Alternative Technology Adds LeftHand Networks iSCSI SAN Solutions to its GSA Schedule

PR Log (Press Release) – Sep 22, 2008 – Englewood, Colo.  – Alternative Technology, Inc., an Arrow Electronics, Inc. company and leading specialty distributor of thin-client/server-based computing, edge infrastructure, virtualization, storage and security solutions, today announced the addition of LeftHand Networks, a leading provider of highly available iSCSI SANs that optimize virtual environments, to its government approved procurement list.  

“Federal, state and local agencies are seeking ways to optimize existing IT investments and to ensure government continuity and data protection,” said John Stubbs, vice president of business development, Alternative Technology.   “Virtualization provides lower cost solutions that equal or surpass the capabilities and functionality of traditional server and storage products.  The addition of LeftHand Networks® iSCSI SANs to our GSA schedule will allow us and our channel partners to address this growing government market need.”

“With LeftHand Networks’ highly available SAN solutions, Government organizations are better able to maximize the power and cost savings of virtualized environments.    Adding our iSCSI SAN solutions to Alternative Technology’s GSA schedule enables us to more easilyserve the government sector,” said David Bangs, vice president of sales for LeftHand Networks.  “Alternative Technology brings significant channel and government market reach and a strong reputation for providing leading solutions to the server virtualization market.”

Server virtualization projects are driving organizations to re-evaluate their storage system solutions, and iSCSI SANs are emerging as the preferred storage system in virtualized environments, surpassing both NAS and Fibre Channel protocols, according to Enterprise Strategy Group.  iSCSI brings a number of advantages and benefits to virtualized environments due in large part to its emphasis on simplicity, cost containment and manageability.  

Complementing Alternative Technology’s extensive educational and professional services channel support functions,  LeftHand Networks has specialized teams of sales and engineering professionals who have worked with intelligence, military and civilian agencies for much of their careers.

LeftHand Networks’ strong growth, innovative technology and success in the market have gained significant customer and industry-wide recognition.  LeftHand Networks has more than 3,000 customers and 500 channel partners.  It has also received significant industry analyst and channel recognition, including:
• Positioning within the “Visionary” quadrant in Gartner’s Magic Quadrant Mid-Range Enterprise Disk Arrays
• Hottest Companies in the Mid-Market by CRN

About LeftHand Networks
Founded in 1999, LeftHand Networks pioneered IP-based storage area networks (SANs). SANs built using LeftHand’s SAN/iQ® software are uniquely able to distribute and protect data across a cluster of industry-standard storage servers. The company’s patented architecture increases data availability, allows users to start small and grow the SAN seamlessly, and simplifies management. The LeftHand SAN is ideal for storage and server consolidation, multisite SANs, and disaster recovery.  LeftHand SANs are available in the U.S., Canada and throughout Europe.  For more information, contact LeftHand at info@lefthandnetworks.com.

About Alternative Technology
Alternative Technology is a leading specialty distributor for value-added resellers who need products and services targeted at thin-client/server-based computing, edge infrastructure, virtualization, security, and wireless markets. Driving the widespread adoption of leading-edge technologies by bridging the gaps between products and services to solve critical business problems, Alternative Technology identifies business issues that are key to its markets and offers multivendor solutions that drive demand back through its reseller partners. Alternative Technology, headquartered in Englewood, Colo., has offices in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., Carlsbad, Calif., and Mississauga, Canada. Alternative Technology is a wholly owned subsidiary of Arrow Enterprise Computing Solutions, which is a business segment of Arrow Electronics, Inc. (NYSE: ARW). For more information, go to: www.AltTech.com, e-mail: sales@AltTech.com or call toll-free: 800.544.7674 (USA), or 866.240.9991 (Canada).

All brands and names mentioned herein are trademarks of their respective holders.

Media Contacts

For Alternative Technology
Mark Rieger
ProAmericas Marketing & Public Relations
markr@proamericas.com
303 520 4524

For LeftHand Networks
Linda Dellett
Ignite Consulting
PR@lefthandnetworks.com
303-439-9398

or

Kathleen Bermea-Sullivan
303-439-9365