'Best Practices in Storage' Award Winners Recognized at Storage Networking World in Phoenix

FRAMINGHAM, Mass., April 17, 2003 — IDG's Computerworld, in partnership with the Storage Networking Industry Association (SNIA), today announced the winners of the bi-annual "Best Practices in Storage" Awards Program, at the Storage Networking World (SNW) conference, held this week at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort in Phoenix, Ariz. Winners in five individual program categories include The Carolina Panthers, Cisco, eBay and TELUS Mobility.

Two co-winners and one honorable mention in each of five categories were announced:

The American Museum of Natural History, New York and Earth Satellite Corporation, Rockville, Md. (Honorable Mention: Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Waterbury, Vt.) for "Systems Implementation"

Cancer Therapy and Research Center, San Antonio, Texas and eBay, San Jose, Calif. (Honorable Mention: US Air Force 45th Space Wing, Patrick AFB, Fla.) for "Storage Reliability"

Cisco, San Jose, Calif. and Draft Worldwide, Chicago (Honorable Mention: Grant Thornton, Chicago) for "Data Recovery"

Conseco Finance Corporation, St.Paul, Minn. and Maritz Inc., Fenton, Mo. (Honorable Mention: Wisconsin Physician's Service, Madison, Wis.) for "Financial Return"

The Carolina Panthers, Charlotte, N.C. and TELUS Mobility, Scarborough, Ontario, Canada (Honorable Mention: Skywalker Sound, San Rafael, Calif.) for "Innovation and Promise"

"The SNW 'Best Practices in Storage' Awards Program recognizes a broad group of enterprises and the imaginative applications of storage technology that have enhanced their business," said Maryfran Johnson, editor in chief at Computerworld and one of the programs' judges. "This diverse roster of winners - ranging from technology and medical companies, to financial firms and even an NFL franchise - demonstrates the prevalence of storage technology."

"The increase in submissions from the inaugural program in the fall demonstrates the strength of the SNW 'Best Practices in Storage' Awards Program," said Wayne Adams, member, board of directors, SNIA and SNW. "By continuing to recognize the outstanding achievements in storage, we are enhancing SNIA's relationship with the end-user community. The awards program presents end users with real-world examples of the challenges that everyone is facing in today's economic climate, and how to successfully address them."

Judges of the program were:

Wayne Adams, member, board of directors, SNIA and SNW;

Rick Bauer, CIO, The Hill School and chairman, Customer Executive Council, SNIA;

Ray Dunn, representative, Supported Solutions and Storage Management Initiative Forums, SNIA;

Maryfran Johnson, editor in chief, Computerworld;

Leo Leger, vice president, strategic initiatives, Computerworld and member, board of directors, SNW; and

Richard Villars, vice president, Storage Systems Research, IDC.

"HP is proud to again sponsor the SNW 'Best Practices in Storage' Awards Program at an event that is helping to change the industry," said Mark Sorenson, vice president and general manager, Storage Software Division, HP. "Supporting this program complements our corporate strategy of promoting customers' best practices, and our investment in SNW. This program represents the best from the SNW partners: industry awareness and expertise from the SNIA, as well as IT user sensitivity and editorial credibility from Computerworld."