Supported tape drives

The library supports LTO6 and later tape drives. Each drive requires a SAS or Fibre Channel cable.

For minimum and maximum storage configurations, see Table 1.

Table 1. Drive information and performance specification for full-height drives
Generation LTO 9 LTO 8 LTO 7 LTO 6
Inquiry
ULT3580-TD9
ULTRIUM-TD9
ULT3580-TD8
ULTRIUM-TD8
ULT3580-TD7
ULTRIUM-TD7
ULT3580-TD6
ULTRIUM-TD6
Interface (speed)
FC (8 Gbps)
SAS (12 Gbps)
FC (8 Gbps)
FC (8 Gbps)
FC (8 Gbps)
Native data rate
400 MB/s (L9)
360 MB /s (L8)
360 MB/s (L8)
300 MB/s (M8)
300 MB/s (L7)
300 MB/s (L7)
160 MB/s (L6)
140 MB/s (L5)
160 MB/s (L6)
140 MB/s (L5)
120 MB/s (L4)
Sustained data rate (L6, L7, L8 and L9 compressed at 2.5:1 compression; L5 and earlier compressed at 2:1 compression)
FC
750 Mb/s (L9)
750 Mb/s (L8)

SAS
1000 MB/s (L9)
900 MB/s (L8)
FC
750 MB/s (L8)
750 MB/s (M8)
750 MB/s (L7)
FC
750 MB/s (L7)
400 MB/s (L6)
280 MB/s (L5)
FC and SAS
400 MB/s (L6)
280 MB/s (L5)
240 MB/s (L4)
Burst data rate

800 MB/s FC
1200 MB/s SAS

800 MB/s FC

800 MB/s FC

800 MB/s FC
600 MB/s SAS
Nominal load-to-ready time 17 seconds 15 seconds 15 seconds 12 seconds
-Initialized tape 17 seconds NA NA NA
-Uninitialized tape2 40-120 minutes NA NA NA
Nominal unload time 30 seconds 24 seconds 20 seconds 17 seconds
Average space record time from load point 45 seconds 59 seconds 56 seconds 62 seconds
Average rewind time (REWIND command) 55 seconds 59 seconds 60 seconds NA
Average rewind time (part of UNLOAD command, dependent on mount activity)3
Less than 5 Gb of contiguous data transferred 55 seconds 59 seconds 60 seconds NA
5 Gb to 50 Gb of contiguous data transferred 110 seconds 59 seconds 60 seconds NA
All other types of mount activity 165 seconds 59 seconds 60 seconds NA

1 By using the built-in data-compression capability of the tape drive, greater data rates than the native data transfer rate are achieved. However, the actual throughput is a function of many components, such as the host system processor, disk data rate, block size, data compression ratio, SAS bus capabilities, and system or application software.

2 Cartridge initialization time can vary. See Media optimization for more information.

3 See Archive mode unthread for more information.

Remember:
  • All sustained data rates depend on the capabilities of the interconnect.
  • Drive performance varies with media generation and drive interface (SAS/FC).
Table 2. Drive information and performance specification for half-height drives
Generation LTO 9 LTO 8 LTO 7 LTO 6
Inquiry
ULT3580-HH9
ULTRIUM-HH9
ULT3580-HH8
ULTRIUM-HH8
ULT3580-HH7
ULTRIUM-HH7
ULT3580-HH6
ULTRIUM-HH6
Interface (speed)
FC (8 Gbps)
SAS (12 Gbps)
FC (8 Gbps)
SAS (6 Gbps)
FC (8 Gbps)
SAS (6 Gbps)
FC (8 Gbps)
SAS (6 Gbps)
Native data rate
300 MB/s (L9)
300 MB/s (L8)
300 MB/s (L8)
300 MB/s (M8)
300 MB/s (L7)
300 MB/s (L7)
160 MB/s (L6)
140 MB/s (L5)
160 MB/s (L6)
140 MB/s (L5)
120 MB/s (L4)
Sustained data rate (L6, L7, L8 and L9 compressed at 2.5:1 compression; L5 and earlier compressed at 2:1compression)
FC
700 Mb/s (L9)
700 Mb/s (L8)

SAS
720 MB/s (L9)
720 MB/s (L8)
FC
700 Mb/s (L8)
700 Mb/s (M8)
700 Mb/s (L7)

SAS
600 MB/s (L8)
540 MB/s (M8)
500 MB/s (L7)
FC
700 Mb/s (L7)
400 Mb/s (L6)
280 Mb/s (L5)

SAS
500 MB/s (L7)
400 MB/s (L6)
280 MB/s (L5)
FC and SAS
400 MB/s (L6)
280 MB/s (L5)
240 MB/s (L4)
Burst data rate

800 MB/s FC
1200 MB/s SAS

800 MB/s FC
600 MB/s SAS

800 MB/s FC
600 MB/s SAS

800 MB/s FC
600 MB/s SAS
Nominal load-to-ready time 16 seconds 15 seconds 15 seconds 12 seconds
-Initialized tape 16 seconds NA NA NA
-Uninitialized tape2 40-132 minutes NA NA NA
Nominal unload time 56 seconds 24 seconds 20 seconds 17 seconds
Average space record time from load point 65 seconds 59 seconds 56 seconds 62 seconds
Average rewind time (REWIND command) 62 seconds 59 seconds 60 seconds NA
Average rewind time (part of UNLOAD command, dependent on mount activity)3
Less than 5 Gb of contiguous data transferred 62 seconds 59 seconds 60 seconds NA
5 Gb to 50 Gb of contiguous data transferred 124 seconds 59 seconds 60 seconds NA
All other types of mount activity 186 seconds 59 seconds 60 seconds NA

1 By using the built-in data-compression capability of the tape drive, greater data rates than the native data transfer rate are achieved. However, the actual throughput is a function of many components, such as the host system processor, disk data rate, block size, data compression ratio, SAS bus capabilities, and system or application software.

2 Cartridge initialization time can vary. See Media optimization for more information.

3 See Archive mode unthread for more information.

Remember:
  • All sustained data rates depend on the capabilities of the interconnect.
  • Drive performance varies with media generation and drive interface (SAS/FC).