Kubota and Rorke Data Partner to Bring Video Professionals Added Archival Flexibility and Security
Rack-Mountable, 200-Slot DVD-RAM/R/RW
Library to be Demonstrated at NAB

Info LAS VEGAS, NV (April 1, 2003) – Kubota Comps Corporation of Japan, a leading manufacturer of optical storage libraries, in cooperation with their US sales office, Optical Storage Specialties, announced an agreement today with Rorke Data, Inc., a subsidiary of San Jose-based Bell Microproducts, Inc. (NASDAQ: BELM), to offer Kubota’s BA-200. The industry's first 200-slot, rack mountable DVD library, the BA-200 incorporates 2 to 4 high performance DVD RAM/R or other 120MM drives, giving organizations a complete range of media technologies to choose from. The agreement is part of a strategic initiative by Kubota and Optical Storage Specialties to expand support for the BA-200, the companies’ most flexible storage solution for the motion picture and post production industries.

“The broadcast and post-production industries have unyielding storage requirements that demand flexibility in terms of both media types and capacity as well as on-demand access to high-resolution image data files,” said Joe Rorke, VP of Marketing for Rorke Data. “Adding the BA-200 as an approved storage option for Rorke’s StreamMine™, an open-platform broadcast server archive solution, expands our ability to meet those unique requirements with versatility and flexibility.” In addition to being able to read from and write to DVD-RAM, DVD-R and DVD-RW media, the libraries can also read DVD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, CD-ROM, and CD audio media. Equipped with a rugged flip mechanism, video professionals can effectively double the capacity of the BA-200 from 940GB using single-sided 120MM media, to nearly 2TB using double-sided 9.4GB DVD-RAM/R media, without costing organizations costly hardware/software upgrades. Rugged, specially designed picker robotics provides reliable bare media handling for even greater user media flexibility.

“Rorke Data’s experience providing high-end data storage solutions to the broadcast and video production industry extends over 16 years,” said Paul Linder, OEM Sales Manager for Optical Storage Specialties. "The compact size of the BA-200 will allow Rorke to integrate the library into environments where a full-size library wouldn't ordinarily fit, and because the unit is rack-mountable, organizations can add to the library exactly the amount of storage they need, when they need it."

For larger applications, as many as three libraries can be "daisy-chained" together using a standard SCSI-2 interface. Compatibility with industry-standard DVD-R media further expands video file sharing applications ensuring data against accidental erasure, while adding the ability to play back recorded media using virtually any DVD-player, set top box or CD/DVD drive. The BA-200 will also give Rorke clients the option to remove an entire rack section of the library off-site for long term storage or additional data security. Providing data transfer rates exceeding 2.5 MB/s, the BA-200 is an ideal for replacement for DLT tape applications, providing faster access to information as well as better data reliability.

Visit Rorke Data's booth #SL107 at NAB 2003 (April 7 th – 10 th ) to experience the BA-200.

Price/Availability Compact enough for small environments, but rugged and scaleable to meet the requirements of large environments, the BA-200 measures only 446(W)×254(H)× 673(D)mm and requires only 7U in a rack-mount configuration allowing more that 650GB of storage per square foot. Completely air tight, the library protects valuable data assets from the damaging affects of dust and caustic materials. To ensure easy access, the BA-200 offers a choice of either magazine loading, for the quick integration of 35 or 55 pieces of media at a time, or an optional mail slot for single disc integration. The BA-200 is now shipping with a starting price of $9300. Solutions are available as part of a total solutions package from Rorke Data.

For more information, contact: Rorke Data, Inc., 7626 Golden Triangle Drive, Eden Prairie, MN
55344; 800/328-8147 or 952/829-0300; fax: 952/829-0988; website: www.rorke.com.

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