COMDEX 99: Ecrix VXA Tape Drive

The Ecrix VXA Tape Drive is a 66 GB compressed tape storage system that has the crucial elements for a successful product, namely reliability, pricing and support. When our evaluation drive showed up at eFront, it was destined for our database server and a good abuse test.

The drive itself doesn't try to reinvent the wheel, only eliminate the problems with previous systems and improve on them. VXA uses a diagonal tape writing mechanism that is similar to home VCR technology. The tape is written to in packets, each with their own error correcting bits which protect from data loss and assist in the event of corruption. Even the casing that the tapes come in is specially made to endure the hardships of a busy office environment, including coffee spills and temperature extremes.

The VXA unit uses a standard SCSI bus, ensuring that most machines serving mission critical tasks will be ready to go without incurring added expense. Additionally, the drive also will vary the speed depending on the server's ability to receive the information, which saves valuable rewind and restart time on tape restores. Ecrix also has been giving support to the important Unix variants (Linux, FreeBSD, etc.) which is what many Internet servers and small business clients use. The VXA documentation in turn includes detailed install information for Windows and many Unix flavors.

Since putting the drive into operation here at eFront, we have done quite a few tape restores to ensure reliability and feel confident in the VXA drive's performance. We have yet to give it the spilled coffee test, however here at COMDEX Fall `99, the test was preformed and the data was restored without a hitch.

Unlike many other competitors, Ecrix asks you to call them whenever you have a problem or question, and promises quick technical support from qualified professionals. This level of personal assistance is hard to obtain, even from companies selling drives for three times as much.

Marketed for smaller businesses, the drive is one of the least expensive available from $899 USD MSRP, yet arguably the most rugged. If you're in the market for a tape back up system, check out the Ecrix VXA, it's a great value for the reliability, storage capacity, and much more.

Visit the Ecrix Homepage for more information on current pricing (starts at $899) and availability.