Nexsan Unleashes ATAbeast Storage Array On Capacity-Heavy Enterprise Applications

WOODLAND HILLS, Calif., November 12, 2002 ...Nexsan Technologies, the leader in innovative storage solutions, today rolled out its next-generation disk-to-disk backup technology platform, creating new standards for affordable, high-density enterprise storage with the release of the InfiniSANT ATABeastT, a compact multi-terabyte disk array that delivers enterprise-class capabilities in a low-profile, cost-correct package.

Nexsan's new ATABeast combines capacity, availability and scalability at a cost that makes it a viable replacement for enterprise-class tape libraries. The ATABeast starts at around $50,000 for a 13 TB configuration. Utilizing Nexsan's D2D backup software, ATABeast delivers access to data up to 100 times faster than tape libraries.

The compact ATABeast architecture leverages the industry's highest storage density per square inch - 13.4 TB in just 4U of rack space - and can pack up to 134 TB of capacity in a single data center rack. Each individual ATABeast module supports internal capacity scalability.

Nexsan designed the ATABeast to meet true enterprise-class availability requirements by incorporating double redundancy of both fans and power supplies, as well as the first dual active-active ATA RAID controllers. The active-active design enables the ATABeast to operate at twice the standard performance level, while providing the safety of automatic failover. Each RAID controller is configured with dual high-performance 2 Gigabit Fibre Channel host ports or dual Ultra160 SCSI host ports. The advanced architecture of the ATABeast features an innovative horizontal midplane design that promotes superior airflow compared to traditional vertically mounted midplanes, while eliminating insertion stress points.

"Enterprise data protection is less about the actual backup of information and more about the data's safe, fast and complete recovery," said Nancy Marrone, Senior Analyst at the Enterprise Storage Group. "With the ATABeast's enterprise-class qualities, such as dual RAID controllers, fully redundant architecture and automatic failover, users can be assured that their data will be available if recovery is necessary.

"Perhaps the only sure thing in the IT business today is that enterprise customers will continue to demand additional storage capacity while minimizing expenditures. The ATABeast is Nexsan's solution to both problems," said Diamond Lauffin, Nexsan's Senior Executive Vice President. "No other product and no other vendor delivers this level of enterprise capacity, compact size and unprecedented value. IT managers will find this beast to be a real beauty."

"Nexsan's ATABeast offers an intriguing alternative to tape-based backup and recovery," said Robert Amatruda, Research Manager at IDC. "ATABeast provides users a multi-OS data-protection solution with high-availability."

The compact footprint and high storage density make ATABeast the ideal platform for a wide range of capacity-intensive applications, such as digital video and closed circuit television. As a replacement for tape-based alternatives, ATABeast provides high-speed disk-to-disk backup and fast access to on-line archives when used with Nexsan's award-winning InifniSAN D2D data management software application. Nexsan's D2D solution provides a timed online replication system with multi-version control so that files are stored and accessed in native file format. By eliminating the proprietary format required with most tape backup applications, the ATABeast D2D solution provides immediate file access and eliminates "fire drill" restores.

The unprecedented value of the ATABeast is the result of Nexsan engineers combining cost-correct ATA hard drives in an architecture that delivers enterprise-class performance and fault tolerance. Up to 42 ATA drives can be active simultaneously, generating high IOPS performance. That performance potential is maximized and protected with a fully redundant, hot-swappable architecture that allows simple expandability and upgradability without rebooting. Unlike the new class of storage blade products - which require swapping out the entire 5-drive blade in the event of a single drive failure - the ATABeast design enables individual components to be hot-swapped.

About Nexsan Technologies
Nexsan Technologies, headquartered in Woodland Hills, Calif. is the leader in innovative and correct cost storage solutions. The company creates and delivers award-winning, storage-centric hardware and application-based solutions worldwide through one of the most diverse and established networks of professionals in the storage industry. Next generation Nexsan storage products are designed for corporate, graphics, medical imaging, animation and special effects, real time/event monitored/ online/off site storage, Internet delivered content, digital film and video, financial on-line transaction data, music and voice, video security, and document imaging. For more information, please see the company's website at: http://www.nexsan.com

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