Quantum has unveiled what it claims is the biggest, fastest, and cheapest super drive on the midrange tape block.
At 600 GB, the SDLT 600 boasts 50% greater capacity than LTO2. With a transfer rate of 72 MB/s, it’s also 20% faster, and at 20 cents per gigabyte, it’s 30% cheaper, too.
“Quantum has recaptured performance leadership with the Super DLTtape product line by delivering on the key attributes customers are demanding — not only speed, but performance, reliability, and most importantly, manageability,” says Robert Amatruda, IDC’s research manager for tape and removable storage.
Amatruda contends the addition of DLTSage management tools is “the true market differentiator.”
Steven Berens, Quantum’s senior director of product marketing and strategy, thinks Quantum has a winner on its hands.
“It offers blazing speed and phenomenal control,” gushes Berens. “This will be a compelling case for change.”
With a 70% share of the midrange, Berens says SDLT is already well positioned against the higher-end LTO2.
The SDLT 600 is backward-read compatible with the SDLT 320, SDLT 220, and DLT VS160 drives, according to Berens, and also offers an upgrade path to the enterprise-class SDLT 1200 and SDLT 2400.
The DLTSage management suite will ship with the SDLT 600 and all future Super DLTtape solutions at no additional charge, and is available for download for existing Super DLTtape products from the DLTSage web site.
“The performance of SDLT 600, combined with the greater reliability and improved management available through DLTSage, is a tremendous value to Super DLTtape customers,” says Bob Abraham, president of Freeman Reports. “Quantum realized the need for increased manageability support through an intuitive diagnostic application.”
Quantum also announced new Super DLTtape II media tape cartridges, which feature a thinner magnetic recording layer and a 40% smaller magnetic particle size for “the highest capacity and lowest cost per GB of any media in the mid-range.”
Fibre Channel connectivity is also available with the SDLT 600 and SDLT 320 drives for DLTtape customers with SAN environments.
The SDLT 600 has already received support from ADIC, Overland, QLogic, and numerous storage ISVs, including Arkeia, CommVault, Computer Associates, Legato, VERITAS, and Yosemite Technologies.
The SDLT 600 will ship later this quarter.
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