JSE Securities Exchange-listed MGX has launched SA`s only digital linear tape (DLT) recovery centre that repairs drives irrespective of brand or vendor.
Until now, third-party support for DLT technology was non-existent in SA and all units needing repair had to be shipped abroad as damaged stock and replaced with new units.
The Midrand-based repair centre, which was opened in January, targets not only SA but the entire continent, offering repair, service and maintenance of DLT drives.
"There is considerable demand for third-party DLT maintenance and support in Africa," says Kevin Pather, certified DLT specialist, Enterprise Solutions at MGX.
"Having a fully equipped repair, maintenance and recovery centre here in SA means users save on shipping costs, rental of loan units and downtime - factors most companies can ill afford."
Failure rate among DLT devices in the field is high. Third-party vendors are restricted from servicing and repairing units, making it difficult for users with units requiring repairs or attention.
In an effort to alleviate this problem, MGX sourced international support in the form of third-party maintenance from a prominent DLT service specialist based in Amsterdam. The agreement with the company awards MGX the right to repair, maintain and recover information from damaged DLT units of any brand, sold by any vendor.
"The recovery centre offers a 24-hour turnaround time, depending on the severity of the damage and availability of spares for the unit. We are equipped to work on any type of DLT, from 2000 through to 8000 and the Super DLT - when it becomes available," says Pather.
The centre provides 24-hour telephonic support and does not require customers to sign a maintenance agreement. It also offers degussing facilities - the process of demagnetising and reformatting existing media so the cartridge can be re-used without compromising quality.
"Most of our customers are fast-tracking their technology and being able to erase cartridges back to a virtually brand new status saves money for other media investments," says Pather.
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MGX is a JSE Securities Exchange-listed, new economy company that represents world-class products and services and delivers measurable business outcomes for customers across business-critical areas of the information economy. Recognising that the strategic value of a company lies in its information, the company`s focus is on information rich business solutions that transform each client`s unique business information into competitive advantage. MGX comprises five business value domains: content management, storage management, business availability management, software development and enterprise value management. With strong operational and strategic synergies, the business units create and implement solutions for business users across all sectors and industries.
MGX has operations in SA, Botswana, Australia, the UK and the US. During its five-year history as a listed company it has delivered consistent growth to shareholders. For more information on the company, visit www.mgxgroup.com.
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