The new Scalar platform is the latest addition to Quantum’s multi-tier portfolio of workflow, hybrid flash, object-based, cloud and tape storage that enables customers to maximize the value of their data in the most efficient and cost-effective manner.
Quantum Corp. has announced a new Scalar storage platform optimized for storing and managing the ever-increasing volumes of unstructured data. The first new products based on this platform are the Scalar i6 and Scalar i3 tape libraries and the StorNext AEL6 purpose-built rich media archive appliance.
Customers are contending with massive growth of unstructured data, including video and other rich media types:
- Media and entertainment companies transitioning to 4K workflows.
- Security and video surveillance deployments adding more high-definition cameras and sophisticated analytics.
- Cloud storage providers expanding their customer base.
Tape can play a key role in addressing the challenges of unstructured data growth, providing data protection, active archive or long-term cold storage — including protecting against
ransomware with an offline copy. In addition, tape continues to be significantly more cost-effective than any other storage medium, as reflected in the following chart:
The new Scalar storage platform takes the benefits of tape to the next level. It offers best-in-class storage density — twice that of earlier-generation rack-mounted libraries — enabling organizations of all sizes to reduce their data center footprint and further reduce their storage costs. As an example, Scalar customers can vault tapes within a system to provide on-premise, monitored cold storage for less than $0.001 per GB, or $0.0014 per GB per month — a fraction of the cost of public cloud storage.
Other innovations contributing to the Scalar’s efficiency include:
- 80 PLUS certified power supplies, a unique feature of the Scalar platform, minimize power and cooling costs and reduce the impact of data centers on the environment.
- Quantum’s iLayer proactive diagnostics resolve issues before they affect operations, to maximize library uptime and minimize operational expenses.
- Embedded compute capabilities eliminate the need for external application servers.
- Policy-based data integrity checking — with the ability to move data off suspect tapes — and in-library active vaulting enable the storage of petabytes of data reliably and cost-effectively for years.
Enhanced User Experience
Consumer IT has raised expectations for the user experience in the data center. As a result, the new Scalar platform significantly modernizes and enhances the user experience with features such as an all-new HTTP-based interface; automated setup, configuration and management tasks via web services; an intuitive, swipe-based local user interface design; and interaction via mobile devices.
Three New Offerings Based on the Scalar Platform
The first tape products based on the new Scalar platform are designed for three
distinct environments:
- The Scalar i3 — Easy. Scalable. Efficient. Ideal for small and medium-sized businesses, the Scalar i3 delivers a new level of simplicity and scalability, providing up to 3PB of storage in only 12U of rack space.
- The Scalar i6 — Efficient. Intelligent. Enterprise-Scale. Scaling up to 12PB within a single 48U rack, the Scalar i6 is targeted toward highly demanding workflows and enterprise environments.
- The StorNext AEL6 Appliance — Powering Media Workflows. The new StorNext AEL6 combines the Scalar i6 library with Quantum’s StorNext data management software, enhancing the StorNext AEL line of purpose-built, archive storage appliances for media workflows. StorNext enables easy access to data stored on tape, with options for CIFS, NFS, and RESTful interfaces.
Availability and Pricing
The Scalar i3, Scalar i6 and StorNext AEL6 will begin shipping next month, with list prices starting at $8,500 for the Scalar i3, $25,000 for the Scalar i6, and $42,500 for the StorNext AEL6.
Geoff Stedman, Senior Vice President, Product and Solutions Marketing, Quantum shares, “Tape has long been synonymous with backup, but its future is as an enabler of efficient unstructured data storage. Use cases like cloud-based cold storage, video production, video surveillance and autonomous car design are ideal for tape, and Quantum’s new Scalar platform offers the most efficient tape storage available for these environments.”
