Plexus, Informix and Panasonic Join Forces on Unique and Powerful NT-Based DVD-RAM Optical Storage Solution
Business Wire - June 18, 1998 08:16
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 18, 1998--
Offers Reduced Cost and Increased Capacity for Growing Fields of Data Warehouse and Web/Content Management
Plexus Division of BancTec (NYSE:BTC), Informix Corporation (NASDAQ:IFMX), and Panasonic Industrial Company announce expanded data and information solutions for large-scale or specialized database applications based on DVD-RAM.
The close, ongoing development and marketing relationship between Plexus and Informix(R) has been further enhanced with Plexus' recent announcement to support Panasonic's state-of-the-art DVD-RAM devices coupled with Informix's support of the Plexus optical interface in its release of Informix Dynamic Server(TM) 7.3 for NT.
For over a decade, Plexus has delivered large-scale optical solutions for the Informix RDBMS on Unix-based systems. Now, together with Informix, Plexus is providing a powerful data storage solution for large-scale or specialized database applications, such as document imaging and management.
Informix NT customers now have more options for designing optimal storage architectures, with both the new Panasonic DVD-RAM storage option and traditional optical disk storage subsystems available.
Customer applications can now benefit from the combination of leading-edge RDBMS capabilities on NT, the availability of both low cost optical disk and DVD data storage, and the best-in-class storage
management technology from Plexus.
A unique innovation in Plexus' Storage Manager works in conjunction with Informix-OnLine/Optical to allow the addressing of large binary objects (BLOBs) as columns via standard SQL statements in database applications, storing these items directly onto optical storage. This provides customers with cost-effectiveness and storage benefits as well as permanence of optical storage.
Panasonic's new DVD-RAM devices provide large volume optical storage at very low cost, less than $.01 per megabyte. Pairing this with inexpensive NT server hardware results in an extremely cost-effective
database system with almost limitless "near-line" storage capacity and scalability.
"DVD is a fast, inexpensive, and leading-edge digital storage technology," said Steve Lambright, senior manager, server product marketing at Informix. "Informix Dynamic Server on NT with Panasonic DVD and Plexus imaging workflow solutions is a compelling combination for businesses with optical storage requirements -- especially Plexus customers using Plexus applications across multiple vertical markets."
"We are pleased with the opportunities for innovative storage solutions and applications that this timely convergence of technologies should enable. Significantly lower storage costs with permanence of recording, native database support and availability on the NT platform, coupled with the emergence of mainstream applications using large, unstructured data elements, should create new markets for all three companies," commented John A. Torkelson, general manager of Plexus.
About Panasonic Industrial Company
Panasonic Industrial Company, a subsidiary of Secaucus, N.J.-based Matsushita Electric Corporation of America (MECA), is now shipping DVD-RAM drives to OEMs, subsystem integrators and VARs in the U.S. MECA is the principal U.S. subsidiary of key DVD technology developer Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (MEI) (NYSE:MC), of Osaka, Japan, which markets products under the Panasonic, Technics and Quasar brands. With its subsidiaries and affiliates, the company recorded sales of $8 billion in North America in the fiscal year ended March 1998.
About Informix
Informix Corporation, the world's database technology leader, based in Menlo Park, Calif., provides innovative database products that assist the world's major corporations to attain competitive advantage. Informix is widely recognized as the technology leader for corporate computing environments ranging from small workgroups to very large parallel processing applications. Informix's database servers, application development tools, superior customer service, and strong partnerships enable the company to be at the forefront of major information technology solution areas including data warehousing, OLTP, and Web/content management. For more information visit our Web site at informix.com.
About Plexus
Based in Sunnyvale, Calif., the Plexus Division of BancTec is a leading supplier of client-server based imaging and workflow software for automated large scale, mission-critical, paper- and data-intensive
business processes. With over 1,300 customer systems worldwide, Plexus has the broadest installed base of open-system imaging and workflow software in the industry. Plexus software is used in applications
such as insurance, medical records and claims processing, banking, customer services, records-management, new application processing, accounts receivable/payable processing, utilities and
telecommunication, mortgage, mutual funds and government applications.
About BancTec
BancTec is a diversified systems integration and services company specializing in automated applications solutions for the banking, financial services, insurance, health care, government, utility,
telecommunications, and retail industries. BancTec is also a leading provider of document workflow and imaging products, network support services for local area networks and personal computers, and
document processing equipment for OEM customers. Founded in 1972, BancTec employs more than 4,000 people worldwide and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas.
Panasonic's World Wide Web Home Page Address: www.panasonic.com Informix's World Wide Web Home Page Address: www.informix.com Plexus' World Wide Web Home Page Address: www.plx.com BancTec's World Wide Web Home Page Address: www.banctec.com
Note to Editors: BancTec and Plexus are registered trademarks of BancTec, Inc. The following are trademarks of Informix Corporation or its affiliates: Informix(R) and Informix Dynamic Server (TM). Other brand and product names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. |
