The Spectra Logic division of Western Automation Inc has announced its STL-6000 Automated Tape Library. The Boulder, Colorado division says that the STL-6000 provides on-line, random access to 100Gb of uncompressed data on 20 5Gb 8mm tape cartridges in 7 of rack space. Interchangeable carousels allow for capacities over 100Gb and they facilitate off-line data storage. The STL-6000 can be field upgraded to Spectra Logic’s STL-8000 Automated Tape Library, providing a single carousel capacity of 40 cartridges. OEM pricing for the STL-6000 is around $9,080 in quantities of 100, the list price is $17,260 and both prices include one EXB-8500 tape drive. The STL-6000 offers two control interfaces: SCSI-2 media changer commands, and Serial SCSI Control Language, Spectra Logic’s RS-232C robotics control language. The STL-6000 can be configured with one or two EXB-8500 or EXB-8500c Exabyte Corp 8mm tape drives, providing up to 500Gb of compressed data. These internal drives are controlled by their native differential or single-ended SCSI interfaces, with an optional Pertec or Storage Technology interface. There is read-after-write verify and on-board error correction and the optional LCD control panel enables operation, configuration and diagnostics directly from the front panel. The STL-6000 is available in a rack-mount or tabletop enclosure and it operates under Unix, VAX/VMS, OS/400, NetWare and other environments.
