Launch of SCSI Bridge by Solid State Disks

Headquartered in the UK, Solid State Disks Ltd (SSD), a storage system design, development and integration specialist, and the industrial division of the Reactive Group, has launched the SCSI Bridge drive which solves the problem of repairing or replacing ageing and failing SCSI-based hard disk (3.5-inch and 5.25-inch HDD), magneto-optical (MO), quarter-inch tape (Pertec, QIC DAT, DLT 3490), Jazz, ZIP, Bernoulli and floppy disk drives on computer-based legacy equipment.

It provides an SSD replacement that enables CompactFlash cards to be seen as SCSI drives by the host system.

It combines SCSI drive architectures (SASI, SCSI-1, SCSI-2) with CompactFlash card technology to provide a solid state drop-in replacement for any style of SCSI-based drive including hard disk, magneto-optical, tape and floppy drives. It is programmable, enabling the SCSI driver implementation nuances of all equipment manufacturers to be emulated.

The SCSI Bridge solution applies to a range of computer-based legacy equipment in a spectrum of industries and markets from telecommunications and broadcasting through to industrial process control, factory automation and instrumentation, semiconductor manufacturing, point-of-sale and mil/aero applications.

It currently supports CompactFlash drives up to 256GB and utilizes a 3.5-inch form factor (or larger 5.25-inch form factor). It is available in two package types either with no externally removable card as a hard disk replacement or with an externally removable CompactFlash card slot as magneto-optical, Jazz, ZIP, tape or floppy drive replacement.

Microcode is field-upgradeable via the RS-232 serial interface which also enables real-time diagnostics. Board power is 5V and there is an optional add-on display and push-button user interface for use with the tape package.

"By combining SCSI and CompactFlash technologies, the SCSI Bridge drive future-proofs computer-based legacy equipment that depends on worn out and obsolete SCSI drives for which replacements and spare parts are scarce," said James Hilken, sales director of Solid State Disks. "As the SCSI drives in legacy systems age and their electro-mechanical components fail, it is becoming increasing difficult to replace or repair them as replacement drives and spare parts simply may not be available. Sourcing second-hand units to cannibalize doesn’t really provide a lasting or safe solution either. In contrast, using the SCSI Bridge drive and Industrial CompactFlash technology to replace them provides a low-cost, fast and efficient solution that increases reliability and reduces unplanned downtime due to its solid state, non-moving part design."