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The new Network Power & Light™ (NP&L™) division of Mylex Corporation (NASDAQ/NM:MYLX) today announced AutoNet™, the industry's first embeddable plug-and-play network server engine, which provides the foundation for a new generation of high-performance yet inexpensive "thin" file servers and network-attached storage servers.

AutoNet is based on NP&L's recently announced NetEngine™ architecture, which was designed to allow plug-and-play connection of high-performance SCSI peripherals directly to a Local Area Network (LAN). By incorporating standard network and device protocols and using high levels of integration, the new design offers the functionality and performance of a traditional PC-based file server in a low-cost 3 1/2" disk drive form factor.

"AutoNet will enable a positive change in the way networks are constructed and managed," said Greg Brashier, director of marketing for NP&L. "Most servers today require an advanced engineering degree to set up and maintain, adding exponentially to the overall cost and headache of network administration. With AutoNet, this scenario is a thing of the past."

AutoNet contains the necessary hardware and software needed to provide the functions of a standard file server, and will be used by OEMs, VARs and systems integrators as the basic building block for a new class of easy-to-use file servers and network attached storage products. Available in a variety of RAM configurations, the product includes RISC processing, 10/100 ethernet connectivity, high-performance Ultra-SCSI connections, and its Mylex's own open-system network operating system (NOS).

Low Cost

Typical low-cost file servers require the addition of network interface cards, host bus adapters, large amounts of RAM, user licenses and expensive network operating systems. AutoNet includes these items in its standard configurations.

Additionally, typical file servers require the extra costs of keyboards, monitors and other hardware that are not required by AutoNet-based servers. The cost of these extra parts can easily push the price of entry-level servers over $10,000. The suggested retail price of AutoNet starts at just $995, meaning end-user savings of up to 90%.

"This low cost approach, coupled with the product's ease of use, will open networking to a broad new group of users," said Michael Peterson, president of Strategic Research Corporation. "AutoNet will expand the networking market, adding users who thought networking was too expensive or too difficult."

Ease of Use

One of the most revolutionary aspects of AutoNet is its plug-and-play ease of use, which comes from a new client-centric design approach. Rather than dictating new protocols and specific server needs to clients, AutoNet supports the protocols the clients already use. There is no need to add specialized drivers to address AutoNet servers.

In addition, AutoNet is self-configuring at boot time. When the product is first powered on, it will automatically find and partition any attached disk drives, and set up user spaces and password protection, as desired. This plug-and-play capability allows the installation or removal of AutoNet servers in less than fifteen minutes, without network shutdown, and without the need of a network specialist.

When an authorized user wants to go beyond the default settings, AutoNet's powerful management and configuration tools are accessible to any client on the Intranet or Internet via web browser.

AutoNet-based servers are platform and operating system independent and can work within separate or mixed network environments such as Windows, Windows NT, UNIX or NetWare networks, or even where no other network exists.

"This is the ultimate open-systems product," said Edward Poshkus, of Creative Strategies. "It works with any NOS (Network Operating System), virtually any client, and can be managed through a standard web browser. Even the form-factor is easy to integrate. VARs and OEMs will be able to slide the product directly into existing storage enclosures, creating file servers from what previously were just peripherals."

Applications

By enabling the deployment of simpler, less expensive file servers and network attached storage products, AutoNet will appear in a wide variety of configurations and applications. In the corporate environment, AutoNet-based file servers can be used as workgroup servers, off-loading file service requests and traffic from application servers and bandwidth-poor backbones and subnets. This will be especially important in workgroups with heavy file access loads, such as departments with graphic images.

AutoNet can make thin clients more feasible for many organizations. Typical thin clients have little or no local storage, and therefore put high service loads on networks. The addition of AutoNet-based thin servers directly into the subnets populated with thin clients can keep that extra load from hitting the corporate backbone and main servers.

Another area of application for AutoNet is with first time networks. According to International Data Corporation, nearly 70% of today's small office, home office and remote office sites are not currently networked because they feel that networking is either too complex or too expensive. The plug-and-play simplicity, lower entry cost, and low long-term costs of AutoNet are expected to appeal to many users who have avoided networking until now.

Availability

Many of the industry's leading storage and server manufacturers have been working with samples of AutoNet since July, and the product is now available in full production to all OEMs, VARs and integrators. End users will begin to see products based on AutoNet immediately. The product will be on display in NP&L's booth, No. 3817, at NetWorld+Interop in Atlanta.

About Mylex

Mylex Corporation, founded in 1983, develops high-performance, intelligent hardware and software for moving, storing, protecting and managing data in desktop and networked environments. The company produces high-performance RAID controllers, SCSI adapters and complementary computer products for network servers, mass storage systems, workstations and system motherboards.

Mylex's Network Power & Light™ division develops technologies to reduce the cost and difficulty of networking. Products are sold globally through a network of OEMs, major distributors, VARs and system integrators. Mylex Corporation is headquartered at 34551 Ardenwood Blvd, Fremont, CA 94555.