HP Announces New Low-Cost PC Network-Backup Solution.

PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 30, 1996-- Hewlett-Packard Company today announced the availability of its first Travan-tape-technology-based network-backup product, the SureStore T4i, for personal computer-based local area networks. The new SureStore drive offers 4 gigabytes of native capacity (up to 8GB with software data compression) and is fully compatible with QIC-Wide and Travan tape cartridges.

The SureStore T4i drive is the latest among HP's broad line of extended-storage products to offer a tailored backup solution to network users. In addition, HP also announced the launch of its SureStore DLT30e and DLT40e digital linear tape drives, which are faster, higher-capacity backup solutions for PC-based corporate networks. The new tape products complement the existing HP SureStore line of 4mm DAT network-backup products.

The SureStore T4i drive is a complete network extended-storage solution containing all the elements required for implementing reliable network backup. It is compatible with a wide range of standard operating systems and backup application solutions, including Novell NetWare 3.12 and 4.10, Windows NT 3.51, and the widely used ARCserve and Backup Exec software packages.

"The small-LAN market is one of the fastest-emerging segments in network backup," said Robert Hill, marketing manager at Computer Peripherals Bristol, a division of HP's Information Storage Group. "Until now, many LANs have lacked a coherent backup solution because existing products were overloaded with features and too expensive to purchase. The T4i answers the needs of this class of users with a comprehensive solution at an affordable price."

The T4i drive has a native capacity of 4GB on a TR-4 minicartridge. It features an average seek time of 25 seconds and transfer rates of 514KB/s, sustained, and 3MB/s, burst. It conforms to the QIC-3095 standard format, making it compatible with TR-4 and QIC-wide minicartridges. It has a SCSI-2 interface and fits into a 5.25-inch, half-height form factor. It conforms to SA, UL, TUV and CE certifications and features a 200,000-hour mean time between failure (MTBF).

The T4i complements the existing HP Colorado T4000 Travan drive for stand-alone PCs. The drive also will be available from HP's Network Storage Division as an accompanying backup product to the new HP NetServer E-Series network servers.

U.S. PRICE AND AVAILABILITY

The SureStore T4i is expected to be available through HP SureStore resellers in early October and is list-priced at $499. It will be covered by a two-year SureStore ExpressExchange warranty and HP's service and support. When the SureStore T4i drives are sold as a component of an HP host system, they are covered by the same three-year warranty as the host.

HP's Information Storage Group, which focuses on the rapidly growing extended-storage market, manufactures and sells information-storage products based on tape, magneto-optical and CD technologies. HP storage solutions include digital-audio-tape (DAT) drives and digital-linear-tape (DLT) libraries, minicartridge (QIC) tape drives and software, CD-writable drives, and magneto-optical drives and jukeboxes. These products are sold through a variety of distribution channels under the HP SureStore and HP Colorado brand names, as well as to OEM customers.

Hewlett-Packard Company is a leading global manufacturer of computing, communications and measurement products and services recognized for excellence in quality and support. HP has 110,800 employees and had revenue of $31.5 billion in its 1995 fiscal year.

Information about HP and its products can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.hp.com. -0-

Note to Editors: Windows is a U.S. registered trademark of Microsoft Corp.

CONTACT: The Hoffman Agency

Margaret Pereira, 408/286-2611

[e-mail]

or

Hewlett-Packard CPB 

Debbie Beech, [phone]

debbie_beech/[e-mail]