Features - Storage Innovations:

HITACHI LAUNCHES LESS COSTLY DATA STORAGE SYSTEM

Hitachi Data Systems, a unit of Hitachi Ltd, has announced a new data storage system aimed at budget-conscious customers seeking less costly technology.

The storage system will cost as little as $15,000 but based on its size and storage space, could run into the high hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Hitachi said it wants to gain market share for less expensive machines by using the technology that helped it take share in the high-end market for machines over $1 million.

Hitachi and other companies have lowered their sights as companies that buy data storage look to spend less and need fewer machines due to overcapacity.

For instance, No. 1 storage maker EMC Corp signed an agreement last year to sell its less expensive Clariion storage machines through Dell Computer Corp and also to allow Dell to make the EMC-designed systems for its small business customers.

Hitachi said its new system, called the Thunder 9500, will compete against Clariion and Hewlett-Packard Co's StorageWorks products.

Hitachi's Thunder 9500 replaces its 9200, which was introduced about two years ago. It includes technology from its highest level machine, the company said, such as the ability to work easily with different brands of computers.