RETAIL

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Sony Electronics will be offering a new series of PetaSite(R) tape library systems based on SAIT drive technology, currently the industry's highest capacity data tape technology. Designed for content management, data backup and enterprise data storage applications, the new SAIT PetaSite systems are expected to set a new standard for automated tape storage density with up to 250 terabytes (TB) of native capacity per square meter of floor space, and a total native capacity of up to 1.2 petabytes (PB). SAIT PetaSite systems, available in June, will bring high-speed backup and restores to life for enterprises and digital content providers. Sustained native data transfer rates for the SAIT PetaSite library will reach up to 2.88 gigabytes (GB) per second, and a standard file can be restored in just over one minute. "With petabyte storage management already a reality for some companies, Sony will be arming administrators with a reliable backup and consolidation solution that can scale rapidly, maintain top performance as demands increase, and keep files within quick reach of end-users," said Tom Yuhas, director of data systems solutions for Sony Electronics' Business Systems & Solutions Company. "SAIT PetaSite lets organizations achieve five-nines data availability without hitting the glass ceiling of capacity." A basic SAIT PetaSite system will contain two SAIT-1 drives, an Ethernet hub, a terminal server, and a PetaSite control unit. This entry system, encapsulated within a standard 19-inch rack console, will be scalable to house up to 12 drives and 216 cartridges for up to 108 TB of native capacity in a flexible and highly available configuration. Up to seven cartridge and/or drive consoles can be added to the base system. The cartridge consoles will allow users to add up to 330 cartridges for 165 TB of extra native capacity, and the drive/cartridge consoles will house up to 12 additional drives and 258 additional cartridges, totaling nearly 135 TB of extra native capacity. Since data management software is critical to support data warehouses that are seeing double-digit growth each year, Sony will deliver the SAIT PetaSite tape library pre-configured with its PetaServe(R) hierarchical storage management (HSM) and PetaBack(TM) high-speed backup software applications. PetaServe software is designed to achieve maximum storage performance by automatically transferring data from hard disk to tape to achieve a cost- effective storage balance. This enables administrators to efficiently manage file migration through policies, while the data movement remains transparent to the end-user who is retrieving the files. PetaBack software provides quick, automatic backup of files to the SAIT PetaSite system's drives, with high-speed restoration of data to the host computer's hard drive. Yuhas said that PetaBack software, as part of Sony's PetaApp system solution, is optimized for LAN-free backup in storage networking environments. "When organizations are confronted with terabytes and petabytes of various data and video files, management is just as important as capacity and density," he added. "The SAIT PetaSite removes the aggravation from large- scale storage management and backup by automating the entire process through intelligent hardware and software." The basic SAIT PetaSite tape system will be available in two models, one with a Fibre Channel interface (CSM-200BF), and another with a SCSI interface (CSM-200BS). Key features will include: -- Expandable to seven units, housing up to 96 drives, and a maximum total capacity of 1.2 petabytes; -- Fast cassette access, with the ability to exchange 400 cartridges per hour; -- Remote maintenance and surveillance, with proactive reporting via e- mail; -- Various Interfaces -- SCSI , 2 Gbps FC, TCP/IP API; -- Pre-installed PetaSite(R) controller software; -- Pre-installed trial versions of PetaServe HSM and PetaBack software applications; -- Hot-swappable drive and power supply exchange; and -- Configuration flexibility, with optional consoles, including cartridge, cartridge and drive or redundant robotics/library control unit.