LTO Features

The IBM LTO-5 Tape Drive is a high-performance, high-capacity data-storage device that is designed to back up and restore open systems applications. These files can include multimedia, imaging, transaction processing, large databases, and other storage-intensive applications. Each tape cartridge can store up to 1.5 TB of data (uncompressed), or up to 3.0 TB of data (compressed), assuming a 2 to 1 compression ratio. It is the fifth generation in the Ultrium series of products, and is available with a Serial Attached SCSI interface (SAS) or Fibre Channel interface. This model incorporates the Linear Tape-Open (LTO) IBM Ultrium 5 Half-High Tape Drive.

Note: The actual capacity varies depending on the application, the type of data, and the tape cartridge. 1.5 TB is typical and 3.0 TB is possible when the Data Compression setting is activated. The default setting of Data Compression is controlled by the host system. The user and the application software can control the activation or deactivation of the data compression setting. The drive can optimally achieve a 2:1 compression ratio.

The LTO half high tape drive features:

  • Single port 6 Gbps Serial Attached Small Computer Systems Interface (SAS); or single port 8 Gbps Fibre Channel Interface. (Auto-negotiation to lower speeds is assumed.)
  • Half height form factor
  • Native storage capacity of 1500 GB per cartridge (3000 GB at 2:1 compression)
  • Maximum native data transfer rate of up to 140 MB per second
  • Burst data transfer rate:
    • SAS 600 MB per second
    • FC 800 MB per second
  • 256 MB read-and-write cache
  • Support for encryption on Ultrium 3, 4, and 5 tape cartridges
  • Single Character Display (SCD) operator panel
  • Ready and Fault status LEDs
  • Maintenance Mode functions
  • Downward read and write compatibility with earlier LTO-type data cartridges
  • Can be used as a bootable device, depending on the host system configuration