UK tape storage vendor M4 Data Ltd has launched an automated DLTtape Library designed to complete its product range, filling the gap between its mid-range AIT libraries and its high-end 3490E products.

David Huntingdon, sales and marketing director of Camberley-based M4 said MagFile was developed to provide greater scalability than competing products, and is able to handle 20 to 200 cartridges, compared to the 10 to 100 cartridges range of rival offerings from Overland Data. MagFile also marks a strategic shift in M4’s sales strategy. Until now, the privately-held company, which last year had revenue of some 20m pounds ($31.9m), derived around 70% of its business from OEM deals. Now Huntingdon expects to reseller driven sales grow to represent 50% of revenue.

The drives for MagFile are provided by the European operations of Quantum Corp, and Huntingdon pointed out that the library will remain compatible with Quantum’s future launches in the space, namely the DLT 8000 (unveiled at PCExpo in New York next week) and SuperDLT, which will appear within a year.