Features - Storage Innovations:

SONY AIT-4 DRIVES, MEDIA NOW SHIPPING IN VOLUME

Sony Electronics is now shipping its fourth-generation Advanced Intelligent Tape (AIT-4) drives and data media in volume through the reseller channel.

Based on a compact 3.5-inch drive form factor using 8mm recording media, AIT-4 offers 200GB of native storage capacity (520GB with 2.6:1 compression) and a native data transfer rate of 24MBps.

AIT-4 media features an areal density of 1.17Gb/inch2, which is greater than any other magnetic tape media in the world. This remarkable areal density was achieved through a new tape formulation process, dubbed Advanced Metal Evaporated II (AME II).

"AIT-4 is a significant step and demonstrates our dedication to the AIT lineage," said Masaki Hattori, marketing director for data media in Sony Electronics' Media Application & Solutions Division. "We serve as a one-stop shop for data media by offering tape cartridges for a broad range of formats, including all AIT technology generations, making us the only vendor that can maintain this level of commitment to our customers."

With volume shipments of AIT-4, Alan Sund, marketing director for tape storage solutions in Sony Electronics' Component and Business Solutions Division said that Sony is the only tape storage company to ship a total of four generations of drives and media within the same format simultaneously.

"Sony AIT can now serve companies from the SMB to the midrange level, and it still leaves headroom for data growth," Sund said.

"Customers need compact, high-capacity and high-performance tape drives especially in tape libraries and automation," said Robert Amatruda, research manager at IDC. "Products such as Sony's AIT-4, with 200GB of native storage capacity per tape cartridge, are good options for customers with high-capacity tape storage requirements and limited floor space."

Achieving a Record Areal Density The high areal density of AIT-4 media, one of its great assets, is made possible through the use of Sony's newly developed Advanced Metal Evaporated II (AME II) technology. AME II improves upon its predecessor, AME, with a new method for applying the metal evaporated layer. This method, dubbed Super Oxidation, involves vaporizing the metal into small particles of around 5-7nm in diameter, and then depositing them onto the base fuy AIT-E and AIT-1 Tuilm. The resulting AME II media realizes high output and low noise, as well as a smoother tape surface that minimizes the spacing loss between the magnetic head and the magnetic layer.

Also new with AME II, and thus AIT-4, are an enforced protective layer and a new lubricant for lower friction and smooth operation.

Significant AIT-4 Features

• High Capacity and Performance -- Up to a 200GB native storage capacity (520GB with 2.6:1 compression), and a native data transfer rate of 24MBps.

• Reliability -- AIT-4 offers high accuracy and reliability in data recording at very high track densities, made possible through helical-scan recording technology. AIT-4's Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) is an impressive 400,000 hours at a 100 percent duty cycle.

• Choice -- Sony's AIT drives and media are the only format to ship four generations simultaneously, giving end-users a wide-ranging choice in capacity levels.

• Steadfast Roadmap -- AIT-4 is the latest step in Sony's commitment to fulfilling its extended AIT roadmap.