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Enterprise Storage
HDS Takes on Modular Storage Market
Hitachi Data Systems is trying its hand at modular storage with the Thunder 9500 V Series of virtualized storage systems. The systems come in three pre-configured deskside models, ranging from 360GB to 1TB in capacity, and one rack-mountable system that supports up to 224 drives for a total capacity of 32TB. The common information model (CIM)-compliant, entry-level systems are aimed primarily at storage consolidation. CIM is the basis of the Bluefin storage-interoperability standards initiative.
Read the full story on: vnunet.com
Personal Storage
Removable Hard Disk Group to Show New Device
A consortium of companies is preparing to unveil a new consumer-oriented swappable removable hard disk system at Januarys Consumer Electronics Show. The system, called iVDR (Information Versatile Disk for Removable usage), is backed by a 28-member consortium of electronics companies and hard drive makers. Three prototypes are expected to appear at CES, including a 2.5-inch iVDR disk with a parallel ATA interface, and 2.5- and 1.8-inch iVDR drives that pack a faster, less-costly serial ATA interface. iVDR was proposed by eight electronics companies—Canon, Fujitsu, Hitachi, Phoenix Technologies, Pioneer, Sanyo, Sharp and JVC—which formed the consortium in March.
Read the full story on: InfoWorld
DVD Writers:16X in 2004?
Mitsubishi Electric has developed a more powerful semiconductor laser that it said could pave the way for 16X DVD writers to be commercially available by about 2004. The new laser delivers pulses of light at 200 milliwatts, double the power of lasers used in todays 4X DVD writer drives. Samples of the new laser are expected to arrive in June 2003. With the introduction of the new laser, Mitsubishi says, it expects its monthly laser production to increase from the current 1 million to 1.5 million during 2003 and reach 2 million units in 2004.
Read the full story on: PCWorld.com
Pioneer Aims New DVD Recorders at Small Business
Pioneer Electronics Inc. will ship recordable DVD devices aimed at the small- and midsize-business market. The Pioneer DRM-3000 FlexLibrary, one of the first such devices, will be available by the end of the month. A price of around $6 for 4.7GB of capacity should draw lots of attention from small banks, small hospitals, and even large medical practices; on hard disks, the same capacity would cost about $235. Wolfgang Schlichting at IDC says DVD drives such as those found in the DRM-3000 are also good for any company that has to meet government regulations requiring media to hold for a very long time.
Read the full story on: InformationWeek