Storage solution provider Quantum has released a new midrange tape
drive which increases the amount of data that can be stored on tape
and reduces backup times for midsized companies.
Quantum's SDLT 320 marks a significant jump in storage capacity
over the current SDLT 220 drives. Whereas the SDLT 220 can store a
maximum 220Gbytes of compressed data, the new drive can store as
much as 160Gbytes of uncompressed data and 320Gbytes of compressed
data. The SDLT 320 can also transfer data at 16Mbytes per second
compared to an 11Mbyte-per-second rate with the previous drive, Jim
Jonez, director of product marketing at Quantum, said.
The greater drive capacity could be advantageous to companies with
cramped data centres. The SDLT 320 drive will fit into existing
tape libraries, allowing users to pack more data in the same space.
In addition, customers can take an old SDLT 220 tape cartridge and
get the higher storage capacity by reformatting it in the new
drive, Jonez said.
Tape continues to be a popular medium for many data storage tasks
as it can offer lower costs and more ease of use than disk-based
storage. Tape storage is often used by companies for large data
backup projects and for archiving information.
One user was impressed by the performance of the new drive and said
a higher cost would not stop him from purchasing the SDLT
320.
"In backup media it is about reliability first, but after that it's
all about performance," said Ed Goldfarb, principal composer at
Madcap Labs in California, USA. "Naturally, faster throughput and
larger capacity just translate into extras on my end."
Madcap Labs uses Quantum's products to store large amounts of audio
data, including the musical score for new footage in the recently
released director's cut of the Vietnam war film
Apocalypse
Now. The company plans to purchase the new drives later this
year, Goldfarb said.
Quantum has started shipping the drives worldwide at a retail price
of $4,495 (£3,053). The tape media is priced at $149.95 (£101.85)
for 160Gbytes of capacity.