San Jose, Calif. (Oct. 8, 1997) - SUPERMICRO today announced immediate volume shipments of the industry's first I2O-ready server solution. SUPERMICRO will also be joining an exclusive group at the Intel-sponsored industry server launch during Networld+Interop. The event will be held in Atlanta, GA, from Oct. 8-10, 1997.

SUPERMICRO’s SUPER P6DNH2 I2O Architecture Server Solution is available now for volume shipments. It is supplied with dual 200 MHz Pentium® Pro processors, a 66 MHz i960® RD I/O processor, 4 ultrawide SCSI hard drives with removable hard drive modules, and dual redundant hot-swappable power supplies. An innovative chassis enclosure, SC-801, provides eleven hot-swappable hard drive bays, permitting system operators to replace drives without shutting down the system. The I2O server solution will run under Windows NT 4.0 Server, Wind River’s RTOS FCS 3, Symbios’ HDM, Bytestream’s RAID ISM, and BMC’s Patrol ISM.

The intelligent i960 RD I/O processor offloads interrupt handling and enhances system performance. The I2O specification provides an open, standards-based architecture that offers a framework for the rapid development of a new generation of portable, intelligent I/O solutions.

Besides delivering increased system performance, the I2O specification eliminates the need for different drivers for each combination of operating system and SCSI or Network Interface Card. Because the drivers may be standardized, and not re-written for new operating system releases, drivers can become more highly optimized and robust, improving performance and reliability in mission-critical enterprise computing. MIS Managers will now have greater scalability and better system growth opportunities with SUPERMICRO’s I2O Server Solution.

"The I2O architecture will be a major benefit to the entire MIS computing industry," said Charles Liang, President and CEO of SUPERMICRO. "The I2O architecture will provide increased system performance, more robust systems, increased flexibility, faster access to new I/O technology, and increased fault tolerance. SUPERMICRO has distinguished itself by being the first company to ship production volumes of motherboards and servers for this exciting new environment."

SUPER P6DNH and P6DNH2 have already shipped to members of the I2O SIG (Special Interest Group). SUPERMICRO’s 3rd I2O-ready motherboard, SUPER P6DLH, will be available in late October. SUPER P6DLH is full AT size and is based on Intel’s 440 LX chipset. It supports dual Pentium II 300 MHz processors, i960 RD IOP, up to 1 GB EDO or 512 MB SDRAM memory, 8 PCI slots, 3 ISA slots, an 8 Mb Flash I/O BIOS, local IOP memory of 64 MB, and support for PC 98 specifications, Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI), and PC Health Monitoring.

"SUPERMICRO is very honored to be associated with the I2O platform launching event," added Mr. Liang. "Our continued relationship with members of the I2O SIG reflects our strong commitment to establishing I2O as the industry standard interface for high performance I/O systems."

"Intel Corp. has long recognized SUPERMICRO’s contribution to the I2O architecture. SUPERMICRO shipped its first I2O-ready motherboard in November of 1996 and continues their strong commitment to I2O-ready server solutions," said Ron Smith, Vice President and General Manager of Intel’s Computing Enhancement Group.

SUPER P6DNH and P6DNH2 are full AT size (13"x12") motherboards based on Intel’s 440 FX chipset. They support dual Pentium Pro processors, i960 RP/RD IOP, up to 1 GB FPM or EDO memory, 8 PCI slots, 3 ISA slots, an 8 Mb Flash I/O BIOS and local IOP memory of 64 MB. On-board I/O includes 2 EIDE interfaces, 1 floppy port, 2 serial ports, 1 ECP/EPP parallel port, 2 USB ports and a PS/2 mouse port. A multi-function system overheat temperature sensor can activate a back-up fan and/or alarm, making the server ideal for mission-critical applications.

SUPERMICRO manufactures motherboards and Server Building Block Solutions both in the United States and off-shore. All products are available through OEMs and distributors. For more information, contact SUPERMICRO at tel: (408) 895-2000, fax: (408) 895-2008, e-mail: marketing@supermicro.com, or visit SUPERMICRO on the World Wide Web at http://www.supermicro.com.

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SUPERMICRO is a leading supplier of high-end motherboards and servers. Since its founding in 1993, SUPERMICRO has led the industry in delivering leading edge technology such as the I2O architecture. SUPERMICRO strives to build long-term relationships with its customers by providing outstanding engineering innovation, quality, and reliability. SUPERMICRO’s Super Server Building Block Solution decreases System Integrators’ time-to-market and ensures interoperability of all components.