Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE:6501) announces that on February 15 it will release the H-
6593/6596, a disk array subsystem for enterprise systems with enhanced functions for 
Storage Area Network (SAN) environments.  The H-6593/6596 uses 47-gigabyte 
(GB) drives that rotate at the world's fastest speed of 10,025 rpm (10,025 min-1).  
The large capacity and high performance of the H-6593/6596 provides an improvement of 
some 50% in terms of data read capabilities in a random access environment.  
Moreover, to enable effective storage consolidation in a SAN environment, the H-
6593/6596 offers enhanced storage management functions, Fibre Channel connectivity 
and disaster recovery capabilities.

As the use of the Internet continues to expand rapidly into companies, 
communities and homes, it is reaching the stage where it is forming a true 
infrastructure for new businesses and electronic commerce (EC).  At the same time, 
this is also increasing the volume of data held and handled by companies.  Moreover,
with competition continuing to intensify, more and more companies are merging and 
entering into alliances.  In such an environment, the ability to survive in the 
marketplace depends on companies' abilities to consolidate their data systems and 
provide more competitive services.  This is generating an increasing need for large-
scale data storage systems able to integrate existing data resources maintained on a 
variety of platforms, and thereby make effective strategic use of such resources.  
Along with this, companies are looking for functionality and solutions that enable them 
to operate their systems more efficiently and centralize system management.

Hitachi has been responding to such market needs for some time already.  In 
1997, for example, its H-6592/6595 disk array subsystem offered connectability to both 
mainframes and open systems, thereby enabling data to be exchanged without using a 
LAN.  Also, in July 1999, the Company announced "Storeplaza", a SAN solution 
concept that helped to expand the range of SAN product compatibility.  In January 
this year, Hitachi established a Storage Area Network Systems Solution Division as 
part of its continuing expansion of its solutions business.

The 47GB diskdrive capacity of the H-6593/6596 is 1.3 times larger than that 
of the current H-6593/6595, and at 10,025 rpm, the disk rotational speed is some 1.6 
times faster, and, at 7.4 terabytes (TB), the maximum subsystem storage capacity is 
around 1.3 times greater.  Moreover, in a random access environment, database 
applications being a typical example, read performance has been improved by around 
50%.  When building a large-scale, high-speed storage system, these improvements 
translate into an ability to greatly reduce system introduction and running costs.

The H-6593/6596 incorporates a number of enhancements relating to system 
storage performance, capacity and security management functions.  For example, 
during subsystem operation, resource activity can be  monitored and estimates 
utilization of volumes, performance can be tuned by automatically reallocation volumes, 
a LUN manager enables address settings to be readily added or modified, and a LUN 
security facility manages access authority on a server by server basis, protecting data 
from unauthorized access.  Fibre Channel switch is included for connectivity with 
different platforms, and remote data copy functions have been strengthened to enable 
the data to be copied without adversely affecting online operations.  Hitachi intends to 
continue to release products for SAN applications and to strengthen product functions.

The H-6593/6596 will be available in March. 

Hitachi, Ltd., headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is one of the world's leading global 
electronics companies, with fiscal 1998 (ended March 31, 1999) consolidated sales of 
7,977 billion yen  ($65.9 billion*).  The company manufactures and markets a wide 
range of products,  including computers, semiconductors, consumer products and 
power and industrial equipment. For more information on Hitachi, Ltd., please visit 
Hitachi's Web site at  http://www.hitachi.co.jp. * At an exchange rate of 121 yen to 
the dollar.

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