IBM Finally With LTO-5 Drives (and Subsystems)

With the announcement of IBM, everybody is ready for LTO-5: IBM ((as well as partner Tandberg) and HP (as well as partner Quantum) for the drives, FujiFilm, Imation, Maxell, Sony and TDK for the media, and library manufacturers (Overland, Quantum, Spectra Logic and all others to come).

IBM Corp. is the last big LTO company to finally launched its LTO-5 drive (1.5TB and 140MB/s native), and more precisely two units: a full height drive and the only half height device on the market, with SAS and FC interfaces. They are already integrated by Big Blue in several external subsystems and automation products to be available this month. Tandberg just announced the HH device for $2,995 with the media costing $129.

The IBM System Storage TS2350 Tape Drive Express Model S53 is a full-eight external drive with 6Gb dual port SAS attachment and 512MB internal buffer. A 2U 19-inch rack mount shelf option can accommodate two TS2350 side by side in the rack. It attaches to System p5, Power System Model p6, and Power System Model p7, and to System x and PC servers, and supports Microsoft Windows, HP-UX, Sun Solaris, and Unix.

 
IBM System Storage TS2350
Tape Drive Express Model S53

The IBM System Storage TS2250 Tape Drive Express Model H5S has the same basic specs but in an half-inch form factor with only 256MB of cache.

 
IBM System Storage TS2250
Tape Drive Express Model H5S

The IBM System Storage TS3100 tape library accommodates up to two LTO-5 half-high or one full-high FC or SAS drive with 24 cartridge slots in two removable magazines, including a standard one-cartridge I/O station, a remote management unit and a barcode reader. The bigger TS3200 can receive up to four HH or two FH drives with 48 cartridges.

IBM System Storage TS3100/3200 Tape Libraries

And finally the IBM TS3500 Tape Library Model L53 or D53, and 3584 Tape Library Models L52, L32, D52, or D32 can be filled with five LTO-5 FC tape drives.