SUNNYVALE, CA -- (Marketwire) -- 11/13/12 -- DataDirect Networks (DDN), the world leader in massively scalable storage, today announced the formation of the DDN Worldwide Academic Research Partnership (WARP), a global program focused on scientific advancement and insight through the exploration of novel approaches to Big Data analysis, Exascale processing, cloud computing, memory-class storage and other emerging developments in high performance computing (HPC). The program will provide a framework for collaboration and the sharing of ideas between DDN, its customers, and the development community.

"For more than 12 years, DDN's leading-edge storage solutions for content-intensive computing have helped universities around the world redefine the boundaries of science and research," said Alex Bouzari, CEO and cofounder, DDN. "With WARP, we will accelerate the incredible changes of the Big Data era by bringing together the best minds in our industry, and also by providing needed support to the next generation of groundbreaking researchers."

In conjunction with the WARP program, the company also announced $100,000 in annual prizes to recognize emerging scientific breakthroughs enabled by technology, including a $75,000 first prize and a $25,000 second prize each year. A WARP board of advisors will be established to influence the direction of the WARP program and to select the annual WARP Prize winners.

"DDN has been a key strategic partner in helping TACC build one of the world's leading HPC centers, and we are pleased to partner with DDN to encourage innovation in academic environments everywhere," said Jay Boisseau, Director of the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC) at The University of Texas at Austin. "By providing a forum for institutions at the forefront of the Big Data era, and by helping to fund the next generation of innovation, DDN has illustrated its commitment to our industry and to continuing its role as a thought leader in high performance computing."

"We work with DDN today because their technology leadership is a good match with our vision of research and enabling HPC collaboration," said Daniel Gruner, Chief Technical Officer -- Software at the SciNet High Performance Computing Consortium at the University of Toronto. "The WARP Program is a natural fit for DDN and the premier sites in the field of Academic Research."

"DDN became a leader in high performance computing by thinking 3, 5, or even 10 years into the future," said George Jones, DDN's Director of Strategic Sales and Higher Education. "We truly understand the value of research data being created in university settings, and our goal is to help researchers spend more time doing research and less time worrying if their data is safe and secure."

Further details on WARP's annual prize will be made available on DDN.com in December.

About DataDirect Networks
DataDirect Networks (DDN) is the world leader in massively scalable storage. We are the leading provider of data storage and processing solutions and professional services that enable content-rich and high growth IT environments to achieve the highest levels of systems scalability, efficiency and simplicity. DDN enables enterprises to extract value and deliver results from their information. Our customers include the world's leading online content and social networking providers, high performance cloud and grid computing, life sciences, media production organizations and security & intelligence organizations.

Deployed in thousands of mission critical environments worldwide, DDN's solutions have been designed, engineered and proven in the world's most scalable data centers to ensure competitive business advantage for today's information powered enterprise.

For more information, go to www.ddn.com or call 1-800-837-2298.

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