ADIC Announces the Scalar 1000, Cost-Effective DLT Tape Library Scales To Over 55TBs Capacity.

REDMOND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 10, 1998--ADIC (NASDAQ: ADIC) today announced availability of the Scalar 1000(tm), a high-capacity, high-reliability DLT(tm)-based automated tape library system designed for mid- to high-end UNIX and NT enterprise networks.

An extension to ADIC's well-established Scalar product family, the Scalar 1000 delivers unprecedented scalability and capacity -- offering a flexible and cost-effective growth path from one to 48 DLT tape drives, and from 118 to 788 tape cartridges.

The Scalar 1000 solves cost and capacity problems for MIS departments by providing a high performance tape storage systems that can cost-effectively grow with their data. The Scalar 1000 scales by expanding the size of its modular cabinet and by extending its robotics along one axis. This modular expansion means that even with four modules utilized (the maximum), the Scalar 1000 operates as one integrated library with one robotic system. Other tape library systems scale by requiring that users purchase additional full libraries -- complete with robotics -- which pass tapes from one unit to another through special ports. The Scalar 1000's modular expansion is more cost effective because it uses only one robotic system. It is faster because it does not have to pass cartridges through multiple robotics and pass-through ports. And it is more reliable because it reduces moving parts and eliminates possible port misalignment.

Even in its largest configuration, the Scalar 1000 can move any cartridge to any drive in less than 6 seconds, for up to 500 cartridge swaps per hour. And it is rated for a full 1,000,000 cartridge swaps between failures. This combination of performance and reliability makes the Scalar 1000 especially well suited for imaging, archive, and file migration systems, where quick file recall and continual heavy use are required.

"The Scalar 1000 is designed to cost-effectively meet high-end automated storage requirements, both now and in the future," noted Bill Britts, ADIC's vice president of sales and marketing. "It offers an attractive entry point for today's enterprise requirements, yet easily scales beyond its competitors in terms of both capacity and performance. There is tremendous customer investment protection in being able to incrementally scale the system while still maintaining the same high reliability and throughput."

The Scalar 1000 uses Quantum DLT7000 drives to help ensure industry-leading transfer speed, capacity, and reliability. Users may configure each Scalar 1000 module separately, installing from 1 to 48 total drives in the library. This translates into more than 55 terabytes (compressed capacity) of on-line storage with native throughput speeds ranging up to 864 gigabytes per hour.

"ADIC is already a leading force in tape libraries for the Windows NT market," said Mary Schoonmaker, Quantum Corporation's director of marketing for tape drives. "The Scalar 1000 with DLTtape technology -- which delivers high performance, reliability, and scalability -- should be a natural tape backup solution for the enterprise data center."

The Scalar 1000 offers a range of features to ensure low-cost, secure, and effective maintenance. These features include a 12-cartridge, keypad-secured mailing normal operations. In addition, all major diagnostics that perform automated self-calibration and self-configuration routines. One year of on-site service plus a 3-year drive warranty are included in the Scalar 1000 North American purchase price.

Scalar 1000 configurations include an integrated Fibre Channel router in the chassis to allow the library to be used directly in Storage Area Networks. According to Jonathan Otis, ADIC Director of Product Management, "The Fibre Channel Scalar 1000's highpositions -- up to 11.1 TB of capacity).

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