Qualstar Announces Expandable Rack Mount Tape Libraries

SIMI VALLEY, CA — (Marketwire) — 06/18/12 — Qualstar® Corporation (NASDAQ: QBAK), today announced a significant enhancement for its popular RLS family of rack mount tape libraries. The RLS-8350 and RLS-8500 rack-optimized libraries can now be easily expanded by users to increase capacity up to four times. Individual modules can be assembled into a larger library, significantly reducing the cost of expansion by eliminating expensive “rip-and-replace” upgrades. Shipments will begin next month.

The key to this new capability is FastPass, a simple robust design that passes tapes between modules in under two seconds, enabling any tape to be read or written in any drive in the expanded library. FastPass is a breakthrough in packaging efficiency and reflects Qualstar-s Simply Reliable design principles. FastPass fits completely inside the library cabinet, requires no additional power and is field installable by the user.

FastPass merges two, three or four RLS-85120 modules into a single, efficient, cost-effective library storing up to 474 cartridges and housing up to twenty LTO tape drives in one 19-inch rack. This powerful configuration stores over 1.4 petabytes of storage, or more than 53,500 hours of SD video, ideal for rapidly growing data protection and archiving requirements.

Installing FastPass in an RLS-8350 library enables attaching an RLS-85120 expansion module, more than tripling initial capacity. The expanded RLS-8350 stores more than 500 terabytes and up to 8 LTO 5 tape drives in just 16U of rack space.

Qualstar RLS libraries also feature built-in library-based encryption key management to protect against data loss while tapes are in transit to external disaster protection sites or other remote locations. This simple, easy-to-use, library-based encryption key manager allows administrators to assign a separate key to the tapes in each partition. The user-specified keys unlock the powerful AES 256-bit encryption capability built into every LTO 5 tape drive.

RLS libraries incorporate Q-Link, the powerful web browser-based remote library manager that enables administrators to configure, upgrade, and monitor an RLS library locally via a company-s intranet, or over the Internet from anywhere in the world. Q-Link extends the capabilities of the library-s comprehensive color touch screen front panel menu system.

“Enabling our users to easily install FastPass is the key to delivering cost-effective expandable libraries, underscoring the benefits of our products. Qualstar also is the only tape library manufacturer that backs its products with a three-year warranty,” said Larry Firestone, Qualstar President and CEO. “The new FastPass expansion, library-managed encryption key management and rugged construction means that the RLS-Series tape libraries provide real value for customers today and the flexibility to readily meet future growth needs.”

RLS-Series tape libraries are available exclusively through Qualstar-s worldwide network of Authorized Resellers. Contact Qualstar, an Authorized Reseller or visit for more information.

Qualstar, founded in 1984, is a diversified electronics manufacturer specializing in data storage and power supplies. The company-s products are known throughout the world for high quality and Simply Reliable designs that provide years of trouble-free service. More information is available at or , or by phone at 805-583-7744.

Statements concerning the future business, operating results and financial condition of the Company are “forward-looking” statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are based upon management-s current expectations and are subject to a number of uncertainties that could cause actual performance and results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could affect the Company-s actual results include the Company-s ability to increase sales of its products; rescheduling or cancellation of customer orders; unexpected shortages of critical components; unexpected product design or quality problems; and, adverse changes in market demand for its products. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Further information on these and other potential factors that could affect the Company-s financial results or condition are included in Qualstar-s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In particular, reference is made to the “Risk Factors” section of the Company-s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2011, and to the “Management-s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” sections of its Form 10-K and its most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.

Qualstar and the Qualstar logo are registered trademarks of Qualstar Corporation.

Bob Covey
Qualstar
805-583-7744

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