ATTO Technology introduces FibreConnect family of 8Gb/s Fibre Channel switches

ATTO Technology has introduced the FibreConnect 8300, a series of high-performance 8Gb/s Fibre Channel switches. FibreConnect switches are easy-to-configure storage-area network (SAN) switches that enable small to midsized organizations to more efficiently and reliably share data. With this announcement, ATTO now offers a complete Fibre Channel SAN connectivity solution when combined with 8Gb/s Celerity Fibre Channel host bus adapters. The FibreConnect 8300 family of switches complements ATTO's 8Gb/s Fibre Channel product portfolio for bandwidth-intensive streaming media and transactional application environments.

By partnering with Brocade Communications Systems, ATTO leverages extensive interoperability to enable high-performance and low-latency collaborative workflows in media and entertainment and general IT environments. ATTO offers a full range of 8Gb/s Fibre Channel products for both the edge and center of the SAN, including Celerity host bust adapters, FibreConnect switches, FibreBridge bridges and FastStream RAID storage controllers. Celerity Fibre Channel HBAs include single-, dual- and quad-channel configurations; offer 8Gb/s or 4Gb/s performance; and support Windows, Linux, Mac OS X and VMware.

ATTO's FibreConnect 8300 switches deliver connectivity with eight, 16 or 24 ports of 8Gb/s performance in an energy-efficient 1RU form factor. Latency management features ensure smooth and reliable data transfers on the SAN, which is a critical requirement for HD video streaming, post production, VOD, complex databases and other applications that run on multiple workstations or servers. The FibreConnect family allows multiple users to share media resources while working simultaneously on projects.

FibreConnect combines auto-sensing 2Gb/s, 4Gb/s and 8Gb/s throughput with innovative hardware and software features, making them easy to deploy into a wide range of high-bandwidth video streaming or backup storage environments. With the flexible ports-on-demand option, a "pay-as-you-grow" upgrade path allows organizations to expand their SAN infrastructure at their own pace in a non-disruptive manner.

Other features of the FibreConnect switches include a Web tools interface for simplified configuration and management; low power consumption (less than 2.5W/port); Inter-Switch Link trunking for higher throughput; and proven interoperability with leading video and IT infrastructure vendors.