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StorageTek's Incredible Bulk

Storage Technology Corp. (StorageTek) (NYSE: STK) today introduced the StreamLine SL8500, a high-capacity tape library that the company says can handle as many as 200,000 cartridge slots in a single system (see StorageTek Intros StreamLine Library).

StorageTek says the SL8500 will provide about 1,500 cartridge slots, with the capability to grow to more than 200,000 slots via pass-through-port capabilities. The company claims the SL8500 will have the highest slot density in the industry with more than 50 cartridges per square foot.

But this is not just another big, honkin' tape library.

StorageTek's VP of product line management for tape automation, Jon Benson, says one of the most important features of the StreamLine -- which will become its flagship tape library family -- is that it provides "near-continuous operation." That means customers can buy a system configuration in which its components have complete redundancy, beyond just the power supplies, to include even the robotics.

"All the components are automatic failover," Benson says. "Most customers have been asking for 24/7, and you currently can't get that from anybody in the marketplace."

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