Data storage provider Qualstar has revealed its latest tape-based storage solution, the Qi Desktop LTO SAS. This new single-drive system combines the security advantages and massive storage capacity of tape with a compact form factor that allows users to manage their data wherever needed.
The Qi’s accessible price point and lightweight, portable design (7lb) allows it to be deployed across multiple workplaces or transported between jobsites. The unit comes equipped with an LTO-6, LTO-7, or LTO-8 drive, granting the flexibility to read/write to most generations of LTO still in common use. Focused on delivering an easy user experience, the system is said to be simple to connect and can be positioned in either a vertical or horizontal orientation, depending on space requirements.
“We have listened to our customers and heard their call for more versatile tape-based offerings, especially in the entertainment, professional services and oil and gas industries,” said Arun Vaishampayan, Qualstar’s vice president of global sales. “The Qi is an ideal solution for storing project data that needs to be securely distributed to multiple parties working simultaneously.”
According to Qualstar, improvements to the LTO tape format have helped newer generations close the speed gap between magnetic tape and alternative media while continuing to expand capacity – an LTO-8 cartridge can store up to 30TB of compressed data. Along with write once, read many (WORM) protection, tape cartridges can be decoupled from the network by ejecting them from the system for physical distribution, thus eliminating the risk of cyberattack. These improved specs and safety features have made tape suitable for project-based storage.
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