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Xilinx Press Release 0330

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MAXXAN CHOOSES WORLD'S MOST POWERFUL FPGAS FROM XILINX
FOR NEXT-GENERATION INTELLIGENT STORAGE SWITCH PLATFORM

MaXXan Incorporates Xilinx Reprogrammable Chips into Overall Supply Chain Strategy

SAN JOSE, Calif., March 24, 2003 - Xilinx, Inc. (NASDAQ:XLNX) today announced that MaXXan Systems, Inc. (www.maxxan.com), a leading developer of next-generation storage networking infrastructure, selected the Xilinx Virtex-II Platform FPGA family for its recently launched intelligent storage switch platform, the MXV320. MaXXan selected Xilinx FPGAs over fixed ASIC technology based on its reprogrammable nature, allowing faster time-to-market, multiple design iterations, and the ability to upgrade equipment even after deployment in the field.

"We knew the cycle time for ASIC development would be too long and cost prohibitive. The reprogrammable nature of Xilinx FPGAs is part of our overall supply chain strategy to minimize development and tooling costs, unit system cost, in-field support and warranty/repair costs," said Mike Witkowski, chief technology officer at MaXXan Systems. "The Xilinx Virtex-II FPGA was the only device with the size needed to handle the storage management functions we deploy in our products. The ultimate design gives us the flexibility to develop many traffic management functions at data rates of up to 10 Gbps."

The recently announced MaXXan MXV320 combines the functional elements of a Fibre Channel director with those of a multi-protocol router and a high-performance server optimized for storage into a scalable, intelligent switching platform that enables higher-level storage applications such as virtualization, data replication, backup/restore, and NAS to be deployed as services of the network itself.

"MaXXan's forward thinking supply chain strategy to use reprogrammable FPGAs to manage costs is a prime example of the need for flexible hardware solutions," said Erich Goetting, vice president and general manager of the advanced products division. "MaXXan's next-generation networking infrastructure technology utilizes the power of our Virtex-II FPGAs while allowing for upgrades even after deployment in the field."

The Xilinx Virtex-II Platform FPGA series delivers the highest performance and highest density of any programmable logic solution available. The innovative Virtex-II IP-Immersion architecture enables integration of both hard and soft intellectual property (IP), enhanced system memory, and lightning-fast DSP performance, providing the best platform for advanced digital designs in the industry. With densities ranging from 40,000 to eight million-system gates, Virtex-II solutions are empowered by advanced design tools that reduce development time through fast design entry, powerful synthesis, smart implementation algorithms, and efficient verification capabilities.

About MaXXan Systems
MaXXan Systems, Inc. is delivering next-generation networking infrastructure technologies to customers' organizations deploying large-scale storage networks. MaXXan's intelligent products bring simplicity, scalability, and performance to heterogeneous storage networks while protecting customers' investments. The Company's next generation networking solutions offer unprecedented enterprise-class features and simplify the deployment and management of today's complex storage networks. For more information call (866) 4-MAXXAN or visit the Company's website at www.maxxan.com.

About Xilinx
Xilinx, Inc. (NASDAQ: XLNX) is the worldwide leader of programmable logic solutions. Additional information about Xilinx is available at www.xilinx.com.

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