To meet local demand by small and mid-tier companies for low-cost tape backup and archive solutions, distributor Drive Control Corporation (DCC) is introducing Overland Storage's ARCvault series.

Explains Anthony Yates, Overland product specialist at DCC: "SME users want a comprehensive data protection strategy that includes both disk and tape, but limited budgets often force them choose between the two.

Overland's ARCvault provides the affordability that lets IT managers protect their data with a tiered storage approach. With Overland's REO Series disk-based back-up and ARCvault tape-based archive, a comprehensive disk-to-disk-to-tape data protection strategy becomes a reality for even the smallest businesses."

Says John Mills of Overland Storage: "The ARCvault 12 autoloader and ARCvault 24 rack-optimised library will lower price and performance barriers, yielding 50% more capacity at a cost per gigabyte up to 45% lower cost than competing tape automation products.

ARCvault 12 delivers up to 9,6TB of back-up and archive capacity, while ARCvault 24 offers up to 19,2TB. Both come in a compact 2U form factor, easily integrate into existing networks, offer easy media management via barcode reader and mail- slot, simple Web-based remote management, and give users a choice of LTO-2 or LTO-3 drives, he adds.

Notes Yates: "Users want storage solutions that not only preserve and protect corporate data but help them use server, software and networking technologies to make their data easy to share and manage. Overland offers an alternative to some of the bigger, more expensive brands. It differentiates itself through products with a smaller form factor, greater scalability and fast ROI."

The ARCvault series is designed to automate routine tape back up tasks and is said to include features typically found only in more expensive tape libraries. Removable cartridge magazines aim to eliminate the need to manually swap tapes and simplify tape removal for off-site storage, while ARCvault 12 easily upgrades to a 24-slot library through the addition of a magazine, Yates says. ARCvault seamlessly integrates into existing backup environments and can be easily deployed as part of a disk-to-disk-to-tape (D2D2T) solution," he adds.