Quantum LTO-2 Ultrium Backup Tape Technology

The Quantum ultrium LTO-2 data cartridge’s native capacity is 200 GB double that of the ultrium 1 data cartridge. The throughput performance of the LTO 2 tape format ranges from 30MB/s to 35MB/s which are approx. double from that of the LTO-1 tape format. Media formulation of the LTO2 tape cartridges is different from that of LTO-1 ultrium tape cartridges but the dimensions are the same. The tape cartridges of ultrium-1 can be used in tape drives of LTO ultrium-2 but the data cartridges of LTO-2 cannot be used in tape drives of LTO-1. Tape drives of LTO2 can write & read LTO1 formatted media at rate of 20 MB/second.

The cleaning cartridge of LTO1 can also be used in tape drives of LTO-2. LTO ultrium2 tape format utilizes the interface of ultra-3 SCSI LVD while the interface used by LTO1 tape format is ultra-2 SCSI LVD. The throughput performance of writing falls in 1.7 time’s native range of data rate across all the compressibility block sizes and ranges. Throughput performance of reading in MB/seconds ranges slightly above multiples of data compressibility and reaches maximum of more than 3 times of the native data rate with compressibility ratio of 4 to 1 or better. All vendors offer the host data rate that matches the technology for keeping the tape streaming when the host lowers the data availability’s speed to HBA.

The LTO2 tape drives have the ability to read and write the data cartridges of prior first generation LTO-1. LTO 2 tape drives can access data from the LTO 1 tape cartridges. The users can easily transfer data from LTO1 tape cartridges to the LTO-2 data cartridges. LTO-2 tape drives can write data to the LTO 1 tape cartridges in the format of LTO-1. The reading and writing speed of the LTO2 tape drives is about 4-5 MB/sec faster than that of the LTO1 tape drive.

LTO 2 tape drives can run the LTO1 tape cartridges but the LTO-1 tape drives cannot run the LTO-2 cartridges. Same universal cleaning cartridge can be in tape drives of both LTO 1 and LTO 2. The prefix letters of bar code labels (LTO2 tape cartridge) are different from that of the LTO1 tape cartridge. Therefore, the software & automation products can differ between LTO1 and LTO2 media types without reading LTO-CM or loading the data tape cartridge for determining the media type. LTO2 SCSI drives are compliant to SCSI-3 with interface of ultra3 LVD (160 MB/sec) and it is also accessible with interface of ultra2 server (80 MB/sec). Ultra3 signaling utilizes the super set of (80 MB/sec) ultra2 signaling specification. Ultra-3 & ultra-2 have the same cable impedance properties, voltage levels and signal lines. Difference in both is that for clocking the data, ultra3 uses 2 signal transitions while ultra-2 uses one transition. Therefore, this enables the existing cabling of ultra2 LVD to support the two times faster data rates of ultra-3. Ultra3 interface to server should be must for obtaining the best performance of ultra-3. Close attention to configuration of fiber channel with LTO2 can lower the throughput bottleneck’s risk.

Quantum realizes the importance of providing choice to the automation customers with the reliable backup tape technologies of LTO ultrium, DLT and Super DLT (SDLT). Quantum’s LTO-2 tape format protects the investment via transitions of tape technology and cost efficient upgrade paths that maximize the performance of tape library and ROI. LTO2 provides support in libraries of ATL P-Series & M-Series.

For further details and online order, please visit ‘tape4backup.com’