Imation Showcases Full Line of Network Tape Products and Services At Networld+Interop 2001.

Business Editors & Technology Writers

Networld+Interop 2001

Booth No.LVCC 925

LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 8, 2001

New Black Watch(TM) Ultrium(TM) Format Cartridges 

and Consulting Offerings Answer Storage Networking Needs

Imation Corp. (NYSE:IMN), a worldwide leader in data storage and information management, will showcase its full line of network and data center tape products and professional storage consulting services at Booth No.LVCC 925 during Networld+Interop in Las Vegas, May 8 - 10. The show marks a new look and refined customer focus for Imation's data storage media and services business that reflects both the growth and importance of tape storage systems in storage networking environments. An Imation in-booth presentation on this topic will explain the role that tape storage systems - such as the new Ultrium format - play in meeting network managers' needs for data capacity, security and access.

"The need for data storage is exploding, as is the value of the data being saved. As a result, tape systems offer users higher capacity than ever before, often coupled with faster access to data," said Jim Ellis, strategic marketing director, Imation Data Storage and Information Management. "Networks are becoming increasingly distributed and require more centralized storage management - a function that elevates tape storage to a strategic level within many organizations. With nearly 50 years of tape cartridge technology leadership, Imation is anticipating and delivering to our customers the resources they need to better manage their network storage."

Imation Expands Network Products Portfolio

Imation will showcase its line of network and data center format tape cartridges that includes Imation Travan(TM), SLR(TM), the industry leading Black Watch DLTtape(TM), 3590E, 9840, and 9940 cartridges, and the newest addition, Black Watch Ultrium tape cartridges. The addition allows users to choose nearly any capacity or format tape cartridge from Imation as it fits their business' needs.

Designed for network data processing, backup and archive applications, the Ultrium tape system features 15 MB/sec native transfer rate, and four cartridge capacities of 20, 60, 100 and 200GB capacity (2:1 compression). Imation Black Watch Ultrium cartridges passed the independent Linear Tape-Open (LTO) cartridge format specification process in April.

Imation designed Black Watch Ultrium tape cartridges with unique reliability features that help allay user concerns about the risk associated with storing - and the potential of losing - up to 200GB of data per tape cartridge. A proprietary three-piece tape spool delivers improved tape handling for better tracking and fewer errors, and a proprietary corner snap on the door corner helps improve cartridge strength in the event of a dropped cartridge. To ensure predictable tape performance, Imation conducts a three-phase performance verification process on every cartridge, and also offers a variety of operational and cartridge-specific services such as media care and handling, and data migration.

Kick-Start Offering Charts Storage Network Strategies

By breaking the physical barrier of a tape drive directly connected to a server, several new backup/restore paradigms now exist giving users even more options. LAN-free backup architectures and server-less backup infrastructures are the hot projects that have been technically enabled by storage networks. And, with more tape options available today, users now have the tools available to implement a streamlined and cost-effective backup infrastructure over a storage network.

To help senior and executive level IT staff navigate and address their most pressing storage issues, the new Imation Kick-Start Program from Imation Storage Consulting helps identify potential pitfalls and the best migration plans for a company's network storage environment.

The Kick-Start Program is a half-day, on-site training session performed by a vendor-neutral Imation senior storage architect that includes an interactive strategy session to address a company's current IT environment, its storage and infrastructure challenges, and the best storage networking architectures to address these issues. Based on Imation's experience working with clients in its Storage Networking Lab and in storage consulting engagements, Imation draws from real-world experience with other clients facing similar storage networking issues to help identify specific architectures the company should investigate to address its business challenges. The session is customized to the participating audience and is available in an executive or technical track.

Imation Storage Consulting and Storage Networking Lab

Imation Storage Consulting offers customers independent assessment, design, and proof-of-concept testing. The storage architects and engineers are highly skilled in the full array of storage networking technologies and concepts. This, coupled with the Imation Storage Networking Lab capabilities, offers customers end-to-end services for storage infrastructure solutions.

The Imation Storage Networking Lab, located at Imation headquarters in Oakdale, Minn., is a world-class facility that offers vendor-independent testing and services to help companies and equipment manufacturers develop and evaluate data storage solutions in an objective environment. Imation's Storage Networking Lab provides a hands-on testing environment that makes integrating storage networking solutions into business environments as risk free and cost-effective as possible.

About Imation Corp.

A global technology company, Imation Corp. supplies a variety of products and services worldwide, specializing in data storage and information management, color management and imaging solutions. In 2000, the Company reported revenues of $1.2 billion from continuing operations. As of March 31, 2001, the Company employed approximately 4,200 people worldwide.

Additional information about Imation is available on the Company's website at http://www.imation.com, or by calling Imation toll-free at 1-888-466-3456. To receive recent earnings news releases, corporate information and related shareholder services, call Imation's toll-free shareholder information line at 1-888-IMN-NYSE (1-888-466-6973).

Certain information contained in this news release, which does not relate to historical financial information may be deemed to constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause the Company's actual results in the future to differ materially from its historical results and those presently anticipated or projected. Among these factors are the Company's ability to meet its cost reduction and revenue growth targets, its ability to implement its restructuring program on a timely basis and to achieve the projected benefits, its ability to introduce new offerings in a timely manner, the competitive pricing environment, foreign currency fluctuations, the ability of Imation to secure adequate supply of certain high demand products, the ready availability and price of energy, the market acceptance of newly introduced product and service offerings, the rate of decline for certain existing products as well as various factors set forth in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Imation, Black Watch and Travan are trademarks of Imation Corp. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.