Bridgeworks brings greater freedom of choice for data storage

Bridgeworks' combined Fibre Channel and iSCSI to SAS protocol bridge makes data storage and transfer more flexible in heterogeneous networks

29th January 2008

Christchurch, UK - Data storage connectivity pioneer Bridgeworks today announces the launch of the Millau EFCSAS2400 Bridge, an amalgamation of the world's first iSCSI to Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) protocol bridge, the Potomac ESAS2800, and its Tamar FSAS4400 Fibre Channel to SAS bridge. This is the latest addition to Bridgeworks' new broad range of low-cost, high-performance SAN bridging solutions.

Bridgeworks' EFCSAS2400 Bridge allows companies to future proof their storage area networks (SANs) and existing investment in SAS storage devices, supporting the connection of SAS enabled devices such as disk arrays, tape drives and tape libraries to both FC and IP storage and hybrid SAN environments. This ensures end users can have the best of both worlds and can access devices from either iSCSI or FC or both. It also ensures devices can be bought for one environment and then transitioned to another.

“The vast majority of Europe's storage networks may have been built upon a Fibre Channel infrastructure, but the use of iSCSI as a storage interconnect is currently on the rise,” said Eric Sheppard, Program Manager, European Disk Storage Systems, IDC. “Since a significant portion of these two protocols are being deployed within the same organizations, products that allow for iSCSI and Fibre Channel to co-exist should prove useful to an important portion of Europe's storage market.”

All three products share a common platform, which has been designed to support the rapid adoption of new protocols together with those already in use, including iSCSI, Fibre Channel, SCSI and SAS. The new Multi Protocol Platform (MPP) Architecture also enables the rapid adaptation of products to meet specialised OEM needs.

David Trossell, CEO of Bridgeworks comments, “The Bridgeworks' approach to connectivity is all about freedom of choice and flexibility to easily provide different SAN interfaces within the same internal interconnect structure. It can connect any SAS storage device, or be used inside an existing vendor's product (OEM) such as a tape library.”

Overview of the revolutionary Multi Protocol Platform (MPP Architecture)

The MPP approach gives Bridgeworks a building-block approach to its product design. The use of a common core, together with modular software and hardware, allows differing protocols to be assembled allowing a myriad of different product configurations and offers a high degree of customisation for OEM customers.

Pricing and availability

The EFCSAS2400 Bridge is available to resellers via Bridgeworks' distributors from April 2008. Pricing will be available at that time.

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About Bridgeworks

Bridgeworks has over twenty five years experience of providing innovative connectivity solutions to both OEMs and end users in the storage market.

Bridgeworks solutions help end users to maximise the return on their investments in storage infrastructures and storage devices. They offer the highest levels of performance, reliability, flexibility and unmatched value.

The company has developed a wide range of solutions for OEMs and integrators that reduce time to market as well as enhancing their own product offerings.

From their UK base, Bridgeworks has helped businesses worldwide in government, education, financial and other vertical sectors to adopt the latest connectivity standards by making their existing storage systems compatible with evolving technologies such as Fibre Channel, SCSI, SAS and iSCSI without disruption and with minimal investment.