Breece Hill Ships Industry's First Windows NT-Based DLT Libraries.BOULDER, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 23, 1998--Breece Hill Technologies, a leading supplier of intelligent automated library systems, Monday announced a new generation of intelligent DLT (Digital Linear Tape) A magnetic tape technology originally developed by Digital for its VAX line. The technology was later sold to Quantum, which makes it available to other manufacturers. DLT uses half-inch, single-hub cartridges similar to IBM's 3480/3490/3590 line. (a) libraries with the shipment of the Saguaro saguaro: see cactus. saguaro Large, candelabra-shaped, branched cactus (Cereus giganteus, or Carnegiea gigantea) native to Mexico, Arizona, and California. Slow-growing at first, mature saguaros may eventually reach 50 ft (15 m) in height. (TM) Series, the first automated data libraries that include the on-board power of the Microsoft Windows See Windows. (operating system) Microsoft Windows - Microsoft's proprietary window system and user interface software released in 1985 to run on top of MS-DOS. Widely criticised for being too slow (hence "Windoze", "Microsloth Windows") on the machines available then. NT (a) operating system operating system (OS) Software that controls the operation of a computer, directs the input and output of data, keeps track of files, and controls the processing of computer programs. . All Saguaro libraries are equipped with Pentium (a) class processors running Windows NT (Windows New Technology) A 32-bit operating system from Microsoft for Intel x86 CPUs. NT is the core technology in Windows 2000 and Windows XP (see Windows). Available in separate client and server versions, it includes built-in networking and preemptive multitasking. 4.0 that make the power of Windows NT-based data management as easy as point-and-click. A 12-inch color, touch-screen LCD panel Also called a "projection panel," it is a data projector that accepts computer output and displays it on a see-through liquid crystal screen that is placed on top of an overhead projector. See data projector. on the front of the library displays the Windows NT desktop. All library operations and applications running under Windows NT can be controlled by touch-screen commands on the LCD panel. Lee H. Elizer, vice president of marketing at Breece Hill, said that the company continues to create intelligent library solutions that focus on functionality beyond simply automating the movement of media. That goal has reached a pinnacle with the Windows NT-based Saguaro products, he said. "The traditional implementation of connecting an automated library to a single host server is not always sufficient to meet the data availability Refers to the degree to which data can be instantly accessed. The term is mostly associated with service levels that are set up either by the internal IT organization or that may be guaranteed by a third party datacenter or storage provider. and data accessibility requirements of current and future network computing Storing and/or running applications in servers in a network. See cloud computing and network computer. environments," said Elizer. "The Saguaro platform includes the building blocks for integrators and resellers to tap into the power of Windows NT and the DataIQ (TM) technology to create a new class of highly intelligent, highly reliable network storage solutions." Breece Hill's Saguaro libraries are based on the company's DataIQ architecture, encompassing a new model for maintaining continuous data availability with a fault-tolerant design This article is about general fault-tolerant design theory. For specific implementations, see fault-tolerant system. Fault-tolerant design refers to a method for designing a system so it will continue to operate, possibly at a reduced level (also known as graceful degradation), that eliminates single failure points that could cripple crip·ple n. One that is partially disabled or unable to use a limb or limbs. v. To cause to lose the use of a limb or limbs. a tape library. The Saguaro implementation of DataIQ creates a high-availability environment by incorporating innovative technologies to maximize library availability, and user-replaceable modules to minimize or eliminate downtime The time during which a computer is not functioning due to hardware, operating system or application program failure. associated with waiting for service technicians. The Windows NT-based Saguaro libraries also provide an open system interface for resellers to easily create innovative, value-added, high-margin solutions based on the Saguaro platform. For example, a Saguaro library could be configured with Fibre Channel connectivity and appropriate software to be operated as a network-attached storage See NAS. device. Breece Hill's DLT-based Saguaro libraries are available in three models that are optimized and configured to meet specific customer storage needs: the high-performance Saguaro Q70 equipped with 12 DLT drives and 70 cartridges for maximum capacity of 4.9 terabytes, the "mixed application" Q140 with nine drives and 140 cartridges for a total capacity of almost 10 terabytes, and the Q210 high-capacity model that offers almost 15 terabytes of capacity using six DLT7000 drives. All Saguaro models are also available in "de-populated" configurations, allowing customers to purchase only the minimum configuration needed to meet present storage requirements but with enough scalability headroom head·room n. 1. Space above one's head, as in a motor vehicle, above a doorway, or in a tunnel; clearance. 2. Electronics Dynamic headroom. built-in to provide years of future growth, to a maximum of 118 TB. Unlike competitive products that were originally designed to accommodate other tape technologies and then adapted for DLT as an afterthought af·ter·thought n. An idea, response, or explanation that occurs to one after an event or decision. afterthought Noun 1. , or library designs that are based on a lower capacity platform and then stretched to reach the 100 cartridge plateau, Breece Hill's Saguaro product line is an entirely new library architecture that still maintains the best features of the company's popular Q Series of DLT libraries. The DataIQ architecture of the Saguaro product is an evolution of the intelligent library technology that is at the heart of the Q Series. DataIQ provides the flexibility for the Saguaro libraries to meet a comprehensive range of storage applications and configuration options, including network-attached storage requirements and multihost attachment. Breece Hill Saguaro libraries deliver major breakthroughs in performance and capacity compared to competitive mid-range DLT libraries, with unmatched capabilities in meeting the most intensive customer requirements for applications such as HSM (1) (Hierarchical Storage Management) The automatic movement of files from hard disk to slower, less-expensive storage media. The typical hierarchy is from magnetic disk to optical disc to tape. and data warehousing See data warehouse. data warehousing - data warehouse . While the Saguaro product line is based on new library architecture, Breece Hill engineers also retained the best features of the award-winning Q Series, including the company's patented LaZerCal (TM) robotic technology. The LaZerCal technology is a laser-based adaptive positioning system that allows the robot to "sense" when any aspect of the physical environment changes, and then adjust for that change. This feature significantly reduces downtime, service calls and costs, providing for maximum system and data availability. The internal LaZerCal robotics are complemented with the new CartMove (TM) cartridge migration technology, allowing up to eight Saguaro libraries to be connected as a single volume with the potential for an administrator to control a data farm of up to 96 DLT drives and/or 1680 cartridges for a capacity of 118 terabytes. By leveraging the robotics expertise of the LaZerCal system, Breece Hill engineers have designed the CartMove system with mainframe-class reliability to ensure fast and accurate cartridge movement among multiple Saguaro cabinets. CartMove capability allows any of up to 1680 DLT cartridges to be accessed by any available drive among the eight connected Saguaro libraries. This functionality enables the Saguaro libraries to quickly process a file-restore request even if all of the drives in an individual Saguaro library are busy. In this case, the intelligent DataIQ technology identifies the closest available DLT drives and uses the CartMove robotics to quickly deliver the required cartridges to the target drives and process the request without delay. Saguaro libraries are now shipping. Breece Hill develops, manufactures and markets tape-library systems that serve the rapidly growing mid-range and client/server markets. Breece Hill has been at the forefront of DLT technology design and development for more than 10 years, and is the only supplier developing AIT (a), Magstar MP (Magstar MultiPurpose) A magnetic tape technology from IBM for midrange systems. Except for the use of linear recording, Magstar MP is completely different than the Magstar line. (a) and DLT library products. The focus of the company's product family is on reliability, high data availability, low cost of ownership and ease of integration. For additional information on this announcement, or to find out more about Breece Hill products, contact Lee H. Elizer at 303/449-2673, e-mail: LElizer@BreeceHill.com, or check the Breece Hill home page: http://www.BreeceHill.com. -0- (a) A trademark or trade name of an entity other than Breece Hill Technologies. CONTACT: Breece Hill Technologies, Boulder Lee H. Elizer, 303/449-2673 e-mail: LElizer@BreeceHill.com home page: www.BreeceHill.com or KB Communications Kathleen Botz, 800/691-1117 e-mail: KBTeam1@aol.com |
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