Compaq Message Board - Msg: 14000462

To: Stan Standridge who started this subject	7/6/2000 9:07:19 AM
From: Nouveau_Riche	of 97611

Compaq,IBM form storage network pact to up acceptance NEW YORK, July 6 (Reuters) - Compaq Computer Corp. (NYSE:CPQ - news) and IBM Corp. (NYSE:IBM - news), the world's top maker of mainframe computers, said Thursday they struck an agreement to create interoperable data storage network products and standards in a project whose value could exceed $1 billion. Compaq, the world's No. 1 personal computer maker, and IBM said in a joint statement they will work to help ensure their storage products work together. Both companies are committed to interoperability of each company's storage hardware and software and will also sell significant products from each other's storage portfolios. The companies will also share their knowledge with the industry to help create standards for open storage networking solutions such as storage area networks (SAN), making storage networks more flexible and easier to deploy and manage. Each company plans to provide equipment, software and staffing to support each other's open storage networking/SAN customer centres.