[comp.newprod] High Capacity NFS File Server introduced by Epoch Systems

olsen@palladium.UUCP (Bob Olsen) (11/10/88)

                          EPOCH SYSTEMS INTRODUCES
                        HIGH CAPACITY NFS FILE SERVER

MARLBOROUGH, MASS., November 8, 1988 -- Epoch Systems, Inc. today
introduced the Epoch-1 InfiniteStorage (tm) Server, a high-capacity,
high-performance, and fully automated file server designed to meet the
growing data storage requirements of technical workstation users. The
system attaches to an NFS-compatible Ethernet local area network to 
provide client workstation users with 2 to 150 gigabytes of high-speed
online file storage capacity. It is ideally suited for data-intensive
workstation networks experiencing a chronic shortage of Winchester disk
space.

The Epoch-1 features a hierarchical storage architecture that transparently
integrates low-cost optical disk drives and jukeboxes into a high-performance
Winchester disk storage system. This approach allows the Epoch-1 server
to exploit the capacity and cost advantages of optical disk
storage yet operate with the look and feel of an all-Winchester file
server. In fact, for nearly the same price as a traditional all-Winchester
file server, a typical Epoch-1 configuration offers five to ten times
more online storage capacity.

Epoch-1 manages its Winchester disk drives so that they never become full by
systematically migrating 'inactive' files out to low-cost optical diskettes.
When a magnetic disk file system fills, aged files are selected by the 
system and moved to optical storage to reduce magnetic disk space
utilization. Unlike an archival storage system however, all of Epoch-1's
files remain completely online and available to client workstation programs
on demand.  Directory information for all files on optical disk remains in
place on magnetic disk as though files were never moved.

Other features of the Epoch-1 InfiniteStorage Server include: a multi-
processor system architecture that provides high-performance NFS file
access; and an automatic backup facility that allows full and incremental
backups to be taken while the system is actively serving workstation users.

For more information, contact:
                        Epoch Systems, Inc.
                        313 Boston Post Road West
                        Marlborough, MA  01752
                          508-481-3717
                          800-U.S.EPOCH
                          FAX 508-485-3241