Exabyte Corporation Partners with IBM to Offer VXA-320 Tape Drives

Strategic Insights -

Exabyte Corporation, a leading innovator in tape backup, restore, and archival systems, has announced that IBM will utilize Exabyte VXA-320 drives in IBM System p and System i servers. This agreement follows a similar announcement for IBM eServer xSeries systems earlier this year. IBM, the world's number one server vendor, will now offer Exabyte's patented VXA-320 drive to its customers, providing them with advanced data reliability and increased capacity.

The VXA-320 drive records up to 320 GB to a single cartridge at a data transfer rate of up to 24 MB/sec, offering four times the data rate and more than four times the storage capacity of the current DDS platform. Additionally, the drive delivers full read and write compatibility with VXA's second-generation products, protecting the investment of users who have already upgraded to the VXA platform. This agreement will expand the availability of Exabyte's VXA Packet Technology to a wider range of IBM customers.

Key Takeaways:

  • Exabyte Corporation has partnered with IBM to offer VXA-320 tape drives in IBM System p and System i servers, expanding the availability of Exabyte's VXA Packet Technology.
  • IBM will utilize Exabyte VXA-320 drives in its servers, providing customers with advanced data reliability and increased capacity.
  • The VXA-320 drive records up to 320 GB to a single cartridge at a data transfer rate of up to 24 MB/sec, offering four times the data rate and more than four times the storage capacity of the current DDS platform.
  • The drive delivers full read and write compatibility with VXA's second-generation products, protecting the investment of users who have already upgraded to the VXA platform.
  • Exabyte's patented VXA Packet Technology uses digital data packets to record data, providing superior capacity, speed, and reliability compared to traditional tape formats.
  • VXA tape cartridges have been disaster-tested to prove their reliability in extreme conditions, including violent vibration, blowing volcanic dust, and boiling water.

Statistics:

  • The VXA-320 drive records up to 320 GB to a single cartridge at a data transfer rate of up to 24 MB/sec.
  • The drive offers four times the data rate and more than four times the storage capacity of the current DDS platform.
  • VXA is up to 180 times more likely to properly restore data than other tape formats such as DDS/DAT, even from a damaged tape.
  • Exabyte's VXA Packet Technology is the capacity, speed, reliability, and value leader in small-to-midsize business tape storage and tape automation solutions.

Sources:

  • "Exabyte Corporation and IBM Announce Partnership for VXA-320 Tape Drives" (Source: Exabyte Corporation press release)
  • "VXA Packet Technology" (Source: Exabyte Corporation website)
  • "IBM eServer xSeries, System i, and System p are registered trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation" (Source: IBM website)