IBM Introduces First Linear Tape-Open Technology Drives
IBM StorageSmart Ultrium Tape Drive is First Storage Product Based on Linear Tape-Open Technology
SAN JOSE, Calif. (October 27, 1999) – Riding a wave of recent storage industry breakthroughs, IBM today becomes the first company to announce the rollout of the tape drives based on a new open tape storage architecture, Linear Tape-Open (LTO) technology.
LTO technology will provide a foundation for a new generation of tape storage products with extraordinary tape capacity and performance benchmarks. Addressing a key concern of incompatibility in network tape storage environments, LTO technology may permit midrange tape storage drives and media from multiple manufacturers to interoperate.
The IBM StorageSmart Ultrium Tape Drive, for OEM and automation companies, is positioned to stake a claim in thriving midrange and network server storage environments, giving customers more choice in selecting a tape storage product. The IBM StorageSmart drive contains 100-gigabyte (GB) capacity on a single tape cartridge — up to double the capacity of current competitive offerings — and delivers data at up to twice the speed of current standard data transfer rates.
IBM StorageSmart drives are currently in the process of evaluation in more than a dozen key computer and storage OEMs and automation companies, including Fujitsu Siemens Computers, Quantum/ATL, and IBM Personal Systems Group.
“We expect StorageSmart Ultrium drives to play a key role in our comprehensive storage solutions for backup and archiving,” said Dr. Helmut Beck, vice president, Storage, Fujitsu Siemens Computers, Bad Homburg, Germany. “Tape compatibility in the open market has been long overdue, and we’re delighted to work with IBM to bring this new technology to our customers.”
“IBM’s Ultrium LTO drive will address a critical market segment which we expect to grow significantly over the next several years,” said Kevin Daly, CEO of Quantum/ATL. “We are very enthusiastic to partner with IBM to offer this new level of performance and scalability that will help address the explosive growth we anticipate in secondary storage associated with networks.”
“IBM Netfinity will support IBM StorageSmart Ultrium tape drives early next year and will offer automated tape backup products in the second quarter of 2000,” said Robert Galush, director, PC Options and Peripherals, IBM Personal Systems Group. “StorageSmart tape drives will provide Netfinity customers with high-performance disaster readiness and near online storage that their e-business applications demand.”
Source: IBM