Silverback Systems Launches Highest Performance, Lowest Price iSCSI HBA for Servers and Workstations

Storage Networking World Fall 2005
Booth C6

ORLANDO, Fla. & CAMPBELL, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 24, 2005--Silverback Systems, Inc., a leader in TCP and iSCSI acceleration solutions, unveiled today the iSNAP 2110 HBA, the iSCSI host bus adapter (HBA) with the highest performance and functionality at the lowest price.

Developed for server and workstation applications, the HBA is based on the company's iSNAP 2110 high-performance network acceleration processor. The dual-port gigabit HBA is capable of delivering up to 440MB/s throughput and up to 250K IOPS (iSCSI I/Os per second).

The iSNAP 2110 HBA outperforms competitive offerings by 100% and is priced about 25% lower than current alternatives. At a suggested street price of $350, it is available to channel partners and OEMs now.

Providing a server and workstation HBA with shrink-wrapped software is an extension of the company's strategy to develop the highest performance and lowest price solutions to accelerate IP networks.

"By dramatically improving performance while lowering cost, we are changing the industry landscape, providing TCP and iSCSI acceleration to the mainstream," said Ahmet Houssein, president and CEO of Silverback Systems.

The iSNAP 2110 HBA is the only solution with the underlying architecture and firmware scalable to 10 Gb/s and beyond, and with the ability to support emerging technologies and protocols. The company expects to sample an iSNAP-based 10Gb/s accelerator and corresponding HBA in the first half of 2006.

The Market

According to a report by Gartner Dataquest "Forecast: Storage Network Infrastructure, Worldwide, 2004-2008," authored by James E. Opfer (August 24, 2004), the total storage network infrastructure market revenue will grow at a 21 percent compound annual growth rate to $4.9 billion by 2008. North America will represent 44.2 percent of this market through 2008.

Total iSCSI initiator ports are forecast to grow from 605,000 in 2005 to 3,236,000 in 2008, according to Gartner. TCP/IP SAN initiator ports are expected to grow from 300,100 to 1,947,400, and iSCSI gateway associated initiator ports will increase from 214,000 to 888,000 in the same timeframe.

Competitive Advantages

The iSNAP HBA has clearly defined competitive advantages including:

-- Simultaneously accelerates all TCP/IP, iSCSI and link layer traffic;

-- Reduces host CPU loading with on-board Direct Data Placement, Data Digest, Layer 3 endpoint behavior, iSCSI PDU delineation, and TCP fragmentation and reassembly;

-- Complete integration with Windows Server 2003 SP1;

-- 3.5 watts per channel power dissipation;

-- CRC acceleration;

-- VLAN with priority queuing;

-- Jumbo frame processing.

The iSNAP HBA fully accelerates TCP/IP and iSCSI in hardware, which accounts for its performance advantages. Hardware-based implementations provide significant advantages over software-only or software/hardware alternatives, which generally suffer from limited performance, lack of vital features and performance degradation with increased network traffic.

"Silverback Systems' architecture is the best solution today, and provides a clear path to 10 gigabits per second," said Mr. Houssein.

Silverback Systems

Silverback Systems, Inc., designs, develops and markets iSNAP(R) storage network acceleration processors and HBAs for the IP networking market. The company was founded in July 2000 and is based in Campbell, Calif., with offices in Rochester, Minn., and Netanya, Israel. Visit www.silverbacksystems.com for more information.

-- iSNAP(R) is a registered trademark of Silverback Systems.

-- The report cited above is the property of Gartner Group and referenced with permission.