Cache-A Developing LTFS-Based Archive LTO-5 Appliance

Cache-A Corporation, supplier of network-attached archive appliances for the digital film, broadcast and video professionals, will collaborate with HP to develop an easy-to-use implementation of LTFS (Linear Tape File System) for the professional media and entertainment industries.  

LTFS is based on open source software and enables users to interchange content across different operating systems, software applications and physical locations.

"We are delighted to be working with HP as a key partner to develop the full potential of LTFS in the media and entertainment industries," said Phil Ritti, President and CEO of Cache-A Corporation. "This collaboration combines the benefits of LTFS, which makes tape look like disk, with the convenience of Cache-A’s appliance approach, which makes tape actually behave like disk, to provide a complete archive solution for our professional media and entertainment customers."

"Media and entertainment companies need storage solutions that simplify operations, improve manageability and meet their long-term data retention requirements," said Craig Nunes, Director of Marketing for StorageWorks at HP. "The LTFS solution jointly developed by Cache-A and HP enables clients to more effectively safeguard data, increase data mobility and share content organization-wide."

Once LTFS is integrated into the Cache-A archive appliance, customers will have the choice of using the tar format or the new LTFS format. Also, all existing Cache-A LTO-5 customers using tar will be able to flip a switch and start using LTFS going forward without additional cost or needing to transfer their existing tapes.

"Cache-A will make using LTFS a much more seamless user experience by building an archive appliance around it and by adding functionality that is critical to managing a secure archive where quick accessibility is key," said Mark Ostlund, Vice President of Marketing and Sales for Cache-A.  

Like Cache-A’s tar based appliance, LTFS provides a self-describing file system on an LTO cartridge. This provides application independence, transportability and protection from obsolescence.

In addition to LTFS, Cache-A archive appliances provide:

• Network archiving, serving multiple users anywhere on a network
• Cross platform Mac/PC/Unix/Linux access from a single networked appliance
• Database of every file on every cartridge, making it easy to find content
• Drag and drop operations, including restores from database searches
• Extending LTFS into an automated robotic library appliance