ADIC LAUNCHES INDUSTRY'S FIRST SAN-ENABLED ENTERPRISE LIBRARY.

Advanced Digital Information Corporation (Nasdaq:ADIC) has unveiled a breakthrough new enterprise tape library platform, the first in the industry to enable data consolidation in fast-growing corporate storage network environments.

The new library, the Scalar 10K, is the first to deliver capacity-on-demand scalability, true high availability architecture, and a full suite of integrated storage network management and connectivity capabilities. The Scalar 10K is available in LTO, SDLT, AIT and mixed media configurations and provides the industry's leading capacity and density, with native storage from 35 TB up to 881.5 TB.

"The Scalar 10K is the first automated tape platform designed from the ground up to support data consolidation in the era of storage networks," said Bill Britts, ADIC executive vice president of Sales and Marketing. "When IT organizations put a major percentage of their data in a single resource, it needs to have easily scalable capacity, provide intelligent SAN-aware management, and ensure very high levels of reliability and availability. In all of these areas, the Scalar 10K's fundamental design advances set significant new standards for the industry."

The Scalar 10K platform is designed to grow in tandem with fast-moving IT storage requirements and to let users pay for storage only as they use it. It's the first tape storage system to offer instant capacity-on-demand, allowing IT departments to immediately access additional capacity through a simple non-disruptive software command. Capacity-on-demand Scalar 10K libraries -- which can provide room from 700 to nearly 5000 tape cartridges and from 36 to 162 drives -- are delivered with extra capacity already installed. When storage needs increase, users simply contact ADIC for a software "key" that activates additional capacity in blocks of 100 slots. When most of the activated capacity is used, ADIC expands the library without charge. Regardless of expansion, the system remains a single high-performance library; all capacity upgrades are barrier free with no pass-through ports. Users have the option of ordering the Scalar 10K as a traditional component library as well, where its support for up 15,885 tape cartridges and 648 drives make the Scalar 10K the industry's capacity and density leader.

Recognizing that management and operation costs are typically many times higher than storage hardware costs, the Scalar 10K is also the first automated tape system to integrate a full suite of storage network management and connectivity functions. The Scalar 10K provides its own single-view SAN resource manager that discovers and reports status for all connected initiators and targets, and it passes that view to standard network management tools such as Computer Associates' Unicenter, IBM Tivoli, and Veritas SANpoint. The Scalar 10K also integrates the industry's first device-level SAN security, giving users fire-wall features that let them isolate the library from unauthorized access. Security settings are independent of zone assignments made in the switched fabric, and can even isolate access to the library's controller for a further level of protection.

The Scalar 10K also features a unique technology-independent, any-to-any connectivity design that allows IT departments to use it as a platform to integrate legacy devices into high performance SANs. In fact, the Scalar 10K is the only integrated library system that can support arbitrated loop, switched fabric, and SCSI protocols at the same time -- even providing simultaneous support for different switched fabrics from different vendors. Future versions will add support for Gb Ethernet-based storage networking protocols as well.

The Scalar 10K also offers new intelligent library management tools that allow users to perform all operations and diagnostics remotely over a web interface. E-mail alerts are delivered to user-defined contact lists, including ADIC's Technical Assistance Centers (ATAC). The Scalar 10K also provides virtualization management options -- a single library can operate as many smaller "virtual" libraries.

The Scalar 10K is designed with features that create reliability, redundancy and rapid recovery from any system faults to keep Enterprise data available. Cross-coupled redundant AC and DC power is standard for all drives and for the library controller. Redundant library control paths to support fail-over are standard, as are dual ports for redundant data paths through the storage network. On the library's roadmap is mechanical design that eliminates all single points of failure, including the library robot. Scalar 10K libraries are also designed for rapid service: drives are equipped with easily readable status LEDs; drives and power supplies are hot-swappable; physical upgrades fit through standard doors and can be added in less than two hours; and the Scalar 10K is completely self-teaching and self-calibrating after new drives or capacity are added.

"With the Scalar 10K, we've offered unprecedented flexibility in the way enterprises will be able to meet their voracious demand for data storage," continued Mr. Britts, "There has been a clear need in the industry for a single solution that can combine the scalability required by high data growth with the availability and advanced management tools needed to consolidate data in complex enterprise environments. The Scalar 10K is the first library platform designed specifically to meet those challenges."