First LTO-6 Tape Drive, Released by IBM

The System Storage TS1060 from IBM Corp. is an LTO Ultrium 6 tape drive that combines IBM tape reliability and performance at open systems prices.

TS1060 (machine type 3588, model F6A) is designed to be installed in an IBM System Storage TS3500 Tape Library (machine type 3584) to offer capacity and performance for the midrange open systems environment. This model incorporates the new IBM Ultrium 6 tape drive with enhanced maximum tape drive throughput over the LTO generation 5 tape drive (Ultrium5). It has a native data transfer of up to 160 MB/sec.

The TS1060 tape drive supports the LTO Generation 6 media specification of an over double compressed capacity of up to 6.25TB with 2.5 to 1 compression (up to 2.5TB native capacity) compared to previous LTO-5 compressed capacity of up to 3.0TB with 2:1 compression (up to 1.5 TB native capacity) per tape cartridge. Ultrium 6 tape drives can read and write LTO Ultrium 5 cartridges and read LTO Ultrium 4 cartridges.

The TS1060 has an 8 Gbps FC dual-ported interface for connection to open system servers.

It supports data encryption with Ultrium 6 or Ultrium 5 media.

Ultrium 6 enhancements that help improve performance
and reliability include:

Native data transfer rate up to 160 MB/sec
LTO Generation 6 media specification tape cartridge compressed capacity of up to 6.25TB (up to 2.5TB native)
8 Gbps FC dual-ported drive attachment
A larger 512 MB internal buffer
Support for media partitioning and self describing tape with LTFS Library Edition and LTFS Storage Manager software
LTO Ultrium 6 encryption support

The TS1060 can be installed in new or installed TS3500 Tape Library Models L53 and D53, and in 3584 Tape Library Models L52, L32, D52, and D32.

Key prerequisites
Appropriate levels of host and drive software are required to attach the TS1060 to a range of environments including selected IBM Power Systems, IBM System i, IBM System p, IBM System x, IBM System z (zLinux), other servers running HP-UX, Linux , Sun Solaris, and Windows OS environments that support

LTO-6 tape drive support and other selected TS3500 features require Advanced Library Management (ALMS).

Availability
November 9, 2012

Comments

The LTO Program based on IBM Ultrium technology was formed in 1997 by HP, IBM and Quantum.

First LTO-1 drive was launched on May 1998 by IBM. It took four years (12/2002) to move to LTO-2 (HP being the first to announce a drive), then two years (12/2004) to get LTO-3 from HP, IBM and Quantum. More that two years later (4/2007), IBM revealed an LTO-4 unit. Three years after (4/2010), HP and IBM jumps from LTO-4 to LTO-5 (native 1.5TB and 140MB/s and then two and a half year to LTO-6, just announced by IBM (TS1060) and being available next month, with HP probably following soon. Quantum has stopped to manufacture LTO drive since a long time, becoming an OEM of HP.

First step in LTO-6 (native 3.2TB, 210MB/s) was made in June 2011 when the three technology providers announced the availability of licenses for this format. But later these specs were reduced to only native 2.5TB (+67% compared to LTO-5) and 160MB/s (a mere +15%). Generally, the capacity of the LTO tape follows current highest capacity of HDD. But it's now 4TB uncompressed and LTO-7 is supposed to be native 6.4TB (and 315MB/s) and will be there probably in at least two years.

But note that LTO-6 is integrated with a better compression chip 2.5:1 vs. 2.0:1 for LTO-5, to get compressed 6.25TB capacity and 400MB/s transfer rate.

List price for the IBM TS1060 Ultrium 6 Tape Drive 3588 is $25,855.

The LTO consortium has not given any date for the arrival of LTO-7 (supposed to be native 6.4TB and 315MB/s) and LTO-8 (12.8TB and 472MB/s), the last two formats of the roadmap.

But we are not sure that they will really arrive because the size of the market is going down and is now so small that the consortium could hesitate to invest in enhanced technologies. On its side, HP finally stopped its DDS/DAT developments for the same reason and all other tape formats are dead or dying (DLT, QIC, AIT and all helical scan 8mm tapes).

According the figures from analyst firm Santa Clara Consulting Group, worldwide tape drive and media cartridge revenue - excluding devices for mainframes from IBM and Oracle/StorageTek - represented a $2.28 billion in 2007. This figure was reduced to $1.33 billion in 2011, even if LTO is largely the main segment representing 94% of drive and 88% of tape cartridge sales.

To get better specs in LTO-6, Big Blue uses flat lap head technology in GMR heads to minimize contact, edge damage, debris accumulation, and wear on the tape as it moves over the read/write heads, as well as dual-stage 16-channel head skew actuator to provide precision head alignment to help support higher track density and improved data integrity. Track following skew actuator supports flangeless tape guide rollers and dynamic skew to enable the head to follow skew tape motion and improve linear actuation.

As usual, LTO-6 units could read and write former generation (LTO-5) and read only the previous one (LTO-4). LTFS support is also there as as WORM capability with special WORM cartridges.

In term of media, Sony is the only company being officially involved in LTO-6 as it signed a license contract last January 2012 for the new format with the LTO consortium. The Japanese firm seems to be the provider of cartridges for IBM's new drive. But Fuji, TDK and Maxell are anticipated to follow.

IBM will principally sell its new LTO-6 device (with FC interface only) in TS3500 library. Base frame model L53 offers 64 to 287 slots for Ultrium cartridges and up to twelve drives with expansion units providing up to 1,320 slots on model S54.

Read also:
Licensing Specs for LTO-6 Available in August, 2012
Finally only native 2.5TB and 160MB/s
LTO-6 Expected to Ship in 2H12
Said Spectra Logic launching pre-purchase program
First Step for LTO-6 (Native 3.2TB, 210MB/s)
Availability of licenses now, tomorrow for drives and media