In a nutshell, Quantum will now sell two basic DLTtape drive families: the high-end Super line led by the SDLT 320, but also including the SDLT 220, the DLT 8000, and the soon-to-be-discontinued DLT 7000; and the Value line, consisting of the DLT VS160 (currently shipping to OEMs) and the DLT VS80, formerly sold under the Benchmark ValuSmart brand. The Value line will also include DLT1 and DLT 4000 drives, rapidly nearing their end-of-life.
Quantum's next generation SDLT drive - the SDLT 600 - ships this summer. With 300GB native capacity, it will feature a transfer rate of between 30MB/s to 35MB/s.
All Super drives will be able to read Value drives from the same generation. Some Super drives may be able to read Value drives further back, says Steve Berens, Quantum's senior director of product marketing and strategy, although not at the expense of getting the drive to market.
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This was first published in January 2003