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Robust Digital Solutions Announces Next Generation RAID Solutions

New RAID system based on state-of-the-art Serial ATA technology and other cutting edge innovations announced. The new L Series RAID provides fibre channel performance combined with enterprise class features and very reasonable prices

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA November 6, 2003 - Robust Digital Solutions, a leading provider of reliable, innovative and affordable computer storage, announces the next generation in RAID technology is now available. This new RAID system, the L Series, combines a 2 Gigabit per second fibre channel interface with the new technology of Serial ATA and other state-of-the-art features to create a solution for some of the most demanding data, video/audio and disk to disk backup applications.

"The L Series RAID array provides amazing throughput at very affordable prices." says Diane Christ, Marketing Director of Robust Digital Solutions, "High definition video as well as small block data and backup applications will all benefit from the performance these Serial ATA based solutions provide."

Serial ATA, also known as SATA, is the one of the newest technologies to be used in RAID arrays. This SATA technology used in the L Series RAID provides several benefits over the previous Parallel ATA (PATA) technology.

Cost for performance is the main benefit of using Serial ATA technology in the L Series RAID solutions. ATA / IDE RAID systems have been less expensive then their SCSI and fibre channel hard drive based counterparts, but Serial ATA adds increased performance over current ATA / IDE designs.

Serial ATA implements a point-to-point connection for each drive instead of a shared bus environment used by Parallel ATA. In the L Series RAID, this direct connection to each hard drive eliminates the bottlenecks of a shared bus and provides significantly more throughput then other systems.

Another benefit of Serial ATA is the use of smaller cables and connectors. These changes provide reductions in the obstruction of airflow allowing for better cooling and the potential for longer life of the components in the L Series RAID solutions.

Serial ATA specifications also provide the benefit of longer cable lengths then were previously allowed. L Series cables are now able to be routed around the chassis more effectively, creating better designs for increased drive capacity, additional cooling and more.

The L Series provided by Robust Digital Solutions benefits from all the advantages of Serial ATA plus some extra innovations usually found in more expensive systems. Instant Copy, Remote Mirroring and Path Cruise (path failover) are available options for extra functionality.

L Series RAID solutions are available in three versions: a Standard Performance model using a single RAID controller, a High Performance single RAID controller model and a High Performance dual active/active RAID controller model.

All L Series disk arrays can be used in a Storage Area Network (SAN) or as Direct Attached Storage (DAS) / Server Attached Storage (SAS) solutions. Each controller has two active ports, creating up to four host/switch connections when using the dual active/active RAID controllers. When using four or less host connections, a switch-less direct attach network can be formed to avoid the cost of a fibre channel switch.

"The Standard Performance model can be used for many applications.", says Christ, "The High Performance model with a single controller should be used for the more demanding requirements including HD video and intense small block applications. The High Performance model with dual controllers provides redundancy between controllers, two