Tucson Citizen
Thur, October 28, 1999
New IBM product developed here in Tucson Arizona
By JONATHAN J. HIGUERA
Citizen Business Writer
Tucson, Arizona - Citing the work of its Tucson workers in design and development IBM yesterday introduced its new generation of tape for information storage.
The tape drive, which uses Linear Tape-Open technology, more than doubles previous tape capacity and performance benchmarks, said company officials.
"We're the first: to market this exciting new technology," said Charlene Murphy, general manager for IBM's tape products. "It's unfortunately a well-kept secret in Tucson that you have this kind of expertise and skill."
The storage industry has experienced an explosion of digitized information, Murphy said.
Before, the highest tape capacicy was 40 gigabytes. With the new technology, people can store 100 gigabytes of information with faster download times.
"Taking the technology to 100 gigabytes is a major leap in performance," said Murphy.
IBM pioneered information technology tape storage in 1952 when it invented the half-inch magnetic tape reel format a standard format still in use.
IBM believes the new tape's capacity and performance will make it a leader in midrange tapes in the storage industry
The engineering and develop.ment team for the storage technology is based at IBM's site at 9000 S Rita Road. IBM employee John Teale, a longtime Tucson resident is considered the father of that technology said Murphy.
"The Tucson engineering group has the most in-depth tape technology expertise in the world and is recognized for that," she said. About 800 people work in IBM's storage division in Tucson. More than 1,300 total work at the plant.
The technology specifications for the new tape drive is also available to the public, including other manufacturers, said Murphy.
Under an unusual agreement the three major tape manufacturers - IBM, Hewlett Packard and Seagate - agreed to develop open specs so that other companies could make and market the tape drive.
Jonathan J. Higuera's e-mail: jhiguera@tucsoncitizen.com