Features - Storage Innovations:

CERTANCE INTRODUCES LTO ULTRIUM 1 BASED AL810 AUTOLOADER

Certance, a world leader in innovative, cost-effective data protection for companies of all sizes, announced availability of the LTO Ultrium 1 based AL810 autoloader, designed to provide powerful, yet easily operated data protection for small-to-medium businesses (SMBs). Capable of storing as much as 1.6 terabytes (TBs) of business-critical information, the AL810 autoloader from Certance leverages the proven reliability of the Linear Tape-Open (LTO) technology, and makes it available at a price point that enables SMBs to quickly realize a tangible return on investment.

The AL810 autoloader from Certance solves the challenges of companies requiring centralized high-capacity and high-performance automated data protection, without paying the price premium often mandated by high-end products. Built around the industry's fastest LTO Ultrium 1 tape drive, the AL810 autoloader is designed to hold up to eight LTO-1 cartridges in a 2U form-factor. The AL810 autoloader offers an affordable, automated, effortless backup solution and installs within minutes in either a desktop or an easily installed rack mount configuration. It incorporates the high performance that thousands of companies globally have come to expect from the LTO format, giving businesses the ability to backup data at speeds of 115 gigabytes (GB) per hour. The AL810 autoloader is available at a starting price of less than $6,000.

"While the data storage requirements of small-to-medium companies continue to grow, many realize they cannot afford nor do they want today's costly, complex solutions. The AL810 autoloader from Certance provides the right balance between unattended data protection capacity and affordability," said Mike Lakowicz, Certance's vice president, product strategy and business development. "It installs within minutes and is easily administered. The AL810 autoloader delivers on all counts, enabling automated data backup schedules and providing the ability to archive data, an essential component of a complete data protection strategy."

"With the average data center doubling its storage requirements every 18 to 24 months, the challenge to keep pace with demand -- from both a cost and information management perspective -- can be difficult," said Roy Appelbaum, vice president of network product marketing at Tech Data Corporation. "The AL810 enables our customers to strike this balance by delivering high-end performance at a mid-tier price point. By leveraging Tech Data's Storage Specialized Business Unit, which includes enterprise-class resources that assist technology solution providers in delivering advanced storage technologies, our customers are better positioned to help their clients identify solid, affordable solutions."

With enterprise-level functionality, the AL810 autoloader from Certance offers complete unattended weekly backup protection for small-to-medium businesses including enterprise-level workgroups. The AL810 autoloader provides an affordable data protection solution for businesses with space-limiting environments. The AL810 autoloader even allows companies with less than 200 gigabytes of data to perform unattended, complete backups on a daily basis for a full week by using a separate cartridge for each day of the week.

The AL810 autoloader from Certance has several enhancements for system connectivity, software compatibility and ease of use. It comes with Certance's industry-leading three-year limited warranty and world-class technical support, and is available in multiple configuration bundles, including NetVault storage management software from BakBone Software, for servers running across the full range of Microsoft Windows platforms, as well as multiple versions of UNIX and Linux. The AL810 autoloader bundled solution includes an LTO Ultrium 1 cleaning cartridge, Resource CD, external 68-pin SCSI cable and 68-pin SCSI terminator. This high capacity, high-performance external or optionally rack-mounted autoloader connects easily by plugging into anUltra2 SCSI LVD connection with the provided SCSI cable.

Certance's FastSense variable recording speed technology optimizes transfer rates by matching the physical tape speed to the rate of incoming data to minimize back-hitching, increasing reliability and optimizing backup times. The AL810 autoloader includes the Certance Dynamic PowerDown feature that protects both drive and media in case of a sudden power loss.

Multiple configurations of AL810 autoloader from Certance are available through the company's worldwide network of channel partners and systems integrators, as well as through Certance's online store at shop.Certance.com.