Broadcom Introduces Entry-Level RAID Controller Cards Featuring 'Pay-as-You-Grow' Functionality Upgrades

Broadcom Corporation (Nasdaq: BRCM), a global leader in wired and wireless broadband communications semiconductors, today announced a new entry-level Serial ATA (SATA) RAID controller card family that provides the industry's only software upgrade model for accessing new features and functionality. This ability to easily move from an entry-level RAID feature set (supporting RAID0, RAID1 and RAID10) to an advanced, enterprise-class RAID feature set (supporting RAID5 and RAID50) provides essential RAID functionality today with a simple upgrade path to advanced RAID functionality in the future.

By utilizing a software license key to invoke RAID-specific features, the new entry-level Broadcom(R) RAID controllers eliminate the need for additional RAID equipment and do not require users to take drives offline during an upgrade. This easy upgrade feature provides IT investment protection when higher-end RAID functionality is required.

Previous RAID solutions required IT administrators to take drives offline to replace the older RAID cards with newer cards of increased functionality. With today's announced RAIDCore(TM) BC4410 and BC4810 controllers,
administrators can now upgrade their RAID configurations through software. This reduces overall costs while providing increased data availability by eliminating the purchasing and time-consuming installation required to replace controller cards.

"The ability to add RAID5 functionality without taking the system offline is a huge benefit. We believe that these entry-level controller cards will pay for themselves the first time they are added to a storage array," said
Dianne McAdam, Partner and Senior Analyst for Data Mobility Group. "Additionally, for those consumers and small businesses that are reluctant about adding RAID5 to their configuration, the BC4410 and BC4810 are excellent, cost-effective vehicles for trying out this technology."

The BC4410 and BC4810 RAID controllers enable Broadcom's channel partners, such as system integrators (SIs) and value added resellers (VARs), to purchase less costly solutions and only upgrade cards when necessary, reducing overall inventory costs. This increased flexibility also enables a VAR or SI to respond more quickly to customer demands for advanced RAID functionality and higher performance at a cost-effective price tag.

"As a value added reseller, we are always looking for ways to provide customers with increased performance and greater flexibility at lower costs," said Liu Qing Yi, General Manager of Apline Computer (H.K.) Co., Ltd. "The
new BC4410 and BC4810 economical, high-performance RAID controllers are easily upgraded to provide our customers with state-of-the-art features at their convenience. This 'pay-as-you-grow' model is very healthy for the industry and will accelerate and simplify the deployment of advanced RAID features into new markets."

Even with their unparalleled cost-effectiveness, the BC4410 and BC4810 controllers provide enterprise-class performance for introductory RAID levels including RAID0, RAID1, RAID10 and JBOD. As extensions of Broadcom's successful RAIDCore BC4000 RAID controller card family, the BC4410 and BC4810 continue performance leadership by delivering 4-channel RAID0 transfer rates that beat all competing controllers in their class and are the only solutions with the software upgrade capability. The BC4410 and BC4810 also reduce
server processor utilization to 6.8% on average, freeing the server to handle other tasks. This low processor utilization is a significant improvement over competing RAID products that demand between 12% and 15% server utilization in identical tests.

Fully-equipped to support advanced enterprise-class RAID functionality, the BC4410 and BC4810 controllers are easily upgraded from an entry-level solution using a software license upgrade. This advanced capability enables
an upgraded BC4410 or BC4810 controller to support large enterprise storage needs that include RAID5 and RAID50, online capacity expansion, online RAID level migration, controller spanning, distributed sparing, online array creation and deletion, and multiple array types per drive.

"Broadcom's flexible RAID controller architecture and superior integration provide a dramatic change to the storage industry, enabling our customers to future-proof their RAID investments through easy software upgrades that eliminate the need for additional equipment purchases," said Tom Marmen, Vice President and General Manager of Broadcom's Storage Line of Business. "The BC4410 and BC4810 controllers are perfect examples of Broadcom's architectural flexibility and superior performance that protect today's investment with tomorrow's features."

Pricing and Availability

The Broadcom RAIDCore BC4410 and BC4810 RAID controller cards are available today. The manufacturer's suggested list prices are $205 (U.S.) for the BC4810 (8-channel controller card) and $129 (U.S.) for the BC4410
(4-channel controller card). The purchase of an upgrade from the entry-level feature set to the advanced enterprise-class feature set is $180 (U.S.) for the BC4410 and $199 (U.S.) for the BC4810 -- both upgrades are immediately available.

About Broadcom

Broadcom Corporation is a global leader in wired and wireless broadband communications semiconductors. Our products enable the convergence of high-speed data, high definition video, voice and audio at home, in the office
and on the go. Broadcom provides manufacturers of computing and networking equipment, digital entertainment and broadband access products, and mobile devices with the industry's broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art
system-on-a-chip and software solutions. These solutions support our core mission: Connecting everything(R).

Broadcom is one of the world's largest fabless semiconductor companies, with annual revenue of more than $2 billion. The company is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., with offices and research facilities in North America, Asia
and Europe.

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