NetApps, Spectra Logic, Veritas in strategic alliance

Johannesburg, 30 Mar 2000

Intelligent Systems (IS), the local distributor of Spectra Logic automated tape libraries and a member of the Siltek IT Supply Chain, has released details of an international agreement that provides a Storage Area Network (SAN) backup architecture for network attached storage devices from Network Appliance (filers).

Chris Roux, MD of IS, says the international agreement has resulted in tighter integration between the scalable SAN-based tape backup solutions of Spectra Logic, Network Appliance filers and Veritas' storage management software. "The total solution is 'NetApp approved' and makes use of a SAN infrastructure that allows tape resources to be shared - reducing the total cost of backup, improving manageability, and yielding a much more scalable solution as capacity grows.

"It brings value to customers by maximising existing investments in hardware and software while allowing them to take advantage of new technologies as they develop - giving them the best of both SAN and NAS technologies."

"The collaboration with Spectra Logic and Network Appliance will assist customers wanting to deploy integrated SAN/NAS solutions," says Nick van Noordwyk, regional manager, Middle East and Africa at Veritas Software. "These efforts enable us to deliver interoperable solutions to meet the needs of IT managers faced with explosive storage growth by reducing the risk of data loss."

The fruits of this agreement were demonstrated by Spectra Logic at an event in San Francisco earlier this month, where the company created the a SAN-based backup architecture using its Fibre Channel-based tape libraries, Network Appliance filers, a Fibre Channel switch from Vixel Corporation, and Veritas NetBackup.

"The use of Fibre Channel SAN-based architectures allows organisations using multiple filers to deploy a more cost-effective and manageable backup strategy - one that can be scaled as the number and capacity of the filer pool grows," comments Roux.

Veritas Software SAN Solutions

Veritas Software is enabling crucial SAN applications today with a wide range of storage management products, including on-line SAN virtualisation, heterogeneous clustering, LAN-free backup and hierarchical storage management (HSM). To expedite the delivery of SANs to end users in this market, Veritas Software is also performing extensive interoperability testing with more than 20 Fibre Channel and storage vendors through the Veritas SAN Integration Lab. In addition, Veritas Software continues to focus on reducing the cost of rapid growth and change through the Veritas V3 SAN Initiative. The Veritas V3 SAN Initiative is delivering three SAN virtualisation products and technologies, each of which forms a more cost-effective foundation for scaling networked storage architectures in today's fast-paced E-business environment.

Veritas Software

For enterprise customers that demand the continuous availability of business-critical information, Veritas Software Corporation (NASDAQ: VRTS), the industry's leading enterprise-class application storage management software provider, ensures information availability from business-critical applications by delivering integrated cross-platform storage management software solutions. The Company's products enable Business Without Interruption and are designed to protect, access and manage business-critical application information. Veritas Software products are delivered through a worldwide direct sales force and a network of resellers and OEM partners in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Japan. About Spectra Logic Corporation

Spectra Logic Corporation is a leading provider of high-performance, corporate-wide storage hardware products focused on data protection for the rapidly growing storage marketplace. Spectra Logic tape library products offer capacities from 60 gigabytes to hundreds of terabytes. The Boulder-based company's products operate on a broad range of platforms and operating systems. For more information, contact Spectra Logic by phone at (800) 833-1132 or visit the company's web site at www.spectralogic.com.

Network Appliance

Network Appliance, a veteran in network file serving and caching, has been providing data access solutions for over six years. Major corporations and ISPs, including Bear Stearns, Yahoo, Siemens, Lockheed-Martin, Cisco, Motorola and Texas Instruments have deployed NetApp solutions. NetApp's file servers (called "filers") and Internet caching solutions (NetCache) deliver fast, simple, reliable and cost-effective access to network-stored data and enable simultaneous shared file services for UNIX(r), Windows(r) and the World Wide Web.

Intelligent Systems

A specialist distribution company in the SILTEK IT Supply Chain Group, Intelligent Systems provides storage solutions that underpin many of the diverse business applications so prevalent in the business world today, including: Storage Area Networks, Data Warehousing, Customer Relationship Management, Enterprise Resource Planning, Document Imaging, e-Commerce and Hierarchical Storage Management. The company holds distribution or sub-distribution rights to a broad range of storage technologies and products, including hard disk-based subsystems, optical technology, tape devices, high-performance connectivity and software management products. Intelligent Systems applies its considerable expertise to building solutions to satisfy individual storage requirements of a variety of specific business applications. The company can be contacted on +27 11 315 3120 or on its Web site at www.intsys.co.za

This press release may include estimates and forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and 21E of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties including the timely development and market acceptance of products and Veritas' ability to appropriately distribute its products, that could cause actual results the Company achieves to differ materially from such forward-looking statements. For more information regarding potential risks see the "Risk Factors" section of our most recent reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q on file with the SEC.

Veritas is a registered trademark of Veritas Software Corporation in the US and other countries. The Veritas logo, Business Without Interruption and Veritas NetBackup are trademarks of Veritas Software Corporation in the US and other countries. Other product names mentioned herein may be trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective companies. The Spectra Logic logo is a trademark of Spectra Logic Corporation. All other trademarks are properties of their respective owners.