Adaptec Supports the Linux Community!

Research Triangle Park - —

Red Hat® Software, Inc., publisher of the Red Hat Linux Operating System, announced today that Adaptec, Inc., providers of bandwidth management technologies including SCSI controllers, will support the Linux community by providing Linux developers with tools and information to ensure quality Adaptec products and drivers.

For Red Hat, Adaptec's support is proof positive that the Linux OS is growing rapidly. "We at Red Hat have always recognized that the Linux development model is unparalleled. That Adaptec recognizes the Linux operating system and the Linux development model as beneficial to the PC industry speaks volumes about the future of Linux," said Robert Young, President, Red Hat Software.

"I have been using Adaptec controllers for several years, both in my PC and as a PCMCIA controller for my notebook, so naturally I am glad that Adaptec has chosen to embrace Linux," said Jon "maddog" Hall of Linux International. "While the Linux community has been able to provide drivers for some Adaptec controllers, it has been a lot easier, faster and more dependable since Adaptec began actively supporting Linux, particularly in the age of high-speed, highly dependable SCSI subsystems that Adaptec creates."

Mike Wangsmo, Director of Quality Assurance, Red Hat, Inc. agreed. "The driver quality and level of support that we can now offer truly benefits the Linux OS and the Linux community. Having native support for the cards rather than reverse engineered support gives huge performance increases and really illustrates how well made the Adaptec controllers are."

Adaptec will provide SCSI chip design information and host adapters to key developers in the Linux community, will provide Linux distributors product and information for their respective QA labs, will investigate the distribution of low level (e.g.hardware abstraction layer) source code as open source to make it easier for developers to produce more maintainable, reliable and extensible drivers, and will investigate Linux support of other Adaptec products including ethernet cards, 1394, RAID, etc.

"Adaptec is committed to being an industry leader by offering the broadest and most reliable operating system support. Adaptec is excited to be working with Red Hat, Inc. to ensure that comprehensive and reliable driver technology is widely available to the Linux market," said Andy Walsh, Marketing Manager of Adaptec's SCSI Channel Products Group.

About Adaptec, Inc.
Adaptec (NASDAQ:ADPT) designs, manufactures, and markets hardware and software products that optimize the flow of data between computers, peripherals, and networks to improve total system and application performance. More information on Adaptec's products can be found at www.adaptec.com.

About Red Hat, Inc.

Red Hat, the world's leading open source and Linux provider, is headquartered in Raleigh, NC with satellite offices spanning the globe. Red Hat is leading Linux and open source solutions into the mainstream by making high quality, low cost technology accessible. Red Hat provides operating system software along with middleware, applications and management solutions. Red Hat also offers support, training and consulting services to its customers worldwide and through top-tier partnerships. Red Hat's open source strategy offers customers a long term plan for building infrastructures that are based on and leverage open source technologies with focus on security and ease of management. Learn more: http://www.redhat.com

About Linux

Linux is the freely distributable, cooperatively-developed POSIX-based, multi-user, multi-tasking operating system used worldwide. Linux is used as a high value, fully-functional UNIX workstation for applications ranging from Internet Servers to reliable workgroup computing.

Common with UNIX footnote

LINUX is a trademark of Linus Torvalds. Red Hat is a registered trademark of Red Hat, Inc. UNIX is a registered trademark of The Open Group. All other names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

  • About Red Hat

  • Red Hat is the world’s leading provider of open source software solutions, using a community-powered approach to reliable and high-performing cloud, Linux, middleware, storage and virtualization technologies. Red Hat also offers award-winning support, training, and consulting services. As the connective hub in a global network of enterprises, partners, and open source communities, Red Hat helps create relevant, innovative technologies that liberate resources for growth and prepare customers for the future of IT. Learn more at http://www.redhat.com.



  • Forward-Looking Statements

  • Certain statements contained in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements provide current expectations of future events based on certain assumptions and include any statement that does not directly relate to any historical or current fact. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including: risks related to delays or reductions in information technology spending; the effects of industry consolidation; the ability of the Company to compete effectively; the integration of acquisitions and the ability to market successfully acquired technologies and products; uncertainty and adverse results in litigation and related settlements; the inability to adequately protect Company intellectual property and the potential for infringement or breach of license claims of or relating to third party intellectual property; the ability to deliver and stimulate demand for new products and technological innovations on a timely basis; risks related to data and information security vulnerabilities; ineffective management of, and control over, the Company’s growth and international operations; fluctuations in exchange rates; and changes in and a dependence on key personnel, as well as other factors contained in our most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (copies of which may be accessed through the Securities and Exchange Commission’s website at http://www.sec.gov), including those found therein under the captions "Risk Factors" and "Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations". In addition to these factors, actual future performance, outcomes, and results may differ materially because of more general factors including (without limitation) general industry and market conditions and growth rates, economic and political conditions, governmental and public policy changes and the impact of natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods. The forward-looking statements included in this press release represent the Company’s views as of the date of this press release and these views could change. However, while the Company may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company’s views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release.