Spectra Logic announces its next generation 8mm tape libraries.BOULDER, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 8, 1995--Spectra Logic, a division of Western Automation, announced its next generation of 8mm tape libraries this week. These units combine the latest in robotic technology with an unmatched versatility-users can field upgrade the libraries from one to four drives. The Spectra 9000/20 and 9000/40 tape libraries accommodate 20 or 40 8mm cartridges, respectively. Each library is available with one to four tape drives. Using EXB EXB Expansion Board EXB Exothermic Brazing 8500XL 8mm drives, the Spectra 9000/40 can store up to 560 Gigabytes with 2:1 compression (280GB uncompressed); the 9000/20 has a capacity of 280 GB compressed / 140 uncompressed. The easy expandability of the Spectra 9000 series makes them an affordable alternative to other, more limiting libraries. Customers can purchase the Spectra 9000 product with one drive and a 20 cartridge carousel for simple, automated backup and restore tasks, then gradually evolve the system to its highest capacity -- 40 cartridges with four drives, a platform ideally suited for backup, archiving and 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. (Hierarchical Storage Management See HSM. ). Unlike many other 8mm robotic libraries, the 9000 series libraries join the Spectra 4000 4mm libraries in utilizing a fixed carousel design: tapes are stored in a motionless carousel and a centered robotic "picker" shuttles cartridges among slots, drives and the entry/exit port in the cabinet. The new design requires the movement of fewer parts and less weight than other libraries, which enables the unit to operate vertically or horizontally and provide faster cartridge loads. This design also dramatically decreases the incidence of mechanical failure. Standard features on all Spectra 9000 libraries include a touch screen LCD control panel. This provides menu-driven access to robotics and diagnostics. Spectra Logic's unique GUI (Graphical User Interface) A graphics-based user interface that incorporates movable windows, icons and a mouse. The ability to resize application windows and change style and size of fonts are the significant advantages of a GUI vs. a character-based interface. touch screen, called "The Shell," can be easily upgraded, enhanced and modified through a code download to firmware from tape. Spectra 9000 libraries are available in a vertical "tower" enclosure, a horizontal 7" x 17" x 27" enclosure -- or a 7" height horizontal rack-mount enclosure. Barcode readers are optional. The Spectra 9000 libraries share robotics interfaces with Spectra's existing Spectra 4000 and STL-Series libraries. Both can be controlled via SCSI-2 or through an RS-232 serial port, using Spectra Logic's SSCL SSCL Social Science Computing Laboratory SSCL Strategies for Success in Construction Lending SSCL Superconducting Supercollider SSCL Space Systems and Controls Lab (Serial SCSI Command Language). The similar interface makes the Spectra 9000 compatible with a variety of Backup, Archive and Hierarchical software which already supports the Spectra 4000, STL-8000 and STL-6000. -0- Software which currently supports the Spectra libraries includes: --Alexandria: Spectra Logic's UNIX UNIX Operating system for digital computers, developed by Ken Thompson of Bell Laboratories in 1969. It was initially designed for a single user (the name was a pun on the earlier operating system Multics). network backup librarian provides a complete solution for heterogeneous UNIX networks. --ArcServe: Cheyenne Software's industry-leading NetWare backup, archiving and librarian software with support for NetWare 3.x. --Network Archivist ARCHIVIST. One to whose care the archives have been confided. and Palindrome palindrome: see anagram. HSM: Palindrome Corporation's backup, archiving and HSM software for NetWare, including SIDF (System Independent Data Format) An international standard format for storing data along with its file system. When conceived by the SIDF Association in 1993, its primary purpose was to allow backup tapes created by one vendor to be readable by another vendor's tape format support. --OmniBack II: Hewlett-Packard's backup and archival for distributed UNIX computing environments. --SM-Arch 3.1: Software Moguls' network backup for UNIX and PC-LAN PC-LAN Personal Computer Local Area Network . --SPARCUS: HIARC's hierarchical migrating file software (HMFS) for UNIX systems. -0- Support is pending with: Advanced Software Concepts' Net Archive, Arcada Software's Backup Exec, Avail Systems' AVAIL NetSpace 3.0, Computer Associates' CA-Unicenter, Dantz Development's Retrospect, IBM (International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, www.ibm.com) The world's largest computer company. IBM's product lines include the S/390 mainframes (zSeries), AS/400 midrange business systems (iSeries), RS/6000 workstations and servers (pSeries), Intel-based servers (xSeries) Storage Systems' ADSM/2, Legato Systems' NetWorker, opis GmbH's LOLA LOLA Lots Of Love (and) Affection LOLA Latino Organization for Liver Awareness LOLA Laughing Out Loud Again LOLA Logistics On-Line Access LOLA Live Ordnance Loading Area LOLA Lunar Orbit and Landing Approach LOLA Long Line Azimuth , and PDC's Budtool. Another key feature of the Spectra 9000 libraries is their ability to be field upgraded. Users can add tape drives to scale up throughput and add drive redundancy; 20 cartridge carousels can be replaced by the 40 slot version to scale up total capacity; barcode readers can be added; robotics/user-interface firmware can be uploaded from tape; and an EISA (Extended ISA) Pronounced "ee-suh." A PC bus standard that extends the 16-bit ISA bus (AT bus) to 32 bits and provides bus mastering. ISA cards can plug into an EISA slot. expansion slot is available for additional hardware functionality. When Exabyte Mammoth drives become available, Spectra 9000 users can replace their drives to increase throughput and capacity. Spectra 9000 libraries are currently available to ISVs for development and testing. Production units will be available in late March. U.S. list prices start at $11,990 for a 20 cartridge, single drive unit without a barcode reader, $17,990 for the same configuration in a 40 cartridge library. A 40 cartridge unit with two drives and a barcode (typical for high capacity needs) is $24,880 or $33,660 with 40 cartridges and four tape drives installed. Spectra 9000 tape libraries are available through Spectra Logic resellers in the United States and distributors in Canada, Europe, Japan, Australia and South America. Spectra Logic as manufactured high-end data storage products since 1979. Now, as a division of Boulder, Colorado based Western Automation, Spectra Logic manufactures a variety of high performance data storage products for a broad range of platforms. For more information contact Spectra Logic, 1700 North 55th St., Boulder, CO 80301 USA, telephone: 303/449-7759, fax 303/939-8844 or e-mail: library@spectra.wali.com. CONTACT: Spectra Logic John Kranz, 303/449-7759 SRB Communications Steve Bosak, 708/406-6130 |
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