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Enterprise Storage
IBM Bolsters Midrange Storage Lines
IBM extended the fault-tolerant features of its high-end systems into midrange storage arrays at this weeks IBM Partnerworld with the introduction of a new disk array and tape drive. The company announced the TotalStorage Linear Tape-Open Ultrium 2 drive and the TotalStorage FAStT 900 storage array, as well as Tivoli Storage Manager support for storage arrays and tape libraries. The Linear Tape-Open (LTO) Ultrium 2 drive operates at 35MB per second and uses 200GB storage cartridges. The FAStT 900 more than doubles its performance over previous models with the addition of 2 gigabit-per-second Fibre Channel controllers. It operates at 30MB per second without compression, the company said.
Read the full story on: Network World Fusion
Personal Storage
CMC Bucks Trend as CD-R Makers Post Declines In January Sales
Compared to the previous month, CD-Recordable disc manufacturer CMC Magnetics enjoyed a slight increase in January sales while rivals Ritek, Prodisc Technology and GigaStorage all posted declines. Ritek attributed the dip in January sales to its efforts to reduce shipments of CD-R discs with plastic cases, which are less profitable than those without cases. Prodisc expects further CD-R disc price increases in April. Industry watchers expect a rise in CD-R disc prices and strong recordable DVD disc demand.
Read the full story on: DigiTimes
Ahead Releases New Fast CD-Burning Plug-in for Windows Media Player 9
Ahead Software, the makers of CD/DVD burning software Nero, released a plug-in for the Windows Media Player 9.0 Series. Available via a free download at wmplugins.com, the Nero Fast-Burning Plug-in enables the Windows Media Player 9.0 Series to burn discs at full speed. Users may see performance increases up to 26 times faster than before, the company said, significantly decreasing the time it takes for each burning session. In addition, the plug-in will provide Windows Media Player 9.0 users the option of eliminating the two-second gap between audio tracks.
Read the full story on: emedialive.com
Storage Business
Hitachi and IBM Keen On Cisco MDS Switches
Cisco Systems moved two steps forward in its Fibre Channel switch onslaught, as Hitachi Data Systems (HDS) announced its qualification of the MDS 9000 family and IBM set a March general availability date for the switches. IBM on Tuesday announced that it will start offering Ciscos MDS 9000, beginning with the MDS 9509 director and 9216 fabric switch.In early January, IBM announced its intention to resell the Andiamo switches. Meanwhile, HDS officially became the first vendor to qualify the MDS switches with its storage systems. HDS also announced that it has signed a non-binding letter of intent to resell and support the Cisco switches.
Read the full story on:Byte and Switch