ALTO-III Enterprise Archiving

Scalable in capacity, bandwidth, availability and
geographic distribution, ALTO-III is an easy to deploy, secure and affordable alternative to a tape library, offering faster access for more users and ultra-low lifetime cost of ownership

Arguments have favoured data tape as a backup medium for hard disks, including low cost, high capacity and robustness. But ultimately performance is limited by the complex mechanical systems, sequential access to the data and the need to share a limited number of reading and writing decks. ALTO offers the same benefits and support established workflows, but with further benefits.

Hard disk drives offer the advantage that each disk is inherently a self-contained reading and writing device capable of random-access rather the sequential access of data tape. The next generation sub-nearline drives used in ALTO are designed to be spun down and switched off when not reading or writing, reducing power consumption and extending disk life, but new techniques are needed to protect the media from disk failure.

Following a disk failure, the lengthy rebuild time for a simple RAID array can leave content vulnerable to subsequent disk failures. Alternative protection strategies significantly increase capital and running cost. ALTO uses data replication techniques to offering user selectable protection, minimal recovery time, and disaster recovery configurations. ALTO disks can be removed for vault storage, or project transport. Media files can be accessed on an external computer.

Superior Performance Disk Archive 

10TB, 12TB, 14TB and 16TB Disks. Any size, from any vendor, in any slot at any time - Diskless options for local disk purchasing.

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Lower Cost of Ownership 

Any disk which is not reading or writing is switched off with significant power saving and greatly extended disk lifetime.

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Faster Access for Concurrent Users

Faster access than a tape library with more concurrent users, no migration, no repack and no routine maintenance.

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Higher Security than RAID  

Protects your files with user-selectable data replication offering much higher security than RAID systems.

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Geographically Distributed Systems 

Protects your files with user-selectable data replication offering much higher security than RAID systems.

Highly Scalable

System Chassis

4RU with 60 slots

(960TB using if using 16TB disks) ​

Expansion Chassis

4RU with
60 , 80 or 100 slots

Scalable
Up to 10 Expansion 
Per ALTO-III Node

Highly Secure

Any Number of Replications
Any Slot

Any Chassis or Expansion

Any Location

Highly Performant

Fast Data Access
in 30s or less

No Contention

No migration
Instant delete space recovery

Standard Network
Connectivity

Dual 10 GBe, Base T
with SFP+ Option

ALTO Anatomy

Easy to Deploy

Designed to require
no tools to maintain

Low Power Consumption

Only 300W 
when in operational use

Highly Reliable

No Single Point
of Failure
through redundant
configuration

Extended Disk Life
as disks are spun-down

Low Lifetime Cost of Ownership

Strong
Green Credentials