From: cassidy@esd55.enet.dec.com (Charlie Cassidy)
Subject: Re: Query: Solid State SCSI Systems 
Reply-To: cassidy@memory.enet.dec.com
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 1992 20:39:19 GMT


We are showing the following products at COMDEX next week.  We also
announced today the EF5x family of DSSI SSDs for Digital's VAX and ALPHA AXP 
systems.  Please contact me or visit us at the Digital's OEM booth on the Comdex
floor for more information on our latest SSDs.

DIGITAL EQUIPMENT CORPORATION
FACT SHEET

PRODUCT NAME:   ESP500 SCSI-2 Solid State Disk

OVERVIEW:

The ESP500 is a new family of SCSI-2 Solid State Disks (SSDs)
offering standard, easy-to-implement, lightning-fast I/O for
applications where consistently fast access to large, expanding
databases is a competitive necessity.  As Digital's first open
systems offering in the Solid State Disk category, the ESP500 is
attractively positioned for volume business with generous storage
capacity, a standard 5 1/4-inch form factor, and below-market
pricing that puts the tremendous speed of SSD technology within
reach of most distributed computing and server environments.

The ESP500 Models 510 and 530 provide up to 100 times faster
access to data and up to 10 times greater transaction throughput
than magnetic disks.  The near-instantaneous access time of
0.25ms is achieved by eliminating the latency associated with
magnetic disk rotation and head seek.  Not only do ESP500 SSD
perform at semiconductor speed, they are predictable as well,
because the constraint of data locality associated with magnetic
media does not affect SSDs.

ESP500 SSDs plug and play just like magnetic disks.  As SCSI-2
disk devices, they conform to the same rules and are the same
physical size as 5.25" magnetic disks so they fit into standard
storage slots.  ESP500 SSDs can be mirrored, striped, and bound
in volumes like magnetics disks, and data is placed on them using
the same SCSI-2 commands.  The Model ESP530 offers 267 MB of
capacity, while the Model ESP510 offers 107 MB and an integrated
Data Retention System, which combines power sensing logic,
batteries, and an integrated hard disk to back up data in the
event of a power failure.

KEY FEATURES:                                   BENEFITS:

o Lightning fast I/O.                   o Provides up to 100x faster
                                          access to data than
                                          conventional magnetic disks.

o Standard 5 1/4-inch form factor.      o Plug and play operation.
                                          Slides into standard
                                          storage slots. Fits into
                                          system and storage cabinets.

o SCSI-2 device.                        o Provides instant benefits
                                          regardless of hardware
                                          platform. Uses same
                                          commands as magnetic
                                          disk. Boosts performance
                                          of existing applications
                                          up to 10x without recoding
                                          the application, operating
                                          system, or device driver.

o Data Retention System.                o Ensures non-volatility.
  (ESP510 model)                          Provides the same data
                                          permanence of a magnetic
                                          disk in the event of a
                                          power failure.

o Breakthrough pricing only from        o Offers Solid State Disk
   Digital.                               technology at an attractive
                                          price-point for today and
                                          future systems, servers,
                                          and high-end workstations.

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY:

Evaluation units are available in Q1, 1993.  Volume shipments of
the ESP500 commence in Q3, 1993.

The price point of $13.5 K for ESP500 SSD evaluation units is
significantly below the rest of the industry.  Volume pricing
will be even more aggressive.

For Further Information:

Madeline Flynn
OEM Solid State Disk Products
(508) 841-3399
(508) 841-3738 (Fax)

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"Good things can happen, and frequently do, to people as brainy and footsy
as you." - Dr. Seuss
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Charlie Cassidy                        Internet: cassidy@memory.enet.dec.com
Digital Equipment Corporation          Amateur Radio: charlie@n1hlr.ampr.org
Memory Products Group - SHR1-4/O11
333 South Street                       This posting reflects the opinion of 
Shrewsbury, MA 01545                   the author, not Digital Equipment Corp
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