recovery and
business continuity requirements.

   The boards, already familiar with secure wireless broadband
solutions, will share a data link of approximately 49Mbps+ between
education centers to facilitate their data replication needs.
Utilizing the bi-directional capabilities of their respective Hitachi
AMS systems running Hitachi TrueCopy the school boards required less
investment in dedicated Fibre Channel ports compared to other
solutions. In addition, McDATA's Eclipse technology will perform data
compression to maximize their use of available bandwidth. Leveraging
each other's IT staff (trained on like systems) in the event of a
pandemic or site failover was crucial to maintaining flexibility in
managing through a disaster. The ability to restore critical data
using remote volumes quickly versus tape recovery will gain both
boards precious time during any outage.

   "By leveraging off-the-shelf compression and data replication
technology, we were able to design a turn-key solution that met the
customer's assessed risk and mitigates the impact of lost IT services
during a disaster, dramatically improving their overall business
continuity capabilities," said Terry Buchanan, vice president,
Services, CONPUTE. "The wireless component enables long distance-high
speed IP network connectivity between respective data centers, for a
total CAPEX that averages to a few months of traditional TELCO T3
leasing costs. This eliminates OPEX traditionally associated with
remote replication bandwidth and allows funding to be allocated to a
disaster recovery infrastructure."

   For more information on the wireless remote replication solution,
visit the live demo at Storage Networking World Fall 2006, JW Marriott
Grande Lakes Resort Orlando, Florida,

   Pavilion Booth P19 and Platinum Galleria Booth PG4.

   About CONPUTE

   Established in 1983, CONPUTE is a Solution Services Company
helping organizations use Information Technology to cut costs,
increase revenues and improve customer satisfaction. We partner with
organizations that need help expanding or managing their IT resources.
CONPUTE specializes in four practice areas to address customer IT
infrastructure goals including data centre, security, wireless & IP
and outsourcing. CONPUTE builds solutions that allow our clients to
effectively secure, store and access information. We continually
reinvest in our team of experienced professionals to deliver
exceptional value in today's challenging business environment. We
pride ourselves on offering an outstanding customer experience to our
clients through personalized support and consultative advice. For more
information, please visit our Web site at http://www.conpute.com.

   About McDATA (www.mcdata.com)

   McDATA (Nasdaq:MCDTA)(Nasdaq:MCDT) is the leading provider of
storage networking solutions, helping customers build, globally
connect, optimize and centrally manage data infrastructures across
SAN, MAN and WAN environments. With nearly 25 years experience
developing SAN products, services and solutions, McDATA is the trusted
partner in the world's largest data centers, connecting more than
two-thirds of all networked data.

   About Redline Communications

   Redline Communications is the leading provider of standards-based
wireless broadband solutions. Redline's WiMAX Forum Certified(TM)
systems and award-winning backhaul and transport products enable
service providers and other network operators to cost-effectively
deliver high-bandwidth services including voice, video and data
communications. Redline is committed to maintaining its wireless
industry leadership with the continued development of WiMAX and other
advanced wireless broadband products. With more than 30,000
installations in 75 countries, and a global network of over 100
partners, Redline's experience and expertise helps service providers,
enterprises and government organizations roll out the services and
applications that drive their business forward. For more information,
visit www.redlinecommunications.com.

   About Hitachi Data Systems

   Hitachi Data Systems leverages global R&D resources to develop
storage solutions built on industry-leading technology with the
performance, availability and scalability to maximize customers' ROI
and minimize their risk. By focusing on the customer's perspective as
we apply the best hardware, software, and services from Hitachi and
our partners, we uniquely satisfy our customers' business needs.

   With approximately 3,200 employees, Hitachi Data Systems conducts
business through direct and indirect channels in the public,
government and private sectors in over 170 countries and regions. Its
customers include more than 50 percent of Fortune 100 companies. For
more information, please visit our Web site at http://www.hds.com.

   About Hitachi, Ltd.

   Hitachi, Ltd., (NYSE:HIT)(TOKYO:6501), headquartered in Tokyo,
Japan, is a leading global electronics company with approximately
356,000 employees worldwide. Fiscal 2005 (ended March 31, 2006)
consolidated sales totaled 9,464 billion yen ($80.9 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 website at http://www.hitachi.com.

   (C) 2006, Hitachi Data Systems Corporation. Hitachi Data Systems
is registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office as a trademark
and service mark of Hitachi, Ltd. Application Optimized Storage is a
trademark of Hitachi Data Systems Corporation. All other trade names,
trademarks, and service marks used herein are the rightful property of
their respective owners.