IBM TS3100 and TS3200 LTO-4 Tape Library

The IBM System Storage TS3100 Tape Library Express Model L2U (machine type 3573) and the IBM System Storage TS3200 Tape Library Express Model L4U (machine type 3573) are designed to offer capacity and enhanced performance for the midrange open system environments.

The TS3100 and TS3200 now incorporate the IBM Linear Tape-Open (LTO) Ultrium 4 Half-High 8-Gb Fibre Channel and LTO Ultrium 3 Half-High and LTO Ultrium 4 Half-High 6-GB SAS version 2 Drives, with a native data transfer rate of up to 120 MB/sec. Mixed Ultrium generations and attachment Tape Drive types are supported where drive space is available. New IBM Ultrium 4 SAS and Fibre Channel tape drives are encryption capable.

IBM Tivoli Key Lifecycle Manager V1 or V2 is required for encryption key management with LTO Ultrium 4 drives. The TS3100 and TS3200 Tape Libraries incorporate IBM Multi-Path Architecture with logical libraries equal to the number of drives installed. Ultrium 4 and Ultrium 3 Tape Drives for the TS3100 and TS3200 Tape Libraries are available as feature options in AAS.

By using the IBM LTO Ultrium 4 800 GB TB Data Cartridge, the Ultrium 4 Tape Drive has the capability of writing nearly twice as much data, up to 800 GB native physical capacity (1.6 TB with 2:1 compression), compared to the Ultrium 3 Tape Drive. IBM Ultrium 4 Tape Drives can read and write LTO Ultrium 3 Data Cartridges and can read Ultrium 2 Data Cartridges.

By using the IBM LTO Ultrium 3 400 GB TB Data Cartridge, the Ultrium 3 Tape Drive has the capability of writing nearly twice as much data, up to 400 GB native physical capacity (800 GB TB with 2:1 compression), compared to the Ultrium 2 Tape Drive. IBM Ultrium 3 Tape Drives can read and write LTO Ultrium 2 Data Cartridges and can read Ultrium 1 Data Cartridges.

The TS3100 Tape Library can accommodate up to two LTO Ultrium Half-high Tape Drives or one LTO Ultrium Full-high Tape Drive and comes standard with two removable cartridge magazines, one on the left side and one on the right, each with 12 data cartridge slots. The left magazine includes a single cartridge I/O station designed to allow for continuous library operation while importing or exporting media. A remote management unit and a barcode reader are standard in the library, allowing the library to run in sequential or random access mode. Optional features available include a rack mount kit, additional attachment cables, transparent LTO encryption, path failover, additional drives, interposers, and power cords.

The TS3200 Tape Library can accommodate up to four LTO Ultrium Half-high Tape Drives or two LTO Ultrium Full-high Tape Drives and comes standard with four removable cartridge magazines to provide 48 data cartridge slots, including a three-slot I/O station. A remote management unit and a barcode reader are standard in the library, allowing the library to run in sequential or random access mode. Optional features available include a rack mount kit, an additional power supply, additional removable cartridge magazines, transparent LTO encryption, path failover, additional drives, attachment cables, interposers, and power cords.

Key prerequisites
Appropriate levels of host software are required to attach and support the TS3100 or TS3200 Tape Library with IBM LTO Ultrium 4 and Ultrium 3 Tape Drives to selected IBM Power, IBM System p, IBM System i®, IBM System z, IBM System x, HP-UX, Sun, UNIX, Linux, and Microsoft Windows servers. Refer to the section for details.

Planned availability date

• March 11, 2011