New 1.8-Inch SSDs, Offered with Encryption, Expand sTec Solutions for Cloud, Data Center, Web, Government/Defense Applications

SANTA ANA, Calif., July 29, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- sTec, Inc. (NASDAQ: STEC), a leading global provider of solid-state storage solutions, today announced it has expanded its s800 family of Serial Attached Storage (SAS) solid-state drives (SSDs) with the introduction of the industry's first generally available Micro SAS SSDs. Additionally, sTec announced that the new small-form-factor (1.8-inch) Micro SAS SSDs are available with stringent 256-bit AES-XTS encryption, enabling hardware-level security in cloud computing, data centers and web-based applications, as well as in government and defense environments where data protection is crucial. The new sTec® Micro SAS drives are available directly from sTec and through its distribution channel.

Uniquely designed for blade servers, caching and high-density computing environments, the new Micro SAS drives provide storage-system developers with the smallest enterprise-class SAS SSD form factor yet.  They meet the demanding performance, footprint and power requirements of today's enterprise-storage applications.

"Our new Micro SAS SSDs are ideal for applications that demand a smaller footprint and power usage," said Zack Mihalis, vice president product marketing and management, sTec. "And through the 256-bit encryption option, our SAS drives can provide the performance, endurance and reliability of sTec solid-state storage with significant data protection, helping counter the vulnerability of the rapidly growing amount of data in cloud, data center and web-based applications."

In addition to their corporate enterprise system applications, the new Micro SAS SSDs and encryption address the rigorous demands of the federal sector. Government agencies face increasingly tighter requirements on computing and storage systems' size and energy usage -- concerns addressed by the Micro SAS drives' small form factor and power draw that's 20 percent less than standard 2.5-inch SAS SSDs. Additionally, mobile/remote defense computing and storage systems call for high levels of encryption in the field, so that data is inaccessible should equipment fall into the wrong hands. 

"Size, weight, and power have always been important at the tactical level, as has environmental resiliency," said Mike Schneider, vice president of federal programs and business development at Themis Computer, a supplier of high-performance board- and system-level products for mission-critical commercial and military applications.  "With the dramatic cost decreases for high-endurance, flash-based storage, and the availability of critical data-protection features like encryption and the ability to thoroughly purge a drive's data, IT support for on-the-move operations is now feasible and affordable." 

The new sTec Micro SAS drives are available in 200GB and 400GB capacities.  Contact sTec for volume pricing. The AES-XTS encryption is also available on sTec s800 2.5-inch SAS drives, with capacities up to two terabytes.

For more information on the sTec s800 family of SAS drives, go to www.stec-inc.com/products. For more information on SSD encryption, to go www.stec-inc.com/products/product-technologies/.

About sTec, Inc.

sTec, Inc. is a leading global provider of enterprise-class solid-state storage solutions designed for the ever-growing performance, reliability and endurance requirements of today's advanced data centers. The industry's first company to deploy solid-state drives (SSDs) into large-scale enterprise environments, sTec offers the industry's widest range of solid-state storage solutions, which protect critical information for major business and government organizations worldwide. Headquartered in Santa Ana, California, sTec also serves the embedded and military/aerospace markets with SSDs for industrial and rugged environments. For more information, visit www.stec-inc.com.

sTec and the sTec logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of sTec, Inc. in the United States and certain other countries.  All other trademarks or brand names referred to herein are the property of their respective owners.

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. This release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including those statements concerning the benefits, capabilities, performance, and cost savings of sTec's Micro SAS drives; addressing data security requirements of cloud computing, data centers and web-based applications, as well as in government and defense environments; and addressing needs for smaller form factor and low power consumption. Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and involve inherent risks and uncertainties, including factors that could delay, divert or change any of them, and cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from current expectations. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in forward-looking statements are detailed in filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, made from time to time by sTec, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, its subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and its subsequent Current Reports on Form 8-K, which are available on the Investor Relations section of sTec's website at www.stec-inc.com. The information contained in this press release is a statement of sTec's present intentions, beliefs or expectations. sTec may change its intentions, beliefs or expectations, at any time and without notice, based upon any changes in such factors, from sTec's assumptions and otherwise. Except as required by law, sTec undertakes no obligation to publicly release any revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date thereof, or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

sTec, Inc.
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