IBM STATEMENT OF DIRECTION FOR ESCON HEIGHTENS REQUIREMENT FOR I/O PLANNING

Optica Technologies (“Optica”) announces that it is collaborating with IBM to promote an infrastructure simplification and planning approach known as Managed Evolution for System z. Managed Evolution enables customers to invest in the latest System z technology, FICON®, while preserving the ability to connect their mainframes to existing, mature storage and communications devices that require the older ESCON® and bus/tag channel protocols. By leveraging the principles of Managed Evolution, System z users can create a cost-effective and flexible infrastructure and maintain the mature devices essential for driving stable, cash-generating business applications.

IBM announced on April 28, 2009 its intent to phase out the availability of the older ESCON channels on System z. System z10 EC and System z10 BC will be the last servers to support greater than 240 ESCON channels. This announcement elevates the importance of System z infrastructure planning to ensure a smooth transition from the older to the newer technology for host to device connectivity.

Optica’s exclusive Prizm FICON to ESCON Converter (“Prizm”) is the implementation platform for Managed Evolution. Prizm is an inline appliance that provides the physical and logical connection of the older ESCON and bus/tag-based devices to FICON channel infrastructures. Optica recently completed rigorous interoperability testing in IBM’s Poughkeepsie solutions lab with Prizm receiving a comprehensive qualification for attachment to all ESCON device types.

Michael Dailey, Vice President of Worldwide Sales for Optica, said,

“Optica has enjoyed a long-term strategic relationship with IBM. We’re delighted to collaborate with the System z brand to help customers design and deploy current-generation dynamic infrastructures. Now that Optica has received the most extensive IBM qualification available for third-party solutions, customers can confidently leverage Prizm to support a wide variety of mature devices that remain crucial to their unique business requirements.”

Mark Anzani, VP and Chief Technology Officer, System z, made the following comments:

“As customer infrastructures evolve, conditioning the environment to support the deployment of new technology in a seamless manner is critical. Customers need to evaluate a variety of variables including physical infrastructure, data models, application placement, structure and workload trends to manage this transition effectively. Our strategic cooperation with Optica allows our mainframe customers to leverage all of the benefits of FICON on System z while maintaining access to ESCON devices that are required to support key applications. Working closely with Optica, we’re helping customers simplify the transition to new System z platforms, while maximizing the value of their investment in peripheral devices.”