I copied this from the Fibre Channel thread:
To: Joe Wagner who wrote (1572)
From: Herb Herman
Wednesday, Nov 3 1999 7:30AM ET
Respond to Post # 1573 of 1573
ADIC Introduces New Tape Library Platform; Drive-independent Scalar
100 First to Support SAN, SCSI and NAS Connectivity Sets New Industry
Standard for Storage Density
REDMOND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 3, 1999--Advanced Digital Information Corporation
(Nasdaq:ADIC) today introduced its Scalar 100, a new generation enterprise tape library platform that is
the first in the industry to offer enterprise IT departments direct support for the newest networking and
media technologies. The Scalar 100 also sets new storage density benchmarks and offers enhanced
web management capabilities.
The ADIC Scalar 100 is designed to support the industry's broadest range of emerging storage and
networking architectures with user-configurable, plug-in modules. The library supports traditional SCSI
connection, but can be easily converted for SAN use by addition of a FibreReady(TM) SAN module. As a
SAN library, the Scalar 100 supports IT departments who want to reduce network traffic, consolidate data
protection and share storage resources between multiple servers using a high-bandwidth Storage Area
Network. Installation of the library's StorNext(TM) network attach library option converts the Scalar 100 into
the industry's first network-attach storage (NAS) archive tape library. As a network-attach library, the Scalar
100 allows heterogeneous network clients to use the library for near-line and archival applications while
completely eliminating the requirement for a separate server.
"The storage market is evolving rapidly, with companies continuously searching for different ways to
store, access and connect network data," noted Bill Britts, ADIC executive vice-president of Sales and
Marketing. "Fortunately, there are effective new networking and tape drive architectures that are being
introduced to address these requirements, but what's been missing is a library platform designed from
the beginning to deliver all of these new capabilities to the IT community. The Scalar 100's flexible, open
architecture and its dynamic connectivity make it the first library platform designed specifically to
incorporate these new technologies, bridging the gap between today's and tomorrow's enterprise storage
requirements."
The Scalar 100 features a drive-independent design that allows it to easily support different drive and
media types. In addition to supporting DLTtape(TM) and AIT formats, the Scalar 100 is the first library
designed to support the new LTO Ultrium format in development by IBM, HP, and Seagate, as well as
Quantum Corporation's SuperDLT drives. Moreover, the Scalar 100 was designed to be quickly
reconfigured for other new media types, providing a single platform, supplier and user interface for the
widest variety of media types in the industry.
The Scalar 100 also offers the highest density tape storage in the industry, enabling IT departments to
conserve expensive data center space. In its DLTtape configuration, the Scalar 100 houses up to 6 drives
and 60 data cartridges (4.8 terabytes capacity) in only 14 units of standard rack space (nearly 350 GB of
storage per rack unit). This capacity increases storage density by 50% over existing DLT tape libraries.
The Scalar 100 also offers easy field scalability to lower start-up costs and reduce expensive
infrastructure redeployments. It allows customers to begin with a low drive and media count, adding
additional drive and media positions incrementally as data grows.
For remote monitoring and operation, the Scalar 100 introduces ADIC's new web-enabled management
option, provided by another user-installable module. This integrated web server gives remote users the
same level of management that they have from the library keypad, including drive and library firmware
downloads, pass/fail testing, and single-event operation.
Jonathan Otis, ADIC vice president of product management, commented "Scalar 100 libraries will break
new ground in web manageability for storage devices. Our goal in designing this platform was to rethink
every aspect of the library architecture in order to provide IT departments with a flexible solution to meet
changing storage requirements. From media to connectivity to management, we've worked hard to
redefine library storage."
The Scalar 100 will be available in Q1 2000. Street price for the unit is expected to start at under $20,000.
About ADIC
With more than 50,000 automated tape libraries installed and a suite of innovative software solutions and
Storage Area Networking (SAN) products, ADIC is a leading global provider in the growing market to
manage and protect information for computer networks. Marketed under ADIC and ADIC/GRAU brands
and the brands of OEM partners, including Dell, Exabyte and Unisys, automated tape libraries are
available with DLTtape, D2, half-inch, AIT, and 4mm tape technologies, and are supported by leading
backup and storage management software products for Windows NT, UNIX, and mainframe operating
systems. The Company's own storage management tools include AMASS(R), FileServ and CentraVision,
software products which provide users with shared access to network data. A pioneer in Storage Area
Networks, ADIC's Open SAN solutions combine open-system SAN hardware and software with
installation services and single-call support. Further product information is available via the Internet at
www.adic.com.
ADIC, FibreReady, StorNext, CentraVision and AMASS are trademarks of Advanced Digital Information
Corporation. All other product, trademark, company, or service names mentioned herein are the property
of their respective owners.
What the Industry is Saying About ADIC's Scalar 100
"The Scalar 100 is a great new product, and ADIC continues to grow the ways in which we can add value
to the end-user community. This library gives the customer the widest range of options available
anywhere in a single platform, including both connectivity and drive type. It's the perfect product to let a
reseller expand its value-add by helping end-users plan and execute a dynamic data protection strategy
that can change with their data and with the emergence of new technologies."
Gavin Thames, Chairman, Acclaim Technology
"ADIC's new Scalar 100 tape platform -- with an integrated Network Attach Storage option -- should unlock
very interesting alternatives for organizations grappling with how to store, manage, access and use
rapidly their growing archives of critical data. Network attach tape has interesting potential applications in
emerging archive markets, including audio and video-on-demand."
David Hill, Senior Analyst, Storage and Storage Management, The
Aberdeen Group
"ADIC continues to expand the choices for IT departments rolling out SANs to solve the problems that
exploding data growth and exploding data value are creating. The combination of Ancor switches with the
Scalar 100 and ADIC's other FibreReady libraries offer end-users high performance SAN backup."
Carla Kennedy, Vice President, Marketing, Ancor Communications
"The storage industry is rapidly evolving in terms of technology and storage requirements -- from both a
hardware and software point of view. CA's partnership with ADIC is focused on delivering superior
technology that meets the growing needs of our clients. The ADIC's Scalar 100 Series libraries combined
with CA's SAN enabled Unicenter TNG Framework and ARCserveIT delivers a complete storage
management solution for our mutual clients."
Mike LaTorraca, Vice President, Development Partner Program,
Computer Associates
"The combination of Emulex's Fibre Channel networking products and the Scalar 100, with its integrated
SAN connectivity, will provide the IT community with a powerful new combination for unleashing the
performance, data access, and management advantages of Storage Area Networks. ADIC and Emulex
continue to set new standards for making SAN deployment easy across the enterprise."
Mike Kane, Director of Marketing, Emulex Corporation
"The storage industry is changing rapidly for organizations of all sizes. Some of the highest rates of
growth are occurring in the midrange tape library segment and in the new implementations of storage,
principally in Storage Area Networking and Network Attach Storage."
Robert Abraham, President, Freeman Reports
"ADIC has targeted a very robust area of the midrange tape automation market. The Scalar 100
supporting multiple tape technologies gives users greater flexibility to utilize current as well as future tape
formats."
Bob Amatruda, Sr. Analyst, Tape and Removable Storage, IDC
"The combination of ADIC's Scalar 100 and Legato's range of enterprise storage products is laying the
foundation for next-generation SAN advances, such as serverless data transfer delivered through Legato
Celestra Power and coordination with Celestra Consortium members, such as ADIC. We look forward to
delivering solutions that take advantage of the ADIC Scalar 100 and its unique dual SCSI/SAN
connectivity."
Scott McIntyre, Business Line Manager, Storage Networking, Legato
Systems
"SAN technology is critical for the next generation of data protection solutions, across all major operating
systems, and across the entire enterprise, from workgroups to the data center. The Scalar 100, with its
easy conversion from SCSI to SAN support and its wide choice of drive type and count, provides a perfect
complement for the VERITAS Software family of data protection software, both VERITAS NetBackup and
VERITAS Backup Exec."
Steve Coleman, Vice President of Worldwide OEM Operations,
VERITAS Software
CONTACT: ADIC
Steve Whitner, 425/895-3435
stevew@adic.com
or
Sterling Communications
Paul Forecki, 253/853-5030
pforecki@sterlingpr.com
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