Exabyte launches tape library

BANGALORE: Exabyte Corporation has launched its newest LTO automation product, the Magnum20 LTO tape library. The Magnum20 packs up to 8 IBM LTO tape drives and 148 Exabyte LTO cartridges into a 20u rack mount space delivering the highest automation density in the industry. Special features and options include 8-way partitioning, remote management, and direct fiber channel attachment avoiding the complications and saving the costs of intermediate routers and bridges.

Magnum20 and LTO tape technology meets the capacity, performance and budget requirements of mid-range and enterprise-class users. "The Magnum20 is the first member of a new family of high density, low cost automation products that we plan to introduce by the end of 2003", said Exabyte President and CEO Tom Ward. "Our strategy for the Magnum20 LTO Tape Library is very simple. We will leverage our feature set, density, and cost advantages and our leadership position in fiber channel connectivity, to aggressively pursue and win market share in the LTO automation market."

"IBM is pleased to provide LTO drives for Exabyte’s newest tape library, the Magnum20 which integrates IBM LTO Ultrium SCSI and IBM fiber channel tape drives," said, IBM Program Director of OEM Tape Storage Marketing Glenn Allen. "With up to eight LTO tape drives, Exabyte’s Magnum20 Library capitalizes on the speed and capacity advantages of IBM’s LTO technology."

Flexibility and ease of use are key features of the Magnum20 LTO Tape Library. Bar code scanning is a standard feature providing enhanced media management and faster access to data. A 5-cartridge entry/exit port is available for secure loading/unloading of data cartridges. The standard remote management features allows users to conveniently conduct any operation available through the library’s LCD panel from a PC at their desk, 3 buildings away or half way across the world.

A unique library-partitioning feature allows users to create as many as eight mini-libraries within a single Magnum20, maximizing flexibility and efficiency. Users can easily configure and expand storage capacity from 100GB to 29.6TB and performance from 54GB per hour to 864GB per hour without the cost and inconvenience of rearranging rack space and components or installing additional library modules.

Redundant power supplies, IBM LTO tape drives, and Magnum20 interface cards are field installable by the user, and provide highly reliable, simultaneous support for multiple servers in a mixed SCSI and Fibre Channel environment. The new Magnum20 LTO tape library joins an existing line of Exabyte LTO automation products.

The Exabyte 110L LTO Tape Autoloader provides small office and remote location sites with desktop, entry-level automated storage capability. For larger-sized networks with higher capacity and performance needs, Exabyte offers the 221L LTO Tape Library, which is available with either SCSI or native fibre channel interfaces.