Sony Rolls Out AIT Desktop Autoloaders

The SCSI-connected devices are intended as upgrades for small companies and departments currently using older formats such as Digital Data Storage.

Sony Electronics Inc. on Tuesday announced a series of desktop-class tape autoloaders using the Advanced Intelligent Tape (AIT) format. Ranging from 280 to 800 gigabytes, the SCSI-connected devices are intended as upgrades for small companies and departments currently using older formats such as Digital Data Storage (DDS), officials said. Each autoloader has one drive and eight slots. The AIT-1 version, with a 4MB/second transfer rate, costs $2,900. AIT-2 at 6MB/second is $3,500; AIT-3 at 12MB/second is $5,600. They are available in June with a three-year warranty and optional on-site support. Bundled with the new models, demonstrated this week at the Storage World Conference in Anaheim, Calif., is a free copy of NovaStor Corp.s TapeCopy 2.0, for converting older formats, officials said. Thats certified with backup software from Computer Associates International Inc., Legato Systems Inc., Veritas Software Inc., plus NovaStors own programs and built-in Windows software, officials of the Simi Valley, Calif.-based NovaStor said. Also, the autoloaders have a front message panel designed for non-technical staff, officials said. The units are just eight inches high, six inches wide, and 13 inches long, they said. Sony officials did not say what security features are included. Latest Storage News:
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