Control Data Systems Inc is working with Grau Automation GmbH to develop a Unix version of its Automatic Tape Library, Abba Abba is also marketed by Hitachi Data Systems Ltd. Although Abba is not restricted to any one medium, covering magnetic tape, VHS cassettes, optical disks and streamers, up till now, it has only been used in IBM Corp MVS mainframe and Siemens Nixdorf Informationssysteme AG BS2000 environments. However, German and US software developers are currently working together to enable both Abba/E and newly-released Abba/2 to operate in Unix environments. Control Data is using Openvision’s – formerly Discos – Unitree distributed hierarchical storage management software and its own Aria Volume Manager, which controls the media and drives separately from Unitree. According to Control Data, this should give customers the chance to use the most suitable medium for their requirements. The first Abba/E systems running under Unitree are expected by the fourth quarter of 1993.
