Hard disk and solid-state storage make more headlines, but digital tape -- while a dwindling market overall -- is still a major production standard for a great number of enterprise users. Sun Microsystems, Tandberg, Imation, Quantum and others continue to invest in its development.

For example, Sun on May 19 unveiled new capacity and performance enhancements to its tape virtualization storage archive package, the Sun StorageTek Virtual Systems Manager.

Resource Library:

New features included in the archive package include a threefold capacity increase for the Sun StorageTekVSM5 to 90 terabytes; new connectivity options; an Access Expansion Module, which enables 24/7 availability with fully redundant and replaceable robotics; and new Enterprise Library software that combines Sun's mainframe software products into an easier-to-manage console.

Sun also launched an entry-level version of the Sun StorageTek VSM 5 called VSM5e, which is targeted at customer disaster recovery and test sites and has a lower price point.

Sun also announced that Fujifilm will be the tape-media development partner for the next generation of the Sun StorageTek T10000 tape drive family. Sun and Fujifilm launched the industry's first 1TB tape drive in July 2008.

Despite the current economic landscape, Sun StorageTek VSM revenues have grown by double digits quarter-over-quarter versus last year to enterprise customers across a wide range of industries, a Sun spokesperson said.

Pricing for the VSM series starts at $355,650. For more product information and specifications, go here.