IBM’s Innovative Technology In LTO Tape

The Linear Tape Open format supports portability, superior performance, data security and large capacity to hold the data. The LTO ultrium tape cartridge saves cost and energy in data archiving for longer periods of time. The LTO-5 tape format will have more transfer speed and physical storage capacity than that of the LTO generation 4. The LTO5 will also have the encryption mechanism of hardware based and the WORM functionality to address the compliance requirements and data security.

LTO ultrium is adaptable and scalable backup tape format and its technology is continuously enhanced by its manufacturers to address the growing needs and requirements of the server environments of midrange to the enterprise class.   LTO data tape format gives superior reliability and efficiency and has the features of bidirectional format and multi channel with improvements in the track layout, error correction, data compression and servo technology. The LTO ultrium’s roadmap is well defined and new technologies are being added to enhance its scalability and for future growth. Roadmap portrays the goals and intentions.

The LTO-5 tape format will have more transfer speed and physical storage capacity than that of the LTO generation-4. The LTO5 will also have the encryption mechanism of hardware based and the WORM functionality to address the compliance requirements and data security.

There may be difference in key elements like the servo format precision, edge quality and the performance of signal to noise among the different brands of LTO. The confirmation is made by the annual compliance testing that the LTO tape drive of any brand can write and read data cartridges of LTO ultrium format.

Cartridge of low quality can result longer restore and backup windows. The lower quality of the tape cartridge creates data errors or even the permanent loss of the critical data. Microcode usually executes in case of errors in data. So in this way the tape might be stopped and moved back for rewriting the data block. This is called as back hitch. The throughput and performance of the tape drive lowers down due to the back hitching and retrying. The poor edge quality can increase the operation’s cost and increases the formation of debris that may cause tape breaks.  

Data reading & writing can be obstructed by the debris if it moves into the data bands, which causes retries. So, there is chance that the data may be lost permanently. The accumulation of debris may lead to uneven winding of the tape on the spool. This uneven tape winding can damage the edges even more and create problems of tension control. The problems of tension control create retries, temporary errors or the tape breakage.

The IBM LTO ultrium cartridges have the latest design and technology that minimizes the threat of damage to the tape edges. Improper shipping, dropped tape cartridges and tape running against the guidelines can result in operational damage to the tape edges. The shells of the IBM LTO tape cartridges have a robust manufacturing standard are its specific design lowers the chances of damage to the tape edges. “Servo track precision” is very important element. All of the ultrium tape drives utilize the “Timing Based Servo” (tracking method patented by IBM) with longitudinal position LPOS. Tracking margin is improved by this method and the tape positioning speed also increases. Servo track that is lesser accurate can impact adversely the accuracy of track following and performance of locate command. So it can result in back hitches.

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