EPOCH SYSTEMS NEWS RELEASE For more information, contact: Jay Woodruff or Alice Callahan at Epoch Systems (508) 481-3717 Epoch Systems adds Erasable Optical Jukebox to InfiniteStorage Server Family Eliminates tape backups and offline archives WASHINGTON, D.C. at the Uniforum '90 trade show, January 23, 1990 -- Epoch Systems, Inc. today added an erasable optical disk library unit ("jukebox") to its family of high-capacity Epoch-1 InfiniteStorage servers. The new library unit does double duty, providing: -- online backup service that completely automates backups and eliminates backup tapes, and -- online backing store to the server's Winchester disk drives, so magnetic disk space is always instantly available. The new erasable library unit, manufactured for Epoch Systems by Hitachi, Ltd., can handle up to forty-eight 5.25-inch optical cartridges, for a total capacity of 30.9 billion bytes (GB). The units can be added to any existing Epoch-1 system, including those using either 5.25-inch or 12-inch Write-Once, Read-Many (WORM) optical disk library units. The Epoch-1 is an NFS and TCP/lP-compatible file storage server system that uses hierarchical storage techniques (Figure l) to transparently integrate the high capacity and low cost of optical disks with the high access speed of magnetic disks. It is designed to satisfy the expanding storage needs of NFS workstation users -- of Sun, HP, Apollo, DEC, IBM, SGI and other technical workstations and compute servers -- who require very fast online access to high-capacity disk storage over an Ethernet network. (more) (Epoch-2) The Epoch-1 is designed as a central data storage resource for departmental workstation networks experiencing a chronic shortage of disk space in data intensive engineering, scientific and commercial applications environments. These networks run MCAD, ECAD, CASE, electronic publishing, imaging, engineering and scientific visualization, and computer-generated animation. Erasable Optical Disks as an Online Backing-Store Epoch Systems is the first computer manufacturer to offer erasable optical technology as part of an online hierarchical storage architecture. By applying virtual memory concepts to disk storage, infrequently used files in the server are automatically transferred to optical disk backing-store to free up space on magnetic disks. "We've taken a limited resource -- magnetic disk space -- and made it appear unlimited to workstation users," stated Robert Olsen, Epoch Systems' director of marketing. 'This process ensures that the magnetic disks never fill, and that plenty of disk space is always available to all client users." However, unlike an offline archival storage system where files are removed from the server to free up magnetic disk space, all files residing on optical disk in the Epoch-1 remain fully online and immediately accessible on demand by any client program. When accessed, a file on optical disk is automatically located in the library unit and transferred back to magnetic disk. With this storage architecture, either WORM and erasable optical storage technologies can be chosen, since generally only stable or infrequently used files are moved out to optical disk. However, the new erasable library unit is preferable for users whose optical files will be frequently modified, or where the files have a relatively short lifespan. Erasable Optical Disks for Online Backup One of the major advantages to adding the new erasable optical unit to an Epoch-1 server is that it can be used as an alternative to magnetic tape for backing up data. Backup of the Epoch-1 is totally automated with the erasable library unit option. Backup volume handling software directs the robotic library unit to automatically mount and dismount volumes as needed, eliminating hours of operator intervention. (more) (Epoch-3) As a convenience to client workstation users, backup runs as a background process while the server remains online and continues to serve files. Highly automated restore utilities reduce the amount of time needed to recover lost files in the event of user error or equipment failure. "Backing up multi-gigabyte UNIX systems has long ranked as one of the most important, but tedious tasks performed by system managers," Olsen stated. "With the new erasable optical library unit, we now offer a backup system that win save countless hours of operator time." Price and Availability The erasable optical disk library unit is available 90 days ARO from Epoch Systems. Prices for servers incorporating the new units begin at $158,500 for Model 31B, a 31.7 GB server with a 30.9 GB erasable optical disk library unit and 760 MB high-speed magnetic disk drive. Additional magnetic disks ($8,000) and erasable optical library units ($65,000) can be added at any time. The library unit comes standard with one optical drive, and can be expanded to four drives ($14,000 per drive). A 157 GB server (Model 153B) with five library units and 2.3 GB of Winchester disk storage lists at $471,500. About Epoch Systems Founded in 1986, Epoch Systems is headquartered in Marlborough, Massachusetts. The company is the leading supplier of network storage management systems for users of high-performance technical workstations. The company's Epoch-1 InfiniteStorage Server complements, and is compatible with, existing NFS technical workstations and servers throughout a network. Sales and support offices are located throughout the United States, with international sales handled by distributors throughout Europe and Japan. The company has an experienced, highly regarded management team, and has been financed by venture capital from Charles River Ventures, Matrix Partners, Sigma Partners, TA Associates, Sierra Ventures, and Ampersand Ventures. # # # InfiniteStorage is trademark of Epoch Systems, lnc. UNIX is a trademark of AT&T in the U.S.A. and other countries. NFS is a trademark of Sun Microsystems, Inc. Epoch-1 TM InfiniteStorage Hierarchical Storage Architecture NFS - TCP/IP - Ethernet (GRAPHIC POORLY SCANNED...) up to 24 MB of memory System RAM file caching to reduce disk seeking. up to 5.3 GB of high-speed Magnetic Disk Drives - Winchester disk storage that never fills. FULLY Erasable Optical Disk up to five 30 GB ONLINE Library Units eraseable optical STORAGE library units Erasable Optical DiskDrives Erasable up to 150 GB of Optical Disks for Iow-cost erasable backing-store online data storage. Erasable Automatic unattended ONLINE Optical Disks backups while system BACKUP for backup serves files to users. Epoch System's InfiniteStorage Server Epoch Systems, founded in 1986, is the is based on an hierarchical storage leading supplier of high-performance architecture that combines the speed of storage servers for workstation magnetic disk storage with the capacity networks. The company is the first of erasable optical disk storage. It vendor to integrate optical disk storage integrates low-cost optical disk storage into an online data storage environment as transparent backing-store for for workstations. high-performance magnetic disk drives. It is the first system that permits completely automated backups while remaining online and serving files to users. The server appears to the user as a high-speed magnetic storage system For additional information contact: whose disks never fill and are always Jay Woodruff Or Alice Callahan at Epoch backed up. Systems,Inc. (508)481-3717.