HILL (MM)

Dot Hill Systems Corp. (Nasdaq:HILL), a trusted supplier of innovative enterprise-class storage systems, today unveiled its RealSure™ software built on its RealStor™ next generation storage operating system. This intelligent workload processing software, embedded in Dot Hill's AssuredSAN® storage arrays, guarantees consistent and predictable performance, scaling as the number of analytic queries increases. RealSure software features quality of service (QoS) enhancements that ensure optimized performance for big data analytics in general, as well as in vertical markets such as HPC, oil & gas, video surveillance, and network management.

RealSure enables predictive workload scheduling to ensure consistent query response times. In most storage arrays, queries are processed as they arrive at the controller, without regard to the response time that each requires. Dot Hill's RealSure software adds autonomic, real time intelligence, with multiple dedicated agents, to optimize scheduling of queries. As the number of queries increases, RealSure performance scales to assure consistent quality of service to each. The benefit for these busy workloads is that all requests to the storage system are processed in a manner that maintains the same performance as if the system was dedicated to each query.

"The analytics used in most applications share a common characteristic—multiple overlapping queries that the storage array must organize to deliver the requisite high performance," stated Ken Day, chief technology officer, Dot Hill. "This new innovation is a key component for optimal storage performance in big data applications where real time matters."

The latest addition to Dot Hill's next-generation RealStor operating system, RealSure software is available in Dot Hill AssuredSAN® storage systems such as the Ultra48™ AssuredSAN ultra-density array, which is now integrated into the Teradata Data Warehouse Appliance 2800, also announced today. Configured with multiple Dot Hill Ultra48 AssuredSAN arrays and delivered "ready to run," the Teradata Data Warehouse Appliance 2800 is a fully-integrated system, purpose-built for integrated data warehousing.

Applications utilizing big data analytics can present performance challenges when systems get busy because their embedded workloads result in multiple and conflicting parallel operations. By making it possible to scale for workloads that have multiple processes, RealSure software overcomes performance bottlenecks created by adjacent workloads. RealSure provides intelligent organization and ordering of disk and SSD read and write activity to optimize for thousands of simultaneous queries.

Eric Burgener, research director, storage, IDC, recently outlined key requirements for high performance storage platforms in an April 2015 IDC Insight report entitled, "Virtual SAN 6.0 Targets Primary Storage Workloads with All-Flash Configurations and Enterprise Data Services." Burgener notes in the report that platforms will need to support different types of storage media, including flash, and a storage tiering capability that can leverage caching and/or volume pinning to be able to intelligently use flash performance. Dot Hill hybrid AssuredSAN systems with the RealStor operating system meet these criteria by providing real-time tiering. Dot Hill RealSure goes a step further to address the unique storage performance demands of applications with massive, overlapping workloads, such as big data analytics, by providing key capabilities to address QoS considerations.

"3rd Platform computing is making significant demands on storage infrastructure to deliver consistent performance in the face of mixed and often unpredictable workloads. Effective QoS controls are required to deliver performance as needed no matter what else is going on in the system," said Burgener. "Dot Hill RealSure gives administrators the control they need to define and meet stringent service level agreements in today's dynamic business climate."

"Dot Hill is a preferred provider of storage system solutions to leading OEMs because our engineering team collaborates directly with our customers to develop innovations that address their primary storage pain points," said Bill Wuertz, senior vice president of products and solutions, Dot Hill. "We continue to build on our RealStor operating system with unique, robust features such as our RealSure software and provide OEM partners with a competitive edge that allows them to deliver consistent QoS and excel in providing seriously smart storage solutions."

Dot Hill Systems to Host Analyst Day

Dot Hill will conduct an Analyst Day at 8:30 a.m. ET April 23 at the Millennium Broadway Hotel in New York City. This event is open to the public and will provide greater detail about Dot Hill and the storage industry. In addition to customer and industry analyst insights, Dot Hill management will discuss the company's strategy, product positioning and roadmap for hardware platforms and intelligent software capabilities. Executives will also review the company's financial model, goals and guidance for 2015.

About Dot Hill

Leveraging its proprietary Assured family of storage solutions, Dot Hill solves many of today's most challenging storage problems – helping IT to improve performance, increase availability, simplify operations, and reduce costs. Dot Hill's solutions combine breakthrough software with the industry's most flexible and extensive hardware platform and automated management to deliver best-in-class solutions. Headquartered in Longmont, Colo., Dot Hill has offices and/or representatives in China, Germany, India, Japan, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

For more information, visit us at www.dothill.com.

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Statements contained in this press release regarding matters that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act. Because such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ from those expressed or implied by the statements. For a discussion of risks and uncertainties that Dot Hill may face, please consult the Forms 10-K and 10-Q most recently filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission by Dot Hill. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they were made and Dot Hill undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect changes in circumstances and Dot Hill is not responsible for statements made by third parties, such as IDC.

CONTACT: Steve Sturgeon 
         Lutz PR (for Dot Hill Systems)
         858-472-5669
         steve@lutzpr.com
         
         Company Contact:
         Ruth Macdonald
         Dot Hill Systems
         303-845-3364
         ruth.macdonald@dothill.com