SCIENCE

SAN DIEGO, CA -- Overland Data Inc. (Nasdaq:OVRL) announced today it has continued its penetration of the highly competitive biotechnology field with Agencourt Bioscience Corporation, a leading provider of genomic services, consumables and integrated automation systems for the life sciences industry. Huge amounts of DNA sequencing data generated from specialized equipment created a storage challenge to life science researchers at Agencourt, based in Beverly, Massachusetts. The quantity of data produced by Agencourt's sequencing center approximates up to 50 GB each week. The sensitivity and critical nature of the sequencing data made a reliable data protection and archive strategy essential. "We needed to get a highly robust and proven storage platform for our laboratory system to ensure that the data was not left unprotected," said Steve Shannon, CTO of Agencourt. "Our data integrity and scalability needs were, and continue to be, significant." Al Conte of Sourcetek Systems, an Overland partner located in New Hampshire, was brought in to evaluate Agencourt's needs including ultra reliability, high transfer rates, high availability and the capability to manage the data generated by Agencourt's sequencing center. Sourcetek recommended Overland's recently introduced high availability Neo Series(TM) LXN2000 tape library. Agencourt's new Neo Series library was up and running with differential backups performed every eight hours, and a complete weekly backup that enables Shannon to keep Agencourt's sequencing data protected. Two primary internal network systems serve Agencourt's employees and laboratory. A server room provides centralized management of a dozen servers running Windows 2000 and Linux. The employee network consists of 25 computers, and the laboratory system includes 50 computers in a separate, dedicated network that was brought online earlier this year. Shannon is planning for an increase in Agencourt's data storage needs in the near future when additional sequencers, sequence assembly capabilities and an Oracle ERP system come on line. The ability to handle this planned expansion was a key requisite in the acquisition of the Neo Series library. Additional Neo library modules can be easily added to accommodate the increased amounts of data generated by the new genomic services that Agencourt is adding to its facility. "The Neo Series has enabled us to manage and protect the critical genomic sequencing data," said Shannon. "The combination of superior results, excellent service and support by Overland and its channel partner Sourcetek Systems will keep us looking forward to doing future business with them as our data needs continue to expand." "The Neo Series delivered in two key areas for Agencourt -- high reliability and modular expandability -- as it has done for many of our customers in similar environments," said Overland vice president of sales, Chet Baffa. "Overland has grown to understand very well the requirements of enterprises in data-intensive environments such as the biosciences, and our success with these customers has been extremely gratifying as we introduce new products to the market."