Finisar Announces Next Generation Analysis Solutions for Storage Area Networks (SANs)

ORLANDO, FL, Oct. 27, 2004 (MARKET WIRE via COMTEX) -- STORAGE NETWORKING WORLD -- Finisar Corporation (NASDAQ: FNSR), a provider of gigabit network solutions, announced today Xgig 2.1, the company's next generation analysis and testing solutions for storage area networks (SANs). Finisar's new solutions allow users to protect their investments as SANs migrate to support higher speed Fibre Channel Busses (1,2 and 4Gb Fibre Channel) as well as other IP-based protocols (iSCSI and FCIP). Finisar is exhibiting at the Storage Networking World Conference this week in Orlando, Florida, and the new Xgig solutions can be seen in Booth G5.

The new version of Finisar's award-winning Xgig analyzer platform includes the "Uno" system for field service personnel, SAN analysis certification and new customer-driven features for the comprehensive analyzing and testing of SANs.

"As the demand for increased speed on SANs grows, IT managers are faced with the need to upgrade to the new technologies while at the same time protecting their existing investment," said Mike Karp, Senior Analyst, Enterprise Management Associates. "IT environments moving to 4Gb or faster Fibre Channel SANs will appreciate the effort that Finisar has made to ensure that upgrades to faster technologies are straightforward, cost-efficient, and support future scalability."

Finisar's Xgig Version 2.1, is a scalable, portable, protocol analyzer platform for 1,2,4 and 10Gb Fibre Channel and Gigabit Ethernet (iSCSI and FCIP) SANs. Xgig is a combined software and hardware package that streamlines the resolution of events that cause performance problems. Xgig enables users to design, implement, test and evaluate SANs and their components by automatically analyzing captured traces for errant behaviors and providing extensive performance analysis capabilities. Along with its key analysis capabilities for Enterprise SANs, Xgig is also a key product in interoperability and compliance testing, and is used by Fibre Channel OEMs and Vendors to make sure that their SAN equipment adheres to Fibre Channel industry standards.

"Incompatibility is a major concern for customers as their technology investments age and new protocols and standards emerge," said Dr. Brian Staff, VP of Marketing, Finisar Network Tools. "Finisar's products have a central role to play in ensuring that standards are met, compatibility is retained, and investments protected.

"New features for the Xgig Version 2.1 product line include the following:

-- Xgig "Uno" -- New footprint version of the powerful Xgig analyzer
product line, built specifically for use by Field Service Personnel.
Finisar's new Xgig "Uno" product allows the user to analyze and test 1,2,4 & 10Gb Fibre Channel or Gigabit Ethernet iSCSI and FCIP fabrics and components all from one, small footprint analyzer that is small enough to fit in a laptop case. This cost-effective solution also features an attractive price and fixed blade construction for rugged use.

-- BERT (Bit Error Rate Testing) for 1,2 & 4Gb Fibre Channel. Finisar's
latest software allows the user to do Bit Error Rate Testing from the Xgig console along with the analyzer capabilities. This BERT feature allows the user to stress test the network and make sure it is not generating data errors.

-- High Port Density. Xgig analyzers can be cascaded to provide up to 64 time-synchronized channels of support with each channel having dedicated trace buffers of up to 4Gbs.

-- Error Injection (Jammer) for 1,2 & 4Gb Fibre Channel and iSCSI.
Finisar's latest software allows the user to inject programmed errors and analyze the network response from the same Xgig console. This allows the user to gauge a key network characteristic, namely how well it detects and recovers from errors.

-- New user-driven features greatly facilitating troubleshooting and
analysis. These include more error counters, timestamp improvements across function, side-by-side port views showing a separate column in the display for each port, and iSCSI header and data digest decode.

-- Xgig Certification & Training Class, given by Medusa Labs, recognized internationally for excellence in Fibre Channel and SAN training for more than seven years. Designed specifically for field application engineers, IT administrators, development, test, customer support and technical marketing teams, this class offers everything from basic set up to in-depth architecture. These classes are taught in an unmatched hands-on environment with fully wired classrooms. Successful graduates from the classes become"Medusa Certified Xgig Engineers"

"As the recipient of the 2004 Market Leadership award for Fibre Channel (FC) testing, Finisar is a major player in practically every vendor's engineering lab. Finisar is exploring the possibility to extend its reach into other avenues as well. The latest version of its Xgig product line -- Xgig Uno -- is one such initiative by the company. Xgig Uno is a cost-effective solution for field service and SAN users that have need of root cause analysis of SAN problems and bottlenecks," says Jessy Cavazos, Industry Analyst and Sector Leader of the Communication Test Sector at Frost & Sullivan.

About Finisar
Finisar Corporation (NASDAQ: FNSR) is a technology leader for fiber optic subsystems and network test and monitoring systems. These products enable high-speed data communications for networking and storage applications over Gigabit Ethernet Local Area Networks (LANs), Fibre Channel Storage Area Networks (SANs), and Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs) using Fibre Channel, IP and SONET/SDH protocols. The Company's headquarters is in Sunnyvale, California, USA.

Pricing and Availability
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For more detailed information, product configurations and pricing please contact Gillaspy Associates at 805-386-0700 and on the Internet

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