Benchmark Tape Systems Launches DLT Product Family / DLT

Performance at DDS Price Establishes New Level of Price/Performance Boulder, Colo. (PROTEXT) - Benchmark Tape Systems Corporation (www.BenchmarkTape.com) today announced its family of DLT products, establishing a new level of price performance for server backup. Debuting in booth 328 at Networld + Interop in Atlanta next week, Benchmark's product family consists of the Benchmark DLT1 tape drive, Benchmark DLT7 autoloader and Benchmark DLTtape(TM)IV media. First customer ship will occur in October. The Benchmark products will be available through Resellers and OEMs in the U.S. and Europe. (Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi- bin/prnh/19990907/LATU036 ) The Benchmark DLT1 tape drive offers a 40 GB native capacity (80 GB compressed) and a 3 MB/second native transfer rate (6 MB/sec compressed), providing enterprise reliability and performance at low-end server pricing. Along with leading price/performance metrics, the Benchmark DLT1 is read compatible with the DLT4000 utilizing DLTtape(TM)IV media. The Benchmark DLT1 is available in internal and external configurations. Virtually all software packages are supported. Designed with automation in mind, the Benchmark DLT1 features soft unload capability. The expected street price for the Benchmark DLT1 tape drive is $1299. (U.S.). The Benchmark DLT7 autoloader boasts a seven cartridge 280 GB native capacity (560 GB compressed) and a single drive performance of 3 MB/second native transfer rate (6 MB/second compressed). Featuring an LCD display, clear menu-driven commands, and sequential or random access capabilities, the Benchmark DLT7 autoloader is available in a desktop configuration. Expected street price for the Benchmark DLT7 autoloader, including drive, is $4,179. Unrecorded Benchmark DLTtape(TM)IV media can be used in the DLT4000, DLT7000, and DLT8000 drives and libraries. Benchmark DLTtape(TM)IV data cartridges are recommended for use with the Benchmark DLT1 tape drive and Benchmark DLT7 autoloader for optimum reliability. "I am proud of our engineering team for accomplishing Benchmark's objective of a highly reliable, high performance, low cost drive on schedule," said Jesse Aweida, chairman and CEO of Benchmark Tape Systems. "We hand- picked the finest tape engineers anywhere to join Benchmark, and they met the challenge." "Benchmark's roadmap, anchored by the Benchmark DLT1, reflects the goal of the company's entire team to bring reliability and performance at affordable pricing to the tape marketplace," added Lew Frauenfelder, president of Benchmark Tape Systems. Benchmark engineers are currently developing the company's next two generations of tape drives. The Benchmark DLT2 and Benchmark DLT3 will come to market in the second half of 2000 and the second half of 2001, respectively. These products and each subsequent generation will represent an approximate doubling of capacity and transfer rate. The Benchmark DLT2 will feature a 5.25 inch half high form factor. Industry Comments Analysts "With typical server capacities in the 30GB range and DLT credibility at an all-time high, Benchmark's launch of a low-cost DLT drive couldn't be more timely. If you are using DLT, you have to look at this product." Michael Peterson, President of Strategic Research Corp. "Benchmark has locked in capacity, performance and price levels that aim their product squarely at a target market of two million units a year." Ray Freeman, Freeman Associates "The Benchmark DLT1 tape drive using DLTtape(TM)IV media offers read compatibility with the DLT4000 at a competitive price. It is in a unique position in the mid-range tape storage market. Additionally, offering a low cost autoloader will enable Benchmark Tape Systems to gain an entree in to the fast growing entry level tape automation market." Bob Amatruda, Sr. Analyst Tape and Removable Storage, IDC "Benchmark is implementing a very sound media strategy by using the established DLTtape(TM)IV tape cartridge. DLT technology has become a standard in the high capacity tape storage market and Benchmark's 40 GB (native) offering provides an attractive value for potential customers." Dave Bunzel, Santa Clara Consulting Group "Worldwide shipments of workstations, entry level servers and midrange servers are expected to increase significantly from 4.08 million units shipped in 1998 to 8.44 million in 2003, creating an excellent opportunity for tape storage. To compete successfully in these markets, price/performance, automation, and a solid roadmap are key." Fara Yale, chief analyst, Dataquest's Computer Storage Service. Benchmark Partners "Due to the combination of high capacity, great performance and very competitive pricing, Benchmark's product family will deliver DLT technology to a wider base of users. Bell Microproducts is anxious to offer these improved price/performance capabilities to our customers." Phil Roussey, Senior Vice President, Bell Microproducts "Benchmark is providing a very attractive price performance point for resellers addressing low end to mid-range server backup requirements. We see this as a strong addition to our current line card." Dennis Maetzold, President, Consan "Network data is growing so fast that IT organizations desperately need new options to help them protect the integrity of their information. ADIC is pleased to be working with Benchmark as a partner to help ensure that the company's innovative drive, with its attractive price/performance ratio, will become widely available as affordable automated storage for smaller sites and distributed networks with data growth that has outstripped their data protection technology." William C. Britts, Executive Vice President, Advanced Digital Information Corp. (ADIC) "Overland is in the process of testing and integrating the Benchmark drive into its award-winning automation products. With our strong market share in the low to mid-range of the DLT market, the Benchmark tape drive will offer a new price/performance alternative to our customers." Scott McClendon, President, Overland Data, Inc. "With the eminent launch of Breece Hill Technologies' new e- commerce site, Benchmark's timing of their new Benchmark DLT1 introduction couldn't be more perfect. This tape drive with an enclosure is an ideal product for end-users needing attended data backup solutions with a cost-to-value found nowhere else." James Watson, President, Breece Hill Technologies "The price/performance point of the Benchmark DLT1 tape drive certainly earned the interest of Qualstar, but the quality of the drive is what prompted us to include it as part of Qualstar's reputable TLS-6000 family." Bob Covey, Vice President of Marketing, Qualstar "The Benchmark DLT1 tape drive encompasses the right combination of performance and low price point, making it a perfect compliment for M4's future line of DLT tape libraries. We are pleased to be a Benchmark Library OEM." Dr. Duke R. Ebenezer, President and CEO, M4 Data "CMS Peripherals is the largest independent, trade-only storage distributor in the UK and Ireland. Our ten-year focus on storage has enabled us to capitalise on strong trading relationships with local storage customers. The company is pleased to have been selected as Benchmark's authorised distribution partner in the UK and Ireland. DLT tape products are the fastest growing tape technology and we feel that the new Benchmark 'cost engineered' tape drives will open up an entirely new market for DLT. With the uncertainty in the DDS roadmap beyond DDS-4 the market is ready for alternative, suitably priced backup technologies and Benchmark is leading the way in this market. We are excited about the potential market for Benchmark tape drives and are sure we will meet the aggressive sales targets established for the coming year." Frank Salmon, Managing Director, CMS Peripherals, U.K. "Four Leaf is looking forward to distributing the new Benchmark product family of tape products. The specifications and price indicate that we will receive strong interest from Resellers in the Nordic." Jorgen Winther, Managing Director, Four Leaf "The Benchmark DLT1 tape drive is an exciting new product that we expect to be received extremely well in the Australian marketplace." David Davoren, General Manager, Digital Tape Solutions, Australia About Benchmark Founded in May 1998, Benchmark Tape Systems Corporation is dedicated to the development of tape backup and archive systems that feature simplified design, reliability, ease of use, and exceptional performance for small to medium size computer networks and workstations at the most competitive prices in the industry. The company is marketing its products through multiple channels of distribution worldwide. Benchmark's web site is www.BenchmarkTape.com. DLTtape is a trademark of Quantum Corp. ots Original Text Service: Benchmark Tape Systems Corporation Internet: http://www.newsaktuell.de Contact: Marilyn R. Kroner of Benchmark Tape Systems Corp., (USA) 720-406-5130, mkroner@BenchmarkTape.com; or Kathy Tanabe of Hi-Tech Ink, (USA) 303-694-6411, ktanabe@hitechink.com; or Keith Mason of Harvard Public Relations (U.K.), 011.(+44)(0)20.8564.6360, keith@harvard.co.uk Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi- bin/prnh/19990907/LATU036 AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org NEWSdesk: http://www.newsdesk.com PRN Photo Desk, (USA) 888-776- 6555 or 201-369-3467 Web site: http://www.BenchmarkTape.com Subscribers please note that material bearing the slug "PROTEXT" is not part of CTK's news service and is not to be published under the "CTK" slug. Protext is a commercial service providing distribution of press releases from clients, who are identified in the text of Protext reports and who bear full responsibility for their contents. PROTEXT