Storage Dimensions Introduces Industry's First DDS-3
DAT Tape Array Backup System
SuperFlex TapeArray With New DDS-3 DAT Drives Provides A High-Speed,
High- Capacity Alternative to DLT Backup Solutions at a Low Cost Per GB
MILPITAS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 15, 1997-- Storage Dimensions Inc today
extended its family of high-speed network backup solutions with the introduction of SuperFlex
DDS-3 TapeArray, the industry's first tape array to incorporate next generation DDS-3 Digital
Audio Tape (DAT) drives. The new system provides fault-tolerant backup capacities of up to 168
GB, backup throughput of 420 MB per minute, and a cost per megabyte as low as $.25. The
system is ideally suited for mixed operating system network environments requiring high-speed,
high-capacity backup of one or more servers.
The SuperFlex DDS-3 TapeArray drives provide twice the speed and three times the capacity of
previous generation DDS-2 DAT drives at one half the cost per GB. The system's high capacity
and performance make it an affordable alternative to more expensive DLT backup solutions, while
serving as a sensible upgrade for current DDS-2 customers.
"Until now, many DDS-2 customers have been looking at DLT technology to get the advantages
of improved performance and capacity," said Richard Bruklis, tape product marketing manager for
Storage Dimensions. "With DDS-3, they can get these benefits without changing tape formats. The
SuperFlex DDS-3 TapeArray also extends the life of a customer's present investment in DDS
technology by supporting existing DDS-1 and DDS-2 tape formats."
SuperFlex DDS-3 TapeArray Is Ideal for Distributed and Centralized Backup
SuperFlex DDS-3 TapeArray meets the backup requirements of high-capacity file servers as well
as distributed networked servers, providing cost-effective backup for single or multiple servers in a
mixed operating system environment. The system houses up to seven 3.5" DDS-3 DAT drive
modules in the fault-tolerant SuperFlex enclosure, offering high-performance centralized network
backup at speeds up to 420 MB/minute.
By handling up to seven jobs concurrently, SuperFlex DDS-3 TapeArray is the industry's fastest
parallel streaming network backup device. Unlike other systems that force an array to act as a
single drive, SuperFlex DDS-3 TapeArray provides separate, individually addressable fast
SCSI-2 drives, thereby maximizing performance by sending multiple backup jobs to multiple tape
devices concurrently. Thus, parallel streaming effectively increases overall backup throughput.
Single-mechanism systems cannot take advantage of parallel streaming and must rely on the speed
of the network to perform a single backup.
SuperFlex DDS-3 TapeArray supports an open systems approach and is compatible with
NetWare, Windows NT, UNIX, and OS/2, as well as a broad range of data management
software solutions including those from Cheyenne, Legato, Seagate, and others supporting DDS-3
technology.
Fault-Tolerant Design Provides Non-Stop Operation
SuperFlex DDS-3 TapeArray provides non-stop operation through redundant components that
are hot swappable and easily serviceable. The resilient enclosure design incorporates dual
redundant load-sharing power supplies, dual main power inputs with cable lock guards, and three
cooling fan modules.
To maximize backup performance and reliability, SuperFlex DDS-3 TapeArray can be configured
with multiple RAID options using software such as Cheyenne's JETserve to provide the highest
levels of speed (RAID 0), fault tolerance (RAID 1), or a combination of speed and fault tolerance
(RAID 5, 10, or 51). SuperFlex DDS-3 TapeArray's fault-tolerant features ensure that backup
will continue in the event of a failed tape drive, allow for restoring data even if a tape is damaged
or missing from the tape set, and provide the ability to make duplicate copies of tapes for on-site
and off-site storage.
Backwards Compatibility Allows for Easy Upgrade to DDS-3 Drives
SuperFlex DDS-3 TapeArray reads data from previous generation DDS-1 and DDS-2 tapes,
allowing access to older archived data without having to transfer the data to new media. This
extends the useful life of existing tape media, while providing the advantages of the new DDS-3
technology.
SuperFlex DDS-3 TapeArray Provides Advantages Over Single-Mechanism DLT7000
The table below illustrates how SuperFlex DDS-3 TapeArray compares with a single-mechanism
DLT7000 subsystem. DLT7000 is a new high-performance Digital Linear Tape product, offering
up to 70 GB in a single tape cartridge. While the single-drive DLT7000 is a good solution for
applications requiring high performance, high capacity, and fast recovery, SuperFlex DDS-3
TapeArray provides comparable performance at a lower cost. In addition, SuperFlex DDS-3
TapeArray offers advantages such as RAID fault tolerance, redundant components, high-speed
parallel streaming, and scalability which are not available in a single-drive subsystem.
SuperFlex DDS-3 TapeArray with Single-Drive DLT7000
4 drives Subsystem
Capacity 48 GB 35 GB
Performance 240 MB/min 300 MB/min
Price $12,000 $11,500
Cost Per GB(a) $250 $329
Fault-Tolerance Redundant, hot-swappable None
power and cooling systems;
Multiple drives can support
software RAID and
duplicate copies of backup
for on- and off-site storage
Scalability Can add up to three more None
DDS-3 drives in the array as
disk storage grows
Parallel Streaming
Support Multiple drives support No
parallel streaming for
faster throughput
(a) All capacities and performance are calculated without compression.
Storage Dimensions Provides Industry's Most Comprehensive Support
Storage Dimensions backs SuperFlex DDS-3 TapeArray with an exclusive SpeedExchange
warranty, which covers DDS-3 tape drives for one year and all other TapeArray components for
three years. Unlike competitors who can take days or weeks to replace failed equipment, Storage
Dimensions provides a replacement product within 24 hours of a customer's request. In addition to
SpeedExchange, Storage Dimensions provides business-hour phone assistance and 24-hour
on-line access to technical support through Storage Dimensions' TechConnect information
knowledgebase (Internet ID: techconnect@xstor.com).
Availability, Pricing, and Specifications
SuperFlex DDS-3 TapeArray is now shipping. Desktop, tower, or rack mount configurations are
available for optimum space utilization. An entry-level system consisting of a SuperFlex TapeArray
enclosure and one DDS-3 drive starts at $5,200. Up to six additional drives can be added as
capacity requirements change. A fully configured system with seven DDS-3 drives is priced at
$18,900. A standalone single-drive DDS-3 subsytem is also available and is priced at $2,222.
The DDS-3 tape drive is a 3.5" 4mm tape mechanism providing up to 24 GB of backup capacity
with 2:1 compression. The drive achieves backup and restore speeds of up to 7 GB per hour.
SuperFlex DDS-3 TapeArray Broadens Storage Dimensions Offering
The SuperFlex DDS-3 TapeArray expands the Storage Dimensions family of DAT, DLT, and 8
mm tape backup solutions and reinforces the Company's leadership in tape array technology.
Storage Dimensions offers the industry's broadest range of solutions for entry-level to
enterprisewide backup needs including solutions for centralized network backup and high-speed
single server backup. An overview table of the Storage Dimensions tape backup product line is
attached to this press release.
Storage Dimensions designs, manufactures, markets, and supports high-performance data storage
systems for open systems network applications. The Company focuses on the PC-LAN market
by developing and marketing a broad family of disk and tape storage systems designed to satisfy
the high performance, fault tolerance, and high availability requirements of its customers while at
the same time reducing the life-cycle cost of ownership. In line with its open systems strategy, the
Company also develops and supports selected products for the Unix market. Storage Dimensions'
products have won numerous industry awards in product comparisons and editorial reviews. The
Company is located at 1656 McCarthy Boulevard, Milpitas, CA 95035 and can be reached at
408-954-0710. The Company's World Wide Web address is storagedimensions.com
.
CONTACT: Criss Gould/Liz Wageck
Storage Dimensions
408/894-1420
lizwagec@xstor.com
or
Mark Coker/Corey Oiesen
Dovetail Public Relations
408/395-3600
dovetailpr@aol.com |
