OAKDALE, Minn. - Imation Corp. (NYSE: IMN) today announced that Shugart Technology, Inc. (STI) will test future versions of its FIBREcalcTM software application at the Imation SAN (Storage Area Network) Solutions Lab. STI recently accelerated its product development and completed testing of its Windows NT and Windows 2000 versions of FIBREcalc at Imation's SAN Solutions Lab. STI has announced that it will use the lab for similar testing of future OS versions. "Imation's SAN Solutions Lab will speed development of future OS versions of FIBREcalc," said Richard Brechtlein, President and CEO of STI. "Testing Windows NT and Windows 2000 versions of FIBREcalc at the lab accomplished in one week what otherwise could have taken us several months." Designed to address the compatibility and interoperability issues of nearly any SAN configuration, Imation's lab is the industry's first fully equipped, vendor-independent and customer-focused SAN lab in the country. FIBREcalc software was developed to handle the testing and analysis of Fibre Channel-based data storage systems. Using an intuitive calculator-type interface, the software was designed to automate the most commonly applied test protocols while facilitating quick and easy custom test development. The Imation lab contains over 130 pieces of equipment from more than 30 manufacturers, which allowed STI to test heterogeneous solutions in "any-to-any", configurations without business interruption. "STI tested virtually every possible SAN configuration that our customers might require, to assure there were no interoperability issues with our software," said Brechtlein. "The lab has all the current SAN switches, directors, bridges, routers and storage devices along with experienced engineers who enabled us to switch rapidly between different test configurations and topologies." The testing methodology and the statement of work Imation provided allowed the company to improve FIBREcalc by quickly identifying and correcting potential problems. "This helped to speed up product development," said Brechtlein. "It helped ensure that our customers can use FIBREcalc from day one with full confidence in its operability. We look forward to achieving similar results for future versions of FIBREcalc through Imation SAN Solutions Lab testing." According to Imation SAN Solutions Lab Manager Mike Hogan, "We were able to set up numerous topologies for STI in rapid-fire succession, testing various combinations of equipment from every major vendor. We ran FIBREcalc through its paces, with all configurations tested." The Imation SAN Solutions Lab provides customers with an independent, unbiased environment for proof-of-concept and interoperability testing, as well as performance verification. The results allow customers to identify key architecture strengths or weaknesses, and mitigate risks prior to implementation. SAN software vendors, such as STI, also have the ability to conduct tests onsite, using Imation's remote access capabilities - allowing them to view the progress and results as easily as if they were testing in the Imation lab. Shugart Technology, Inc. (STI), headquartered in Irvine, California, is a developer of leading edge software and hardware products for the testing, analyzing and monitoring of computer- and Internet-based storage and storage communications product performance. Based on sound scientific principals, STI's patented test methodologies provide maximum assurance that critical data storage network components always operate as specified. For more information about Shugart Technology, visit www.shugarttech.com.