EMC Corporation, the world leader in information storage and management, today announced EMC Storage Administrator for Exchange, a unique software offering for mid-sized enterprises (MSEs) and small-to-medium businesses (SMBs) that simplifies Microsoft Exchange Server storage administration tasks and improves e-mail availability when deployed on industry-leading EMC® CLARiiON® AX and CX series' networked storage systems. EMC Storage Administrator for Exchange, a plug-in to the Microsoft Exchange System Manager interface, allows customers to manage e-mail, migrate data and manage SAN storage from within the same software tool. The software is ideal for organizations that manage up to 3,000 Exchange mailboxes and have or will implement networked storage, and for those upgrading to Exchange Server 2003.

"Customers of all sizes count on Exchange Server as the cornerstone of business communications," said Donna Conner, Senior Product Manager of the Exchange Division at Microsoft Corp. "As the amount of data stored in Exchange continues to grow exponentially and customers upgrade to Exchange Server 2003, storage consolidation becomes an increasingly attractive option to manage Exchange data effectively. EMC helps our mutual customers consolidate storage, and secure and manage their Exchange Server 2003 infrastructure. With Storage Administrator for Exchange, EMC addresses the need for enhanced storage management for small and mid-sized customers."

EMC Storage Administrator for Exchange enables MSEs and SMBs to:

• Manage e-mail and storage – EMC Storage Administrator for Exchange enables an administrator to manage e-mail, migrate data and manage SAN storage all within the same software tool. For example, users can input Exchange requirements such as mailbox numbers, user quotas, and expected growth via the familiar Exchange System Manager interface. The software then automatically creates the storage configuration and expands capacity as the requirements of Exchange Server increase. All configuration and layout decisions are based on Microsoft and EMC best practices.
• Provide rapid recovery from server failures – In the event of a server failure, EMC Storage Administrator for Exchange can reassign storage groups from a failed server to an active server with just a few mouse clicks. This provides quick and easy recovery from an Exchange Server outage resulting in a cost-effective way to improve e-mail availability and keep user satisfaction high.
• Expedite the Exchange Server upgrade process – Administrators can automatically move Exchange 2000 Server storage groups to Exchange Server 2003 and attach them to EMC CLARiiON networked storage systems via EMC Storage Administrator for Exchange. Databases, logs, and system files are migrated in one simple operation, and database consistency is validated before and after the operation is complete. This point-and-click approach streamlines the migration process and reduces the risk of errors when upgrading to Exchange Server 2003.

Ariba Inc., an EMC customer with 1,600 Exchange users, is the leading provider of spend management solutions. "EMC Storage Administrator for Exchange delivers smart storage management for Exchange right out of the box – with all the advantages of EMC storage on the back end," said Brent Putzel, Ariba's Senior Manager of IT Operations. "Our budget is limited, so we have to get the most from every dollar spent. EMC Storage Administrator for Exchange makes owning and deploying an Exchange solution easier – and it's why we invested in EMC."

"This announcement is another step in Dell and EMC's initiative to deliver simplified storage solutions that yield tangible benefits for small to mid-sized organizations," said Praveen Asthana, Director of Storage in Dell's product group. "Using EMC's Storage Administrator for Exchange with Dell servers and Dell/EMC storage arrays can significantly ease our customers' deployment and management of Exchange Server 2003 infrastructures without the need for extensive in-house storage expertise."

"EMC Storage Administrator for Exchange makes it easier than ever for small and mid-sized customers to get the benefits of EMC networked storage in their Microsoft Exchange Server environments," said Tom Joyce, Vice President of EMC Storage Platforms Marketing. "The combination of Storage Administrator for Exchange with EMC's industry-leading CLARiiON networked storage platforms delivers dramatically improved e-mail service levels without increasing storage management requirements."

For more information, visit www.emc.com/products/software/exchange_storage_admin/index.jsp or visit EMC this week within the Microsoft Partner Pavilion at Storage Decisions New York.

Pricing and Availability

EMC Storage Administrator for Exchange is priced per array (Fibre Channel or iSCSI) with a starting list price of $2,000 USD when deployed with an EMC CLARiiON AX100. The software will be available in English in early October and can be purchased through EMC's worldwide Velocity Channel and distribution network and by Dell.