"Sun wants to squeeze its StorageTek boxes into some tighter spaces with a new virtual tape library box aimed at the SMB market and back office environments."

Well, giving the only ex-STK box worth not trying to the bin, the SL8500's factor form, I call that a largely awaited move !

It's probably, despite starting life only 2 years ago, the only model on the market of 2.35m height, with something like 3.5m by 4 meters floor footprint, to allow for doors to open.

As for the other tape lib models, the L700-1400 is under life support (after they did a favor to us all and chopped the L20-L180 line, leaving the L700 to fill in the gap), and the SL500 is like a consumer product, only worse (geez, the speed of the "arm").

It's a matter of time before El Reg announces SUN leaves the tape lib market.