SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, March 19, 2001 - BakBone Software (TSE: BKB, OTC: BKBOF), a global provider of storage management software, and Vixel Corporation (NASDAQ: VIXL) today announced that BakBone's NetVault™ backup/restore software is certified on Vixel's 7100 8-port and 7200 16-port fabric switches for storage area networks (SANs).

Today's announcement provides Vixel's market-leading line of full fabric switches with NetVault, a network-centric solution for high performance backup and restore for network storage architectures, providing unparalleled ease of use throughout the entire product lifecycle, from installation and operation through scalability and support.

The certification is also consistent with BakBone's stated intention of supporting key SAN infrastructure companies by providing hardware/software interoperability easily and painlessly. Interoperability is needed to pave the way for seamless adoption of products by companies seeking to upgrade their capability to rapidly store and access increasing amounts of corporate-critical data.

The certification tests were jointly conducted at BakBone's SAN Interoperability Labs in San Diego, and at Vixel's Solutions and Interoperability Lab in Bothell, Washington.

"Vixel's reputation for reliability and quality is known throughout the data storage industry," said Tony Cerqueira, BakBone's Chief Executive Officer. "Its certification of NetVault means that Vixel customers can confidently implement a SAN-native solution to their growing storage needs; one that maximizes the performance across the entire network with unprecedented simplicity. Companies need their SANs to be implemented and operated with a combination of power, reliability and ease. Working together, Vixel's switches and NetVault enable them to achieve that goal."

With the growing size and complexity of Unix and NT clusters, the high port density and highly stable data transfer channels of Vixel's 7000 series fabric switches enable smooth expansion without sacrificing control, ports or performance. The Vixel 7100 and 7200 offer the highest READ rates and frame buffers per port in the industry, allowing maximum performance under heavy traffic loads. The Vixel 7000 series' ability to interoperate in fabric and enterprise environments results in the market's most cost-effective pay-as-you-grow SAN solution.

BakBone's NetVault represents a radical departure from software solutions offered by other firms that require substantial upgrades and intensive technical support for companies seeking to grow their storage capabilities from direct-attached storage through network-attached storage (NAS) and SANs. It continues BakBone's tradition of offering software that combines powerful performance with unparalleled ease of use. In addition, the software is designed so that it can be installed within minutes or hours, instead of the days or weeks required by competing products.

"Product interoperability plays a pivotal role in the broad-based adoption of SAN technologies," said James McCluney, President and CEO of Vixel. "By certifying that our switches work with NetVault, we've overcome yet another issue in helping to ease the implementation of SANs for the companies that need their benefits the most. In addition, NetVault's ability to powerfully backup and restore information contained in heterogeneous network storage environments creates a strong argument for adopting our joint solution."

About BakBone Software, Inc.

BakBone Software™ (TSE: BKB, OTC: BKBOF) is an international storage management software company that develops and globally distributes industry-leading storage management solutions to the open systems markets, providing data protection and management solutions scalable from workgroup to enterprise that will grow with a company's needs. BakBone's core products include nearline optical and archival, as well as tape backup and restore software for a full suite of storage management solutions to the corporate data center.

BakBone's corporate headquarters is located at 10145 Pacific Heights Boulevard, San Diego, California 92121. Its stock is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and is included on the TSE 300 Composite, S&P/TSE Canadian SmallCap and TSE 200 indices. For more information on BakBone products, call 858-450-9009, e-mail sales@bakbone.com, or access BakBone's web site at www.bakbone.com.

About Vixel Corporation

Vixel Corporation offers customers real world solutions for storage networking. As a leading provider of Storage Area Network (SAN) solutions, the company's comprehensive portfolio of multivendor certified solutions, switches, hubs and integrated management software delivers reliable, interoperable solutions to its customers and partners. SAN InSite is Vixel's comprehensive open management software for SANs, providing remote control and diagnostics for Fibre Channel switches, hubs and transceivers from a single console, reducing the administration and overhead of implementing a SAN. Vixel products and technology are used by major system suppliers including Avid Technologies, Compaq, IBM, , Lucent, Network Appliance, Sun Microsystems, and Unisys. Products are available worldwide through its network of value-added resellers, alliances and OEMs. Vixel is an ISO 9001 certified company.

For more information, visit Vixel's web site at www.vixel.com. Vixel Corporation is headquartered at 11911 North Creek Parkway South, Bothell, Washington 98011 and can be contacted by phone at 425-806-5509 or e-mail at marketing@vixel.com.

BakBone Software Safe Harbor

The statements contained in this press release that are not historical in nature are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees since there are inherent difficulties in predicting future results, and actual results could differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements.

BakBone Software, the BakBone logo, and NetVault are all trademarks or registered trademarks of BakBone Software, Inc., in the United States and/or in other countries. All other brands, products or service names are or may be trademarks or service marks of, and used to identify, products or services of their respective owners.

Vixel Corporation Safe Harbor

Except for historical information contained herein, this news release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause such a difference include risks affecting performance and market acceptance of Vixel's products, Vixel‚s ability to meet its quality and performance standards, development of the storage area network, or SAN market, the competitiveness and performance of Vixel's products in the rapidly changing SAN market and the ability of Vixel to meet evolving product standards required by customers and others involved in the distribution channel for SAN products. Further information on the factors and risks that could affect Vixel's business, financial condition and results of operations, are contained in Vixel's Annual Report on Form 10-K, and most recent Form 10Q, which are available at www.sec.gov.