Stories by Brian Fonseca

Data explosion forcing IT to seek new backup tools

The need to control and secure a continuing explosion of data across the corporate world is forcing IT managers to constantly be on the lookout for new equipment that can handle perpetually evolving requirements.

NASA launches online historical image gallery

NASA last week launched a new interactive Web site, jointly developed with the non-profit Internet Archive, which initially combines some 21 separately stored and managed NASA imagery collections into a single online resource featuring enhanced search, visual and metadata capabilities.

Intel unveils embedded chipset

Intel has launched its System-on-Chip (SoC) EP8579 integrated processor, which is said to offer lower power and customization capabilities for embedded voice, storage and security applications. The new product family is the first wave of Intel's revamped SoC design, which the company said adds smarter chip intelligence.

Stolen tape puts Bristol-Myers employee data at risk

Bristol-Myers Squibb officials last week confirmed that a non-encrypted backup tape containing the personal data of current and former-employees and their dependents was stolen June 4 from a delivery truck carrying the device.

Hitachi unveils 3.5-in. drives with capacities up to 1TB

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies is set Wednesday to unveil a new 3.5-in. hard disk drive family for desktop PCs. The company said the new line includes better data protection capabilities and 43% better idle power consumption than the Deskstar 7K1000 line.

Unstructured data at risk in most firms, survey finds

Corporate information stored on file servers and network attached storage (NAS) devices is in danger of compromise because IT governance policies and access rules in many companies are incapable of dealing with a massive growth of unstructured data, according to a Ponemon Institute report issued Tuesday.

Sun counsel: Settlement talks with NetApp fail

Sun Microsystems' legal counsel disclosed in the blogosphere Thursday that efforts to settle a patent infringement lawsuit filed against the firm by NetApp have so far been unsuccessful.

HP unveils de-dupe tools for disk-based backup systems

Hewlett-Packard this week unveiled de-duplication software designed to speed up and simplify data backup operations in its high-end and midrange of disk-based backup systems.

Imation rolls out paperclip-sized USB flash drive

Imation Wednesday unveiled the Atom Flash Drive, a 1.5-in. long portable storage device that is no larger than a paperclip and can store up to 8GB of digital files.

Storage power costs to approach $2B this year, says IDC

Businesses last year spent approximately US$1.3 billion to make sure that spinning hard disk drives did not overheat and kept running despite being squeezed to near-capacity limits, according to IDC.

Dell, WD, Hitachi charged with violating patents in PCs, drives

Convolve last week filed a federal lawsuit this week charging that Dell, Western Digital and Hitachi Global Storage Technologies have violated its patents for vibration control techniques in hard drives and PCs.

Analyst: Seagate after Intel's share of flash memory firm

Seagate Technology may be pursuing a buyout of Intel's 49 percent stake in its joint NAND flash memory venture with Micron Technology, according to an analyst report issued Thursday.

HP adding solid-state memory to its servers

Hewlett-Packard and startup Fusion-io Wednesday announced plans to jointly enable the latter's solid-state memory technology to run across HP server products.

US floods force firms into race to keep IT afloat

As historic floodwaters continue to hammer the US state of Iowa, local businesses are already assessing the environmental disaster's impact on IT operations, and how their disaster recovery plans are faring.

Ultrafast storage fuels movie's battle scenes

Hired by Marvel Entertainment to help bring a 9-foot-tall gamma-powered superhero to life on the big screen, officials at the Soho VFX special effects facility needed massive storage availability to help its artists create digitally-rendered fight scenes for the film, The Incredible Hulk, which opens Friday in US theaters.