SCIENCE

IRVINE, CA -- Quantum|ATL, a subsidiary of Quantum Corporation (NYSE:DSS) and a leading supplier of intelligent DLTtape(TM) automation products for networked computers, today announced availability of Super DLTtape(TM) drives with its M1500 enterprise-class library, reportedly a best-in-class library that leads the industry in modularity, scalability, availability and density. Super DLTtape drives offer nearly three times the capacity of DLTtape drives, greatly reducing the costs of storage on a per-gigabit basis and the impact on a per rack/unit basis. In addition, Super DLTtape drives provide read and write speeds that are nearly twice as fast as DLTtape drives, reducing the amount of time required for backup and restore operations. Furthermore, Super DLTtape drives provide a natural migration path for DLTtape drive users. "Data needs have exploded in the last several years, driven by the incredible growth of the Internet," said Scott Maccabe, senior vice president of sales, marketing and service for Quantum|ATL. "Quantum is enabling companies to keep pace with this unprecedented growth by offering next-generation Super DLTtape drives with increased speed and capacity, within the same footprint, and with the same reliability customers have come to expect from Quantum|ATL." Super DLTtape drives build on the successful DLTtape platform. The first version of the new technology, the SDLT(TM) 220 tape drive, offers 110 GB of native storage capacity per cartridge and an 11 MB/second sustained native data transfer rate. Using the built-in hardware based data compression, capacity and performance can be doubled for most data types. The SDLT 220 tape drives are available in the M1500 with Ultra2 SCSI LVD interfaces. "Super DLTtape technology is becoming the standard in the tape backup market because of its high capacity performance and dependability," said Andy Grolnick, vice president of marketing, Quantum's DLTtape Group. "The combination of Super DLTtape and Quantum|ATL's broad selection of high-performance libraries offers an unparalleled data protection solution that meets the needs of a wide range of customers." The modular M1500 library, introduced in February 2001, is designed for Global 2000 and e-commerce 100 companies. Using an independent element called StackLink(TM), cartridges can be moved from one module to another in seconds, completely transparent to the data application, so multiple modules act as a single, larger integrated library. In addition, customers can add modules on an "as-needed" basis, even while the system remains online, allowing them to scale library capacity and performance as their backup needs grow. The M1500 also has the highest volumetric efficiency in its class. Using SDLT 220 tape drives, a single M500 library can store up to 4.4 TB with performance ranging up to 158.4 GB/hour. A fully expanded library using ten modules can scale up to 44 TB and throughput demands up to 1.6 TB/hour (all specifications assume 2:1 data compression). Super DLTtape technology in the M1500 provides the best combination of speed, capacity, modularity and reliability on any library technology platform, with the following major business benefits: -- High Reliability: the modular construction ensures minimal error in the drives. -- Reduced Costs: with nearly three times the capacity of DLTtape cartridges, the cost of storage on a per-gigabyte basis is greatly reduced. Customers are also able to use one-third of the actual physical storage space. -- Increased Performance: The M1500 using SDLT 220 tape drives provide 158.4GB/hour performance to reduce backup/restore window. "The addition of Super DLTtape drives to the Quantum|ATL product line demonstrates Quantum's commitment to building on its expertise in data protection and delivering integrated, scalable storage solutions to its customers," said Maccabe. "We believe we have set a new standard for data automation and management in the storage community, and a new benchmark from which to move forward." For more information visit www.QuantumATL.com