While NetApp has been reselling Decru's DataFort appliance as a separate product, it has now integrated it with the NearStore VTL array. DataFort uses 256-bit AES ciphers to encrypt data on NAS arrays, storage area networks (SANs) or backup tapes, and offloads all encryption and management tasks from the host servers. The DataFort appliance on the VTL can encrypt data at 100Mbit/sec. using the iSCSI protocol.

Padmanabhan said a single processor NearStore VTL 600 has a sustained throughput of 1.8TB per hour or 3.6TB per hour with the dual-processor VTL 1200 model. The two models can emulate as many as 1,500 or 3,000 tape drives and up to 256 or 512 virtual tape libraries, respectively.

NetApp has also added several new services, including design and implementation consulting for virtual tape libraries, backup and recovery and for disaster recovery infrastructures. The company also plans to announce it is now shipping an integrated version of Symantec NetBackup and NetApp SnapVault data snapshot software.

Pricing for NearStore VTL is US$114,000 for a 4.5 TB system. The Decru encryption option for the iSCSI protocol has a list price of $10,000.