Fusion-io and NetApp Collaborate on Virtual Storage Tier Technologies

SALT LAKE CITY, July 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Fusion-io (NYSE: FIO) today announced that it is working closely with storage industry leader NetApp to provide solutions using server-side flash and caching software products when used in conjunction with the NetApp Virtual Storage Tier. The two companies are collaborating on low-latency, high-performance solutions for compatibility between the Fusion ioMemory platform and NetApp's Data ONTAP operating system, as well as key caching solutions, including NetApp Flash Cache, NetApp Flash Pool and Fusion-io caching software.

The momentum behind shared IT infrastructure and the need for always-on application availability is fueling a rethinking of automated storage tiering models. The proliferation of storage media technologies (SATA, Fibre Channel, SAS and flash) can complicate decisions of how to get the right data to the right place at the right time. The NetApp Virtual Storage Tier offers a unique approach to automated storage tiering, that matches data with the specific technology that can best align with lifecycle and performance objectives.

"Our collaboration with Fusion-io will help customers implement a more dynamic and cost-effective infrastructure," said Tim Russell, vice president of Data Lifecycle Ecosystem Group, NetApp. "Fusion-io provides leading data acceleration technology that, in combination with technologies in our Virtual Storage Tier, such as Flash Cache and Flash Pool, will enable rapid, low-latency assessment of workload priorities, resulting in low-cost high performance solutions to the exponential data growth our customers face today."

An industry innovator in storage and data management solutions, NetApp creates storage systems and software that help customers around the world manage, protect, and retain critical information. NetApp solutions allow customers to significantly reduce their datacenter footprint and boost storage utilization and system performance, while achieving substantial return on investment. Fusion-io solutions are focused on server-side application acceleration to increase ultra low-latency data performance in virtualization, cloud and big data environments. Working together, the two companies are cooperating closely to drive innovation in optimizing for industry-leading performance through ioMemory solutions for NetApp environments.

"NetApp is a visionary company that understands that today's data centers need to go beyond yesterday's storage to power the applications driving business today," said Neil Carson, Fusion-io Chief Technology Officer. "With powerful technology from Fusion-io and NetApp, we believe software-defined solutions will be able to deliver much greater efficiency for customers, enabling them to do more than ever before at a fraction of the cost of legacy systems. This is what real innovation is all about, and it's exciting to work with NetApp on advanced solutions."

To learn more about NetApp solutions, go to https://www.netapp.com. To learn more about Fusion-io, go to http://www.fusionio.com. Follow Fusion-io on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/fusionio and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/fusionio.

About Fusion-io
Fusion-io has pioneered a next generation storage memory platform for shared data decentralization that significantly improves the processing capabilities within a datacenter by relocating process-critical, or "active", data from centralized storage to the server where it is being processed, a methodology referred to as data decentralization. Fusion's integrated hardware and software solutions leverage non-volatile memory to significantly increase datacenter efficiency and offers enterprise grade performance, reliability, availability and manageability. Fusion's data decentralization platform can transform legacy architectures into next generation datacenters and allows enterprises to consolidate or significantly reduce complex and expensive high performance storage, high performance networking and memory-rich servers. Fusion's platform enables enterprises to increase the utilization, performance and efficiency of their datacenter resources and extract greater value from their information assets.

About NetApp
NetApp creates innovative storage and data management solutions that deliver outstanding cost efficiency and accelerate business breakthroughs. Our commitment to living our core values and consistently being recognized as a great place to work around the world are fundamental to our long-term growth and success, as well as the success of our pathway partners and customers. Discover our passion for helping companies around the world go further, faster at www.netapp.com.

Note on Forward-looking Statements
Certain statements in this release may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, including, but are not limited to, statements concerning the company's new relationship with NetApp and our plans to collaborate on low-latency, high-performance solutions and the anticipated benefits of their collaboration and solutions for customers. These statements are based on current expectations and assumptions regarding future events and business performance and involve certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained, anticipated, or implied in any forward-looking statement, including, but not limited to, the risks that our relationship with NetApp may not be successful, that customers may not realize the anticipated benefits of our solutions, and such other risks set forth in the registration statements and reports that Fusion-io files with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which are available on the Investor Relations section of our website at www.fusionio.com.  You should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events.  Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee that the future results, levels of activity, performance or events and circumstances reflected in the forward-looking statements will be achieved or will occur.  Fusion-io undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statement for any reason after the date of this press release.

SOURCE Fusion-io