Key features of the TS4300 Tape Library

Modular design for scalability

The modular design enables users to increase cartridge and drive capacity as needed. Built around a 3U-high, modular base library, TS4300 can scale vertically with up to seven modules, with expansion for Linear Tape-Open (LTO) Ultrium 8, 7 and 6 cartridges, drives and redundant power supplies. A single robot manages all modules in the stack. In a seven-module configuration, TS4300 offers a capacity of 280 LTO cartridges.

Security and compliance capabilities

Supports WORM cartridges to enhance data protection and provides library-managed encryption with IBM Security Key Lifecycle Manager.

Base library for complete management of system

The TS4300 base library contains all of the necessary robotics and intelligence to manage the base library system, with a maximum of 40 slots of LTO cartridge capacity per module, five input/output (I/O) slots, and support for three combinations of full- and/or half-height (FH or HH) LTO drives per module. The TS4300 base library is rack or tabletop mountable. Module expansions are only rack mountable.

Intuitive and graphical access to stored data

TS4300 leverages IBM Spectrum Archive™ for direct, intuitive and graphical access to data stored in IBM tape drives and libraries by incorporating the IBM Linear Tape File System™ (LTFS) format standard. LTFS compatibility allows tape-stored data to be accessed as if it were on disk or flash storage.

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Fast deployment and simplified management

The embedded, open-source software architecture helps speed deployment and simplify management. Best-in-class error recovery and reporting, library health monitoring and alerting, and auto-recovery features help to speed diagnostics and resolution. An automation drive interface significantly increases drive communication speed for faster code updates and log downloads.

Compatibility with the latest IBM LTO Ultrium technology

This tape library supports generation 8 of Linear Tape-Open (LTO) technology, offering up to 30 TB of data storage per cartridge (12 TB native), twice the compressed capacity of the previous LTO Ultrium 7 cartridges. Also a new initialization feature will allow you to use new LTO-7 cartridges as LTO-7 Type M media cartridges to increase capacity from 6 TB to 9 TB native.

More details about IBM TS4300 Tape Library

Read the data sheet

Technical details

Software requirements

Management software options include:

  • IBM Spectrum Archive™
  • IBM Spectrum Protect™

Hardware requirements

IBM TS4300 Tape Library configurations for base model and with 6 expansion modules:

  • Maximum LTO Ultrium cartridges 40/280
  • Maximum LTO Ultrium I/O slots 5/35
  • Max tape drives (base model) 1 FH LTO, 3 HH LTO, or 1 FH and 1 HH LTO
  • Max tape drives (w/6 expansion modules) 7 FH LTO or 21 HH LTO HH/FH drive mixture range 19/1 or 7/7
  • Total physical capacity 480 TB/3.36 PB
  • Maximum logical libraries 1/7

Technical specifications

TS4300 Tape Library at a glance:

  • Tape drives: 12 TB na tive/30 TB compressed (Ultrium 8); 6 TB native/15 TB compressed (Ultrium 7)
  • Hot-swap components: power supplies, tape drives
  • Systems management: Storage Management Initiative Specification (SMI-S) enabled
  • Limited warranty: Three-year in-warranty coverage of select parts
  • Weight: Base unit maximum 28 kg (61.5 lb); Expansion unit maximum 22.6 kg (49.6 lb)
  • Dimensions (H x W x D) 114 mm (4.48 in.) x 446 mm (17.56 in.) x 873 mm (34.37 in.)

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