It targets fibre-channel-based external storage systems. Ario Data Networks has rolled out the Sanario FC, a 4-Gbps RAID controller targeting fibre-channel-based external storage systems.

Eric Herzog, Ario vice president of marketing, said the controller is part of a broader family that includes controllers for SATA (serial ATA) and SAS (serial-attached SCSI) systems.

"Our target market with this is storage process technologies, for storage- and server-based OEMs," Herzog said. "SATA and SAS are the future in the disk world, and we are riding that wave. The growth of storage is dynamic."

The controller offers data protection, dual-active-controller performance, and fault tolerance for SAN (storage-area network), NAS (network-attached storage), and DAS (direct-attached storage) environments, Herzog added.

The Sanario FC offers dual 4-Gbps host and disk connectivity and supports point-to-point, full-fabric, and arbitrated-loop configurations to the host, according to the company. The controller also autonegotiates to support older 2-Gbps and 1-Gbps fibre-channel standards. The 4-Gbps host support allows the controller to provide dual active/active operation for high-performance and transparent failover/failback. The controller offers two 4-Gbps interfaces and connect to as many as 106 fibre-channel drives.

The controller will be available by mid-year, with pricing beginning at $2,999.