Pillar Data Systems Eliminates Data Storage Complexity and Unnecessary Cost: Launches New Software Suite
AxiomONE delivers compelling alternative to legacy offerings

San Jose, CA (July 24, 2006) – Pillar Data Systems, a leading provider of enterprise network storage systems, today announced Pillar AxiomONE™, the industry's first full service storage management and data services suite designed for the award winning Pillar Axiom platform. Named by a leading independent analyst firm as one of the fastest growing storage companies ever, Pillar Data Systems with AxiomONE brings together for the first time both SAN and NAS management, multiple data services capabilities for data protection and archiving, guided maintenance and support, and a robust operating system under a simple management interface.

Prior to AxiomONE, IT professionals were forced to configure and manage their disparate SAN and NAS environments with multiple products. That legacy approach required organizations to employ additional personnel to administer multiple systems significantly increasing acquisition and management costs. In addition, multiple software licenses and inefficient or inadequate management schemes unnecessarily added to the already complexity and cost of storing data.

"We had looked at several storage platforms and for what we needed to do, it would have taken weeks and in some circumstances months whereas with the Pillar Axiom and Pillar AxiomONE, it took less than two days," said Nick DeMonner, founder and acting CTO at AthletiShare. "Pillar's approach to data management is a significant departure from the status quo. They've eliminated much of the traditional but unnecessary cost and complexity of storage. The benefits we've realized are significant and have lowered risk and complexity within our data center."

AxiomONE is an integrated software suite designed exclusively for the Pillar Axiom platform that allows customers to simplify complexity and reduce the cost of managing information. AxiomONE combines multiple levels of data services and administrative tools into a single, easy-to-use interface that is completely customer-configurable. AxiomONE allows users to manage NAS and SAN storage environments simultaneously, from a single management interface. Advanced data services such as heterogeneous volume replication, file replication and continuous data protection are delivered through a simple to manage, highly available and uniquely scalable storage solution.

"Our goal has always been to help companies simplify, consolidate and save on their storage investments," said Mike Workman, CEO and President, Pillar Data Systems. "We've always felt storage does not need to be too complex or too expensive. With today's announcement of AxiomONE, Pillar has taken a giant step forward in solving those two longstanding pain points. We're excited about what we've been able to accomplish in a short amount of time and our customers will be equally excited by the benefits AxiomONE will provide them."

Pillar AxiomONE software delivers the power of ONE:

• ONE simple to use management interface;
• ONE integrated platform that enables performance prioritized multi-tenancy of Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 applications;
• ONE storage solution that natively supports SAN and NAS environments;
• ONE common storage pool that manages a mix storage technologies

"I'm impressed by how Pillar Data Systems is maturing as a company, shifting from an engineering focus to that of a storage solutions vendor with a rapidly growing SAN and NAS unified tiered storage customer base," said Greg Schulz, founder and Sr. analyst of the StorageIO group. "Unified storage offerings provide customers the options of configuring their storage to meet dynamic business needs without having to decide upfront how the storage will be deployed in the future. Pillar is delivering unified tiered storage supporting block and file based access combined with powerful data management and protection tools. As a fan of technologies that address and help to reduce complexities associated with acquiring, installing, managing and using storage, it's great to see Pillar announce the AxiomONE suite of storage and storage management software to address unified storage management needs and challenges."

Specifically, Pillar AxiomONE:

• Optimizes applications performance via its Dynamic Performance Manager, a policy-based information management engine that enables multiple performance priority levels over both SATA and Fibre Channel disk drives.
• Enhances data protection by leveraging its integrated AxiomONE File Replicator, AxiomONE Volume Replicator, AxiomONE Continuous Data Protection and AxiomONE Virtual Tape Library modules.
• Improves data archive and compliance support with AxiomONE SecureWORMfs; a WORM file-system with a lock down security function for compliance requirements.
  

About Pillar Data Systems
Founded in 2001, Pillar Data Systems develops midrange and enterprise network storage systems. The company's Pillar Axiom solution, driven by its innovative policy-based management capabilities, integrates SAN and NAS into a centrally managed storage platform. Pillar Axiom systems consolidate multiple tiers of enterprise network storage into a single, easily managed system capable of scaling to hundreds of terabytes of capacity. Pillar Data Systems is privately funded by Tako Ventures, LLC, the venture arm of Larry Ellison. The company is headquartered at 2840 Junction Avenue, San Jose, California 95134.

For further information, please contact:

Chris Drago
Director of Public Relations
Pillar Data Systems
408.518.4636
cdrago@pillardata.com

Don Jennings
Lois Paul & Partners
don_jennings@lpp.com
781.782.5756

Pillar Data Systems, Pillar Axiom, and the Pillar logo are all trademarks of Pillar Data Systems. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.