Network Appliance Inc. is giving users a storage-over-IP connectivity kit, new software updates, and an upgrade to its disk-based backup appliance, officials of the Sunnyvale, Calif. company announced yesterday.

To use the new iSCSI option in the 800- and 900-series of NetApp's Filer line, users must download a free software upgrade, and install $1,500 Intel Corp. Pro/1000 T IP server adapters, officials said. "If you can set up a simple FTP server, you can set up iSCSI services," said Keith Brown, director of strategy and technology for Network Appliance.

The IP option is available now. Also available now are numerous management software updates, including SnapVault, which imports data to NetApp's NearStore disk-based backup hardware from any other company's storage; MetroCluster, which is remote-site failover software; and Volume Replicator, using Mountain View, Calif.'s Veritas Software Corp. technology for remote data replication.

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