LTO Technology

With a well-defined six-generation roadmap for scalability and growth, LTO Technology is a powerful and adaptable open tape format created to address the growing demands of data protection in the midrange to enterprise-class server environments.

Released Generations Include: Generation 4 Delivering 1.6TB (2:1 compression) and up to 800 GB native per cartridge, Ultrium format Generation 4 provides data transfer rates of up to 240 MB/second (2:1 compression), the LTO Ultrium format generation specification was made available to licensees in late December 2006. Generation 3 Featuring capacities of 800 GB (2:1 compression) and up to 400 GB native per cartridge, Ultrium format Generation 3 provides data transfer rates of up to 160 MB/second (2:1 compression) for the third generation of the 8-channel version. Generation 3 licenses became available on July 26, 2004 with products appearing in late 2004. Generation 2 With a cartridge capacity of up to 400 GB (2:1 compression) and up to 200 GB native, Ultrium format Generation 2 provides data transfer rates of up to 80 MB/second (2:1 compression). Licenses for Generation 2 became available in April 2002 with products appearing in late 2002. Generation 1 First licensed in 1998, with product appearing in 2000, Ultrium format Generation 1 provides cartridge capacities of up to 200 GB (2:1 compression) and up to 100 GB native with data transfer rates of up to 40 MB/ second (2:1 compression). The LTO program roadmap calls for the following capacity and performance figures of future generations: Generation 5 Capacity: 3.2 TB (assuming a 2:1 compression) Data transfer speed: up to 360 MB/s (assuming a 2:1 compression) Generation 6 Capacity: 6.4 TB (assuming a 2:1 compression) Data transfer speed: up to 540 MB/s (assuming a 2:1 compression)

WORM

With the growing importance of regulatory compliance - including the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), and SEC Rule 17-a-4(f) -- there is a need for a cost-effective storage medium that can preserve corporate data in a non-rewriteable, non-erasable and unalterable format.

As storage administrators continue to seek more powerful tape performance, new technologies such as WORM (Write Once, Read Many) functionality can allow them to meet ever-growing business and regulatory requirements.

Datasheet

Optimized for High Capacity
The Ultrium tape format is the implementation of the LTO (Linear Tape-Open) Ultrium Technology that is optimized for high capacity and performance with exceptional reliability in either a stand-alone or an automated environment. It uses a single reel cartridge to maximize capacity. Ideally suited for backup, restore, and archive applications, the Ultrium tape format establishes a new benchmark for large volume backup and archive. Ultrium technology products will meet the needs of the enterprise through single-server user on a roadmap, or migration path, that extends well into the next decade.

Benefits:

High Capacity
	Ultrium technology allows for 800GB capacity native, 1.6TB compressed (2:1) in a single compact cartridge. The cartridge is smaller than existing single-reel tape cartridges.
High Data Rate
	Ultrium technology provides for data transfer rates of up to 240 MB/second (2:1 compression) for Generation 4 products.
LTO-CM (Cartridge Memory)
	Enhances functionality by providing a redundant file log as well as user-defined information. An external reader allows immediate access to that information without having to insert the cartridge into a drive.
LTO Technology
	Ultrium format products take advantage of LTO Technology's proven error correction and data compression techniques.
Flexibility
	By specifying only those features needed for interchange of tape cartridges, the Ultrium format retains flexibility. This flexibility allows for a substantial amount of implementation freedom with respect to performance characteristics, form factor, reliability, controllers, and interfaces - while tape cartridges remain interchangeable among Ultrium format tape drives.
Consistent Servo
	The servo format is expected to remain consistent throughout the life of the product line. This major benefit enables manufacturers to leverage investments.
Multi-Sourcing
	Multiple sources for media and drives reduce production bottlenecks and also ensures investment protection for OEMs and end users alike.
Compliance Testing
	By an independent organization promotes compliance to the specification. This shortens qualification cycles and simplifies future product planning for OEMs.

Technical Notes: Approximate cartridge dimensions: 4.1 x 4.0 x 0.8 in. (105 x 102 x 21 mm) (smaller than most existing single-reel tape cartridges). The single-hub design allows for the cartridge to be optimally packed with media. High capacity is further enhanced by the use of an LTO Technology data compression algorithm with two control modes to maximize compression efficiency. LTO-CM is a noncontacting passive RF interface embedded in the cartridge which allows remote reading of the contents of the built-in 4KB (32 Kbits) of non-volatile memory. Calibration information, manufacturers' data, and information about initialization may be retrieved without having to insert the tape cartridge into a drive. Dedicated dual servo: The servo bands are pre-written on the tape during the tape cartridge manufacture process. If one servo element becomes defective, or if a portion of the servo code on the tape becomes corrupt, the head will continue to track as a result of the second "redundant" servo system. Longitudinal position words encoded within the servo frames allow efficient access to absolute locations down the length of the tape. Data integrity features include two levels of error correction that can provide recovery from longitudinal media scratches. Read-While-Write (RWW) capability allows real-time verification of written data.