The SCSI Bridge drive provides a low-cost, solid state drive replacement that enables CompactFlash cards to be seen as SCSI drives by the host system.
The SCSI Bridge drive combines proven SCSI drive architectures (SASI, SCSI-1, SCSI-2) with industry-standard, solid state CompactFlash card technology to provide a highly reliable, solid state drop-in replacement for any style of SCSI-based drive including hard disk, magneto optical, tape and floppy drives. Importantly, SCSI Bridge is completely programmable, enabling the SCSI driver implementation nuances of all equipment manufacturers to be fully emulated.
The SCSI Bridge solution applies to a broad range of legacy telecommunications equipment used in landline exchange and cellular basestation telecommunications applications. SCSI Bridge drives are available as replacements for most telecommunications SCSI drives including those found in Nortel DMS family, Alcatel (E10, S12, DACS), Ericsson (AXE10), Fujitsu (F150), Lucent (5ESS), Marconi, NEC (Neax), Nokia, Nortel, Siemens (EWSD), Titan, Itatel UT100 and Tropico equipment. SCSI Bridge drives are also available to emulate SCSI hard disk drives (3.5 inch, 5.25 inch), magneto optical drives (Fujitsu, Sony, Ricoh, Jazz, ZIP, Bernoulli), tape drives (Pertec half-inch, QIC quarter-inch DAT, DLT 3490) and floppy drives (TEAC). Full programmability also enables other custom SCSI Bridge emulations to be easily developed.
The SCSI Bridge drive 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 integral RS-232 serial interface which also enables real-time diagnostics to be undertaken. Board power is only 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 legacy telecommunications 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.”