FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BELL MICROPRODUCTS INKS DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT WITH CHELSIO COMMUNICATIONS
Partnership Offers High Performance 10G Ethernet Storage Accelerators for Enterprise Data Centers
SAN JOSE and SUNNYVALE, CA, JANUARY 9, 2007 – Bell Microproducts Inc. (NASDAQ: BELM), one of the world’s largest value-added distributors of storage and computing technology, and Chelsio Communications, Inc., the leading provider of 10-Gigabit Ethernet adapters and ASIC solutions, announced today that they have reached an agreement whereby Bell Microproducts will distribute Chelsio’s 10-Gigabit Ethernet and multi-port Gigabit Ethernet adapters. The Chelsio adapters feature unique protocol acceleration technology and will enable Bell Microproducts’ resellers to offer their customers solutions that deliver an enhanced level of performance and cost-savings for the next-generation enterprise data center.
Strengthening Bell Microproducts’ position as a leader in the storage market, Chelsio’s adapters address the industry demand for greater convergence of networking, clustering and storage interconnects and dramatically increases both applications performance and communications bandwidth. Delivering protocol-offload and acceleration technology, these adapters are ideally suited for high performance servers and storage systems.
Bell Microproducts sees a great opportunity to deliver Chelsio’s innovative technology to the worldwide market,” said Gary Gammon, senior vice president of marketing, enterprise products at Bell Microproducts. “Resellers offering these solutions can expect to dramatically increase both applications performance and communications bandwidth for end users.
As the technology leader in 10-Gigabit Ethernet storage networking, we wanted to partner with a distribution leader, and Bell Microproducts was the natural choice, said Kianoosh Naghshineh, president and CEO of Chelsio Communications. Our partnership with Bell Microproducts will benefit customers by giving them access to the broadest range of high performance 10-Gigabit Ethernet and multi-port Gigabit Ethernet Storage Accelerators in the industry.
Chelsio is the technology leader in 10-Gigabit Ethernet storage networking and offers the broadest portfolio of high-performance iSCSI connectivity solutions in the industry. Designed to boost performance for IP-based SANs, Network-Attached Storage (NAS) filers, SAN arrays, storage virtualization and storage networking gateways, Chelsio’s third-generation adapters are available now through Bell Microproducts’ distribution network. Please call 1-800-800-1513 for more information.
About Chelsio Communications
Chelsio Communications is leading the convergence of networking, storage and clustering interconnects with its robust, high-performance and proven protocol acceleration technology. Featuring a highly scalable and programmable architecture, Chelsio is shipping 10-Gigabit Ethernet and multi-port Gigabit Ethernet adapter cards with protocol offload, delivering the low latency and superior throughput required for high-performance computing applications. For more information, visit the company online at http://www.chelsio.com.
About Bell Microproducts Inc.
Bell Microproducts [NASDAQ: BELM] is an international, value-added distributor of a wide range of high-tech products, solutions and services, including storage systems, servers, software, computer components and peripherals, as well as maintenance and professional services. An industry-recognized specialist in storage products, this Fortune 1000 company is one of the world’s largest storage-centric value-added distributors.
Bell Microproducts is uniquely qualified with deep technical and application expertise to service a broad range of information technology needs. From design to deployment, its products are available at any level of integration, from components to subsystem assemblies and fully-integrated, tested and certified system solutions. More information can be found in the company’s SEC filings, or by visiting the Bell Microproducts Web site at www.bellmicro.com.
Safe Harbor Statement for Bell Microproducts:
This release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements, which reflect the Company’s current views of future events and financial performance, involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results or facts to differ materially from such statements for a variety of reasons including, but not limited to: the ability to successfully integrate the operations of recent acquisitions, industry conditions, changes in product supply, pricing, and customer demand, competition, other vagaries in the computer and electronic components markets, changes in relationships with key suppliers, foreign currency fluctuations and the other risks described from time to time in the Company’s reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission (including the company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K). Investors should take such risks into account when making investment decisions. Shareholders and other readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. The company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements.
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Chelsio Media Contact:
Tim Helms
Helms Communications
925-606-6936
timhelms@comcast.net
Bell Microproducts Media Contact:
Dena Jacobson
Lages & Associates.
949-453-8080
dena@lages.com