CNT Helps Provide Storage Applications Over IP Networks

Computer Network Technology (CNT), a company specializing in storage networking, has made available the first component in its strategy to provide storage networking applications over Internet Protocol (IP)-based networks, such as intranets and Virtual Private Networks (VPNs). Traditionally, IP-based networks have been considered unreliable and expensive for storage applications. Reductions in bandwidth costs and new transport capabilities from CNT eliminate these concerns, making these networks a viable option for continuous business applications such as remote Web serving, distributed data warehousing, software distribution and data center migration.

For its initial IP-based offering, CNT augmented and refined the storage transport capabilities in its UltraNet Storage Director, a high-speed switching platform, to support IP. These software enhancements, packaged under the name "I-Stor," will enable EMC Symmetrix Remote Data Facility (SRDF) data mirroring software to operate over IP networks. CNT has also developed software to create a communication mechanism that converts SRDF data frames to standard IP packets to ensure data delivery and performance over an IP network. This enhancement adds transport layer functionality, which features data compression, alternate routing, load balancing, enhanced flow control and routing are among the features provided by this transport layer.

"As today’s business leaders deploy mission-critical information infrastructure to bring their companies competitive advantage in Internet time, they want to leverage what’s already in use and works – such as the ever-present IP network," said Mark Ward, EMC vice president of global marketing. "EMC worked closely with CNT to marry SRDF, [an] information protection solution, with CNT’s approach to remote storage networking. The result, SRDF over IP, offers customers the ability to productively employ and cost-effectively protect their increasing volumes of mission-critical data."

This is CNT’s first of several components to support the IP network. In addition, the company has broadened its professional services offerings to include IP-based training and support.

"As one of the pioneers in remote storage networking, CNT brings a level of expertise to this market that can provide a tremendous benefit to customers," said David Hill, research director, storage management at Aberdeen Group. "Storage Area Networks, or SANs, need to extend further distances and connect all the segments of a business. The wide-area networking capabilities provided by CNT enable that growth into the ‘SAN over WAN’ environment. Organizations that want to use their current storage and networking components to grow into an any-distance SAN will benefit from CNT’s hands-on expertise and neutrality in working with all the products involved in a storage network."

For more information, visit CNT’s Web site at www.cnt.com, or call (800) 638-8324 (U.S.).

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