QStar Technologies, Inc.

Multiple logical volumes may be combined to create a Mirror Set. With the data mirrored continuously at a transaction level, both the primary and the secondary logical volumes are always exact duplicates. The logical volumes may be in different jukeboxes and in different locations on the network, and may even be of different archival media type.

In a Mirror Set, one volume automatically becomes a Hot Standby for the other volume. QStar software will sense if a volume becomes unavailable and continue to service read and write requests to and from the remaining volume. The result is increased productivity through reduced storage down time.

In the unlikely event of a jukebox failure, data migration to the remaining volume is still available to ensure continued data security. When returned on-line, the previously unavailable volume is automatically re-synchronized ensuring both volumes continue to accurately mirror the data.

In the environment where users requests exceeds the throughput capability of the jukebox, and where multiple jukeboxes are available, QStar software automatically services read requests from both mirrored devices. With Load Balancing, users maintain fast data access at peak periods.

Windows NT/2000, Sun Solaris, IBM AIX, Compaq Tru64, Hewlett-Packard HP/UX, Linux

Multiple pieces of archival media may be combined to create single logical volumes that span the media boundaries. With the appearance of a standard magnetic disk, access to the data stored in the volume is entirely transparent to users and their applications.

By providing a mechanism to track media outside of the jukebox, logical volumes may grow beyond the available on-line capacity. With the entire filespan directory structure cached for easy data selection, prompts are made for the retrieval off-line media.

With automatic data migration, you can be sure the data is being stored securely at all times and is available when you need it. Qstar's HSM utilizes both high speed magnetic disk and secure archival media to provide the optimal combination of performance and security for your data.

The cache implements full "transaction logging technology" for improved reliability and speedy recovery in the event of a system failure. Combined with QStar's improved directory archive management, data access downtime is significantly reduced.

Archiving may be scheduled to to take place hourly, daily, or monthly and at any particular point in time to suit the business operations, thus providing the ability to tune the system to achieve maximum productivity. A high water mark overrides the schedule to ensure the cache never becomes too full with un-archived cache.

With a complete self describing filesystem written to the secure archival media, and data migrated continuously and incrementally, the risk of data loss and the need for daily backups is removed. With QStar's on-line restore, previous versions of archival data may be recovered.

With either QStar's Standard Data Format (SDF), the fast alternative to the Universal Data Format (UDF), the logical volumes created may be physically transported between different UNIX platforms, and even across to Windows NT.

Windows NT/2000, Sun Solaris, IBM AIX, Compaq Tru64, Hewlett-Packard HP/UX, Linux

With QStar API, companies can make low-level SCSI queries to the jukebox controller and/or the drives. All standard SCSI-2 commands can be passed through the QStar QSCSI driver directly to the device.

Optical platters, CDs, DVDs and tapes can be manipulated in their jukebox by passing through the QStar jukebox management module. This allows for greater control of the managed devices as well as the ability to, in some cases, write out native file systems to optical platters.

An application, utilizing QStar API, can trap error codes and requests for human intervention. Once obtained, the application can then decide what is the best course of action

By utilizing the API, the QStar Software is invisible to the customer. All the commands can be linked within an application that looks as if it is running the jukebox.

Windows NT/2000, Sun Solaris, IBM AIX, Compaq Tru64, Hewlett-Packard HP/UX, Linux

QStar's CD/DVD Axxess supports the ISO 9660 standard together with Rock Ridge and Microsoft extensions as well as the Universal Disk Format (UDF). This ensures that long file name support and compatibility are available in a variety of operating environments.

By allowing multiple CDs or DVDs to be grouped together, a reduced number of mount points or drive letters are required. Within a disk set, each CD or DVD may be seen as a sub-directory, or they may be grouped within sub-directories.

By caching the directory structures of all of the CDs and DVDs, performance is increased by eliminating the need to repeatedly access the jukebox. Directory caching of disks provides off-line data management for CDs and DVDs, which can than be removed from the jukebox.

QStar Axxess can cache an entire CD or DVD if required; meaning the disk no longer has to reside in the jukebox for the data to be available to the users. This feature may be used for individual disks or by default on all of them.

CDs and DVDs may be added and removed from disk sets while the set is mounted. When using off-line volume management, QStar Axxess will prompt for media to be added and removed from jukeboxes as needed.

Windows NT/2000, Sun Solaris, IBM AIX, Compaq Tru64, Hewlett-Packard HP/UX, Linux

QStar's CD/DVD Master software adds the ability to write in either the ISO 9660 standard or UDF. These formats, recognized as world standards, will allow the media created with the QStar CD/DVD Master product to be transportable to other systems, even if they are not running the same operating system.

QStar's CD/DVD Master supports both direct writing to media or scheduled writing of the ISO/UDF image. Administrators can assign mastered media to different media sets, and a profile can be defined to guarantee consistent media creation. E-mail notification ensures that System Administrators are informed of the completion of the write process and alerted to any conditions that could affect the systems ability to perform correctly.

Administrators can create numerous sets whereby media will automatically be added as appropriate once mastered. This ensures that only the media the set requires will be allocated. Each surface of the set can be it's own filesystem or all the media together can be one contiguous filesystem.

Windows NT/2000, Sun Solaris, IBM AIX, Compaq Tru64, Hewlett-Packard HP/UX, Linux