Storage: Compaq Sets Industry Standard with New Drive Protection System - Company Business and Marketing

Cambridge Telcom Report, July 12, 1999

Seeking a new standard for the benefit of all PC users, Compaq Computer Corporation (NYSE:CPQ) has unveiled its new Drive Protection System (DPS), an advanced diagnostic hard drive self test. The test scans critical physical components and every sector of the hard drive for physical faults, and then reports any faults to the user. Compaq Deskpro PCs, which take full advantage of this technology, will be available in mid July.

DPS runs independently of the operating system and is easily launched to conduct a thorough drive assessment. It can be accessed through a Windows-based diagnostics utility, or through the computer's setup procedure. It will yield a highly reliable evaluation on whether the hard disk drive is the source of the problem and needs to be replaced, saving the customer valuable time, money, and data.

"We're excited to partner with Compaq as they bring DPS to the marketplace," said Brian Dexheimer, senior vice president of Desktop Marketing for Seagate. "Compaq's DPS is an improvement that translates into tangible benefits for the end user. Linked with Seagate's self test drive technology, DPS protects users' data by enabling a customer to test and diagnose a drive before removing it from the system and risking data loss. We expect significant reduction in unnecessary hard drive returns - thereby helping to lower customers' total cost of ownership."

Compaq led the effort to provide all-inclusive data integrity for PC users in 1995, when it pioneered SMART (Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology) with the collaboration of major hard drive manufacturers. SMART is a continuously running systems diagnostic that alerts the user to certain types of failures. (See http://www.compaq.com/im/fnr.html.) The new Drive Protection System expands on that design as a comprehensive, preventative, and user-initiated tool that determines the hard drive's exact condition in the event of a problem.

"DPS is another example of Compaq driving new standards to provide higher levels of data integrity and value to PC customers around the world," said Matt Massengill, executive vice president and general manager of Western Digital's Drive Products Division. "Customers will benefit from the system's ability to check possible problem areas on the hard drive before data loss occurs, an increasingly important issue for end users as standard desktop configurations have larger storage capacities and more data is stored than ever before."

DPS exemplifies Compaq's continued commitment to work closely with the rest of the industry and make high-quality PCs that are easier to use and less costly to maintain. Compaq developed the Drive Protection System standard in cooperation with several major hard drive vendors including Seagate, Western Digital, Fujitsu, Maxtor, Quantum, and IBM. Drive suppliers have enthusiastically embraced the new standard, and DPS-enabled hard drives will become available later this year. Nearly all ATA drives from large vendors are expected to incorporate DPS technology by the end of the year.

Compaq Computer Corporation, a Fortune Global 100 company, is the second largest computer company in the world and the largest global supplier of computer systems. Compaq develops and markets hardware, software, solutions, and services, including industry-leading enterprise computing solutions, fault-tolerant business-critical solutions, enterprise and network storage solutions, commercial desktop and portable products and consumer PCs. The company is an industry leader in environmentally friendly programs and business practices.

Compaq products are sold and supported in more than 100 countries through a network of authorized Compaq marketing partners. Customer support and information about Compaq and its products are available at http://www.compaq.com.