Virtual Tape Library offers IP tape library emulation.

Press Release Summary:



Scalable to support tens of terabytes/hr backup requirements, Virtual Storage Engine® addresses requirements of IT organizations that need to increase performance of existing tape backup models while incorporating flexibility into data protection schemes. Its migration capabilities, based on user-defined policies, automate movement of virtual media to multiple tiers of disk; over IP network to remote location; to disk-based archive device; or to physical tape.



Original Press Release:



Neartek Enhances Next-generation VTL Solution



New Version of Virtual Storage Engine Enhances Tape Backup Model with Improved Performance, Greater Flexibility and Enhanced Data Protection

SAN DIEGO, April 3 / -- Neartek(R), Inc., a leading developer of enterprise-class virtual tape software solutions, today announced powerful new enhancements to its next generation virtual tape library (VTL) solution, Virtual Storage Engine(R) (VSE), building on its strong foundation of high performance, reliability, and scalability to support tens of terabytes per hour backup requirements. Neartek has developed a number of new features in VSE to specifically address the requirements of IT organizations that are highly invested in their current tape backup model, but need to boost performance and improve reliability via a disk-based backup solution, while also incorporating more efficiency and flexibility into their data protection schemes.

"Neartek fully understands the real world challenges faced by IT management on a daily basis, and that VTL solutions need to offer more than just recognizing virtual tapes," said Greg Schulz, Founder and Senior Analyst, StorageIO. "The new features offered in this version of VSE will deliver the flexibility, scalability and performance improvements demanded by today's enterprise customers."

IT organizations continue to invest time and resources in perfecting the "tape model" of enterprise data protection. Therefore, Neartek designed VSE to seamlessly integrate into existing backup environments and provide higher performance and greater reliability than traditional physical tape backup paradigms. The latest version of VSE expands on this principle of making the tape-based backup model work faster, more efficiently and more cost-effectively. Neartek has incorporated migration capabilities based on user-defined policies that will automate the movement of virtual media to multiple tiers of disk; or over an IP network to a remote location; or to a disk-based archive device; or to physical tape -- all of which are accomplished while maintaining catalog coherency with the major backup applications.

"The latest version of Neartek's Virtual Storage Engine, with its support for disk tiering, allows customers to choose the optimal disk storage for backups throughout their life cycle," stated Dianne McAdam, Director, Enterprise Information Assurance at The Clipper Group, Inc.

VSE improves the tape model of backup by facilitating information lifecycle management-like strategies for storing backup data on the most appropriate storage device -- multiple classes of disk, disk-based archive and/or physical tape -- at different points in its data protection lifecycle. Unlike, typical VTL solutions employed today in which VTL disk is the final repository for data or data resides on VTL disk for a short period of time before being exported to tape, VSE delivers a solution that enables a more cost-effective approach to data protection.

Summary of New Virtual Storage Engine Features:

o Disk Tiering -- Flexibly allocates disk resources corresponding to the value of backup data over time, allowing data movement between different classes of disk storage based on user-defined policies. VSE's Storage Policy Group (a grouping of virtual tapes) is assigned a hierarchy of storage and policies that define the movement of the virtual media between the classes of storage. Policies are set based on time (data retention requirements) or high watermark (capacity threshold of storage in use).

o Vaulting to a Disk-based Archive Device -- Integrates archive storage seamlessly into the existing tape-based data protection strategy, while adding another class of storage to the tape-based storage hierarchy. Data sets flagged for archive are migrated between virtual media (on disk) and a disk-based archive device, similar to when media in a physical tape library are ejected and moved off-site for archive storage.

o IP Tape Library Emulation -- The addition of an IP-based tape library emulation offers both high availability and increased capacity benefits. This class of library emulation provides a failover capability that is transparent to the host backup application. By supporting an IP tape library emulation VSE will support hundreds of virtual tape drives and thousands of virtual media in one virtual library.

o 4 Gbps Fibre Channel Host Bus Adapter Support -- VSE now includes support for 4 Gbps FC HBAs for those customers who are planning to upgrade their storage infrastructure. By certifying and supporting 4 Gbps FC interfaces, VSE will follow the performance curve for sites upgrading their fabric and disk arrays.

o Hardware-based Compression -- VSE delivers improved performance via hardware-based compression; VTL disk space is effectively doubled with no performance degradation during the backup process. Neartek is integrating the latest compression hardware, improving performance from up to 3 Gbps to up to 6 Gbps per card.

o Enhanced Security -- VSE now offers four levels of security -- Administration, Operator, Security Administration, and Tape Librarian, each with a different security clearance that, when set by the IT Administrator, will enact certain features and functions in VSE for advanced data protection.

Pricing and Availability

Virtual Storage Engine (VSE) version 3.1 is an appliance-delivered software solution that is compatible with most popular third-party disk arrays. MSRP for a turnkey solution (software, appliance and disk) begins at approximately US $25,000 for a 2TB solution (4TB with compression) and scales upward based on the customer's specific performance and capacity requirements. VSE version 3.1 is scheduled to ship and will be generally available this quarter (Q2 2006).

About Neartek

Neartek, headquartered in Maynard, MA, was founded in 2000. Neartek's Virtual Storage Engine (VSE) enterprise-class virtual tape software solution dramatically accelerates and enhances the reliability of backup and restore operations for open systems environments, while saving money through storage consolidation and improved operational efficiencies. VSE delivers unsurpassed power and simplicity with the fastest throughput in the industry and unbounded scalability, coupled with quick, easy installation and seamless integration. Neartek's VSE enables IT organizations to implement disk-based data protection strategies without impacting existing tape backup policies and procedures. Neartek is establishing a strong worldwide network of storage resellers and integrators. For more information visit the Web site at www.neartek.com/ , or call 866-NEARTEK or 978-889-3200.

Neartek is a registered trademark and Virtual Storage Engine is a trademark of Neartek, Inc. All other product, trademark, company or service names mentioned are the property of their respective owners.

CONTACT: Lauren Whitehouse of Neartek Inc., +1-978-889-3200, lauren.whitehouse@neartek.com; or Denise Behringer Idone of Lutchansky Communications, +1-631-472-0342, denise@lcomm.com

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