Intel unveils products for faster storage

Intel on Monday introduced two optical transceivers designed to double the performance of certain networked storage systems. Intel said the new transceivers support the Fibre Channel specification with a data-transfer rate of 4 gigabits per second. Fibre Channel is an interface for linking computers and dedicated storage devices in storage-area networks (SANs), which today use a Fibre Channel standard for data transfers at 2Gbps.

"Video- and graphics-rich applications, plus new requirements for increased document retention and security, are driving the need for faster storage networks," Bob Zona, the marketing director of Intel's Optical Products Division, said in a statement. The Santa Clara, Calif. company said its new TXN31015 and TXN31115 transceivers will be shipping in production quantities in the second half of 2004. A Fibre Channel standard has been approved for still-faster data transfers, at a rate of 10Gbps.