Releases

posted on 16 April 2008 08:01

SAN JOSE and SUNNYVALE, CA – April 16, 2008 – Bell Microproducts Inc, 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, today announced an agreement that enables Bell Microproducts to distribute Chelsio’s 10-Gigabit Ethernet and multi-port Gigabit Ethernet adapters throughout Europe.

This agreement is an expansion of the existing distribution agreement announced between the two companies in early 2007. The Chelsio adapters feature unique protocol acceleration technology that enables Bell Microproducts’ resellers to offer their customers solutions that deliver an enhanced level of performance and cost-savings for the next generation enterprise data centers.

“Bell Microproducts has been an outstanding distribution partner for Chelsio and is a logical partner for our market expansion throughout Europe,” said Kianoosh Naghshineh, president and CEO of Chelsio. “Our adapters are gaining widespread acceptance for high performance servers and storage systems, and Bell Microproducts has been an important part of that success. We expect to have great success in the European market.”

“Chelsio has been an excellent technology partner in the US and we see a great opportunity to take their world class 10Gb Ethernet adapters to the European markets,” said Tom Ellis, Business Unit Manager for Storage Solutions at Bell Microproducts. “Chelsio’s adapters address the industry demand for greater convergence of networking, clustering, virtualization and IP storage connectivity while dramatically increasing application performance and bandwidth. Chelsio’s product line will be a fast growing addition for Bell Micro’s storage fabric portfolio.”

Chelsio is the technology leader in 10-Gigabit Ethernet storage networking and offers the broadest portfolio of high performance connectivity solutions in the industry. Chelsio’s third generation adapters are available today through Bell Microproducts distribution network.

About Chelsio Communications Inc.

Chelsio Communications is leading the convergence of networking, storage and clustering interconnects with its robust, high-performance and proven unified wire technology. Featuring a highly scalable and programmable architecture, Chelsio is shipping 10-Gigabit Ethernet and multi-port Gigabit Ethernet adapter cards, delivering the low latency and superior throughput required for high-performance computing applications. For more information, visit the company online at www.chelsio.com.

About Bell Microproducts Inc.
Bell Microproducts 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 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.

^{[Formatted by Majid Soltani.]}