StorageTek Seizes the Strategic Power of HP's New Ultrium Tape Family; Companies Providing Open, Intelligent and Integrated Library Solutions - Company Business and Marketing

Edge: Work-Group Computing Report, Feb 7, 2000

Hewlett-Packard Company, the worldwide market-share leader in tape backup solutions, and StorageTek, the preeminent supplier of network storage solutions, Monday announced that StorageTek will extend its tape library portfolio by developing libraries using HP's Ultrium drives. The Ultrium libraries will be supplied to HP on an OEM basis.

Bob Amatruda, senior analyst at IDC, said "StorageTek is an important player in building momentum and credibility for HP's Ultrium tape drives."

This strategic OEM agreement allows StorageTek to continue to extend its strategy of providing "Open, Intelligent and Integrated" storage by offering HP high-end libraries based on the Ultrium tape technology.

"The HP Ultrium product family delivers new levels of manageability through intelligent features and close integration with StorageTek's libraries," said Jim Browning, Ultrium research and development manager, HP. "Working closely with StorageTek has enabled us to ensure that library reliability, performance and manageability needs have been central to the Ultrium format design specification and to the HP Ultrium product implementation."

"HP has already endorsed Ultrium tape technology for our portfolio of tape libraries," said Gil Merme, general manager of HP's Storage Systems Division. "This library from StorageTek extends our range of planned Ultrium-based tape libraries. Adding Ultrium-based products at the high end of our tape library portfolio further strengthens our product offering. We are pleased to be at the forefront of this market and working with StorageTek to offer fully integrated and scalable solutions to our customers."

"The HP Ultrium tape technology is intelligent, open and scaleable," said Nelson Diaz, vice president and general manager, Client Server Tape Business Group for StorageTek. "We are delighted to be able to supply HP with Ultrium tape libraries that augment HP's automated tape portfolio."

HP's Ultrium drive has been designed with improved reliability, manageability and performance in mind. For example, the Cartridge Memory, a feature supported by HP's Ultrium drive and housed within Ultrium cartridges, holds identification, usage and directory information. A corresponding chip designed into StorageTek's library picker arm enables its libraries to access this information without physical contact of the cartridge. This improves reliability, enables new management capabilities and increases performance. For example, this feature enables an audit to be conducted in a fraction of the time currently required.

Availability and Pricing

HP's first Ultrium format drive is scheduled to be shipped in volume to HP's OEM customers in the first half of 2000. Pricing will be announced at the time of launch. More information is available at www.hp.com/go/ultrium.

The HP Ultrium product family is based upon the open and scalable Ultrium format developed by HP, IBM and Seagate. The Ultrium format is designed by midrange and enterprise IT environments that require new levels of speed, scalability and reliability for the next decade. The Ultrium tape technology is based on selected elements from a set of proven technologies. Ultrium tape technology is the first backup system designed from the outset to support advanced library features for automated environments. The Ultrium format roadmap specifies four generations of Ultrium drives, each generation doubling capacity and performance, leading to a 1.6TB, 320MB/s product by generation four.

StorageTek is the preeminent provider of network storage. The company's strategy is to provide "Open, Intelligent and Integrated" solutions that combine storage products, storage management software and storage services. StorageTek solutions help customers collect, move, store, share and protect all types of digital content on platforms ranging from laptops to enterprise servers. The company, with headquarters in Louisville, Colo., reported revenue of $2.3 billion in 1998. Information on StorageTek is available on the World Wide Web at www.storagetek.com or by phone 1-800-786-7835.

Hewlett-Packard Company -- a leading global provider of computing and imaging solutions and services for business and home -- is focused on capitalizing on the opportunities of the Internet and the proliferation of electronic services.

HP plans to launch Agilent Technologies as an independent company by mid-calendar 2000. Agilent consists of HP's test and measurement, semiconductor products, chemical analysis and healthcare solutions businesses, and has leading positions in multiple market segments.

HP has 83,200 employees worldwide and had total revenue from continuing operations of $42.4 billion in its 1999 fiscal year. Information about HP, its products and the company's Year 2000 program can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.hp.com.