In Summer 1999, this device is being upgrade to an X82 model, with 400 gigabytes of usable capacity. Storage is typically in short supply, and we made this acquisition, after a competitive bid, because the EMC Symmetrix 5500 was completely full. These devices are really pretty slick. All data is compressed in the box and no space is allocated until it is actually needed for real data. Tape Storage Disk files are backed up to tape cartridges, which provide massive offline storage.
Cartridges contain up to several gigabytes worth of data.
Academic users as well as administrative systems use tape storage as a cheaper alternative to online disk storage. Approximately 10,000 active cartridges are stored in the two STK Automated Cartridge Libraries, while another 9,000 less active tapes are stored externally. No longer were the operators required to manually mount tapes. The silo's robot can locate and mount a tape in less than half a minute, and return that tape to a storage location automatically when the job is through with it. As an added benefit, tapes can now be mounted even if no operator is present in the room.