04/08-05   -   Pressemeddelelse

IBM to bring full range of Brocade 4 gbit/sec san switches and directors to marketplace

Next-Generation Storage Networking Solutions Featuring High Performance, Flexibility, and Ports On Demand Scalability Now Available to IBM TotalStorage Customers.

SAN JOSE, Calif. —August 3, 2005 — Brocade Communications Systems, Inc. (Brocade®) (Nasdaq: BRCDE) today announced that IBM® is adding the new 4 Gbit/sec Brocade SilkWorm® director and entry-level switch models to its IBM TotalStorage® product portfolio. Now IBM TotalStorage customers will be among the first to access a full range of next-generation, high-performance Storage Area Network (SAN) solutions.

IBM has added the IBM TotalStorage SAN256B based on the Brocade SilkWorm 48000 Director and the IBM TotalStorage SAN16B-2 fabric switch based on the Brocade SilkWorm 200E Switch to its TotalStorage product portfolio, which also includes the top-selling Brocade SilkWorm 4100 midrange switch (the IBM TotalStorage SAN32B-2 brought to the marketplace in November 2004) as part of the IBM TotalStorage infrastructure simplification solutions.

“4 Gbit/sec technology will have a significant impact in helping reduce infrastructure costs and simplifying management for organizations with storage networks," said Bob Mahoney, SAN Business Line Executive at IBM. “The ability to connect SANs while maintaining the integrity of the separate networks is key to storage networking and will play a crucial role in delivering the on-demand computing model to customers. This is one more example of how our ongoing relationship with Brocade continues to address the changing demands of the enterprise data center."

“We’re very happy to work with IBM to meet the growing demand for next-generation SAN infrastructure," said Tom Buiocchi, Vice President of Marketing at Brocade.

About Brocade Communications Systems, Inc.
Brocade delivers industry-leading platforms and solutions for intelligently connecting, managing, and optimizing IT resources in shared storage environments. Many of the world’s premier systems, server, and storage providers offer the Brocade SilkWorm family of fabric switches and software as the foundation for SAN solutions in organizations of all sizes. In addition, the Brocade Tapestry family of application infrastructure solutions extends the ability to manage and optimize application and information resources proactively across the enterprise. Using Brocade solutions, organizations are better positioned to reduce cost, manage complexity, and satisfy business compliance requirements through optimized use and management of their application infrastructures. For more information, visit the Brocade Web site at www.brocade.com or contact the company at info@brocade.com.

Forward-looking statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements, as defined under federal securities laws. This includes statements regarding Brocade products and services, including the anticipated performance and potential infrastructure cost savings related to the SilkWorm 48000 and other Brocade products referred to herein. These statements are just predictions and involve risks and uncertainties, such that actual results may differ significantly. These risks include, but are not limited to, changes in demand for the market served by such products and services; the effect of competition, including pricing pressure; and our ability to achieve market acceptance of 4 Gbit/sec products; as well as other risks more fully described in the “Risk Factors" section in Brocade’s quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended January 29, 2005.

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Brocade, the Brocade B weave logo, Fabric OS, Secure Fabric OS, and SilkWorm are registered trademarks and Tapestry is a trademark of Brocade Communications Systems, Inc., in the United States and/or in other countries. IBM, TotalStorage, eServer, zSeries, and FICON are trademarks of IBM Corporation in the U.S., other countries, or both. All other brands, products, or service names are or may be trademarks or service marks of, and are used to identify, products or services of their respective owners.