New Virtual Tape Solutions Support Sun's Four-Part Approach to Data; Sun StorageTek Virtual Storage Manager System 5 Simplifies Data Management, Increases Tape Drive Cartridge Capacity to 100 Percent -- Sun Microsystems today introduced two additions to the Sun StorageTek Virtual Storage Manager (VSM) system -- VSM system 4e and VSM system 5 -- the next generation of its market-leading virtual tape solution for mainframe environments. The Sun StorageTek VSM family provides the building blocks for Sun's mission to "Virtualize Everything" and simplifies data management by storing data on a virtual disk buffer and migrating it to a tape device based on user-defined policies. As a result, customers are able to enhance data protection by automating data movement, increasing tape drive cartridge capacity usage to 100 percent, and reducing backup windows by as much as 50 percent. Designed for medium to large mainframe environments, the Sun StorageTek VSM system 5 is double the capacity and double the performance of the previous generation. The new system enables customers to process twice as much data in a single system, reducing overall total cost of ownership, particularly costs associated with data center footprint, power and cooling and maintenance. The Sun StorageTek VSM system 4e delivers a cost-effective, entry-level tape virtualization capability for smaller mainframe environments. Unlike the competition, the Sun StorageTek VSM family delivers unmatched reliability, scalability and disaster recovery capabilities. Built on a fully fault tolerant architecture that helps provide a highly reliable and available system, the Sun StorageTek VSM family can scale up to 256 VSM systems controlled at a single point. The Sun StorageTek VSM system also enhances data protection by automatically creating copies and migrating critical data to off-site venues and providing the flexibility to choose physical migration or electronic vaulting. Customers can also take advantage of the Sun StorageTek VSM system's management capabilities to automatically place tape data on the right tier of storage device based on user-defined rules. "Virtualization is one of the keys to harnessing the value of an enterprise's most valuable asset - their data," said Nigel Dessau, vice president, Tape, Data Management Group, Sun Microsystems, Inc. "VSM has been an industry-leading virtual tape solution for more than five years and is a key element in Sun's effort to help customers large and small deal with massive data growth, while reducing the cost and complexity of data management." According to Fara Yale, Research Vice President, Gartner Inc., "Virtualization in mainframe tape automation has been evolving since 1997, and it continues to be a vital force in the market. Users have found that they can achieve cost savings as a result of improved data management and better tape cartridge utilization." SUN STORAGETEK VSM FAMILY DRIVES SUN'S STORAGE MISSION TO VIRTUALIZE EVERYTHING Announced in conjunction with Sun's Network Computing launch in Washington, D.C., Sun StorageTek VSM system 4e and VSM system 5, and the entire family of Sun StorageTek tape virtualization solutions, creates a foundation for the "Virtualize Everything" component of Sun's four-part approach to data management. From tape to disk to block, Sun virtualization solutions optimize the use of legacy and new data storage devices and simplify IT management tasks by allowing the entire storage infrastructure to appear as a single data environment controlled from a consistent virtual front end. As a result, customers can reduce costs, simplify management and improve data access. The Sun StorageTek VSM system 4e and 5 will be available within 90 days from Sun and its qualified reseller partners. For more information on the Sun StorageTek VSM family of solutions, visit its Web site, and for more information on Sun's Data Management solutions, visit its Web site.