ADIC Supports Veritas Vertex Initiave; Includes Snapshot Backup for Real-time Data Protection and Built-in Serverless SAN Technology.

Business/Hi-Tech Editors

REDMOND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 24, 2000

Advanced Digital Information Corporation (Nasdaq:ADIC) announced today its support for the VERITAS Software (Nasdaq:VRTS) VERTEX Initiative.

This new initiative includes integrated support for real-time serverless backup with ADIC Scalar(R) series FibreReady(TM) tape libraries. By combining the VERITAS VERTEX(TM) Initiative solution set with ADIC Scalar libraries, IT departments can protect their data, including information in mission-critical databases, without interrupting normal business operations, using high-speed image backup technology over a switched fabric storage network.

"With the advent of e-commerce, CRM initiatives and active knowledge management, data growth is exceeding 100% per year in key applications, much of it centered in massive databases that need to be accessed around the clock," said Bill Britts, ADIC executive vice president of Sales and Marketing. "The VERITAS VERTEX Initiative product set, in combination with ADIC's new smart Scalar libraries, is leading the way toward providing a much needed data protection solution for this critical environment. This new solution will keep providing iron-clad data protection even when there is no longer any time for a backup window."

"The VERITAS VERTEX Initiative product set is designed to work with a variety of existing and future hardware and software snapshot solutions," said Neal Ater, vice president, Data Protection Product Group, VERITAS Software. "The pairing of the VERITAS VERTEX Initiative solution set with ADIC's SAN-ready Scalar tape libraries will offer the kind of combinations the IT community needs to keep up with data growth."

The VERITAS VERTEX Initiative is a set of breakthrough alternative backup technologies designed to eliminate the conventional backup window by using a high-speed frozen image or "snapshot" methodology. The VERITAS VERTEX Initiative solution set relies on the creation of this point-in-time data copy through software or hardware implementations that can be backed up either with traditional VERITAS NetBackup architectures or through the use of the VERITAS NetBackup(TM) ServerFree Agent over a SAN. In a SAN configuration, the snapshot data is written directly from a disk array to a tape library over Fibre Channel to create an off-host, backup copy.

When used in conjunction with ADIC's Scalar SAN-ready tape libraries and their integrated active data-moving agent, the VERITAS NetBackup ServerFree Agent can support serverless backup, where data moves directly from disk to tape without using server resources. ADIC's Scalar libraries provide high performance SCSI and SAN backup, integrating the industry's widest range of tape technologies, including DLT, LTO, and AIT. The new Scalar 100 LTO, the most recent addition to the Scalar family, offers the first tape storage in the industry to provide more than a terabyte of storage per rack unit (1.75 vertical inches).

About ADIC

With an installed base of more than 65,000 automated libraries, innovative storage management software, Fibre Channel Storage Area Network (SAN) solutions, and Network Attach Storage (NAS) appliances, ADIC is a leading device-independent storage solutions provider to the open systems marketplace. The Company offers a broad range of products designed to enhance organizations' ability to store, protect, manage and use their rapidly growing network data. ADIC's automated storage products are available through a worldwide sales force and a global network of resellers and OEMs, including Dell, Fujitsu Siemens and IBM. Further information is available at http://www.adic.com.

ADIC and Scalar are registered trademarks of Advanced Digital Information Corporation. VERITAS, VERITAS Software and all VERITAS product names are trademarks or registered trademarks in the U.S. and/ or other countries. All other trade or service marks mentioned in this release should be considered the property of their respective owners.