IBM TotalStorage Ultrium LTO tape selection
IBM TotalStorage Ultrium LTO tape selection
Abstract
This Hint and Tip defines the capabilities of the different Ultrium 2 LTO products and can help you differentiate and select the
appropriate backup solution for your environment. We assume that you have an open systems environment and that a
streaming data backup is prevalent.
We use no comparison to other tape systems. For comparisons of other tape systems, refer to these IBM Redbooks: IBM
TotalStorage Tape Selection and Differentiation Guide, SG24-6946, or IBM TotalStorage Solutions Handbook, SG24-5250,
which can be found at: http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/abstracts/sg245250.html
Contents
General
The IBM LTO product set, presently based on the Ultrium 2 drive, has already shown significant enhancements above the
original Ultrium 1 family. The published roadmap calls for further enhancements into the generations 3 and 4, each time
doubling the tape performance. Although these generations ARE NOT announced and products utilizing them may not
become available, the expected enhancements may still be included as part of the considerations for which tape system
to choose.
Product Comparison
Tape unit Tape slots Tape Max Capacity Ultrium Primary Range
drives (Native) TB Generation Backup Data
LTO cartridge - - 100 or 200 GB 1 or 2
3580 drive 1 1 0.2 2 200 GB
3581 Autoloader 7 1 0.7 1 <500GB
3582 Entry 24 1-2 4.8 2 0.5 – 4 TB
3583 Scalable 18-72 1-6 14.4 1 and 2 2 – 14 TB
3584 141-2481 1-72 248.1 or 496.2 1 and 2 > 10 TB
UltraScalable
For the 3584 UltraScalable Tape library, the total capacity will depend on the number of tape drives installed.
The Ultrium 2 tape drives may be installed in the Ultrium 1 3583 or 3584 libraries for any combination of 1 and 2 drives.
Ultrium 1 and 2 cartridges can also be intermixed freely in the libraries. In these cases support by TSM 5.2 is required.
Other backup applications may impose restrictions to this scenario, and current information should always be looked up
on the WEB.
The digital speed matching capability of the Ultrium 2 drives further improves the performance and capabilities of the LTO
backup system when host data transmission speed is less than the LTO optimum. This feature does not change the time
required for backhitch/restart in start-stop environments, but it will greatly reduce the number of such intermissions, and
may accordingly improve backup time significantly.
For further details on the individual products, refer to the general tape URL:
http://www.storage.ibm.com/hardsoft/tape/lto/index.html
3580
The external 3580 tape drive can be used in the low backup volume environments where manual changing of the tapes
are normal and accepted. This single drive unit may also be an alternative to use with full system restore from the TSM
Backupset.
The initial models are not upgradeable, but the Ultrium 2 drives can read and write the Ultrium 1 cartridges and with
improved speed.
3581
The 3581 Autoloader is also for the low backup volume environments. With the 7 slot capacity it offers increased backup
IBM TotalStorage Ultrium LTO tape selection
storage, but may still require some manual interventions. Both the usage of Barcode and the use of a permanent slot for
cleaning tape will reduce the available tape capacity with one slot each.
This unit is a good choice when total backup requirements are within 500 GB or even up to 1 TB. The unit is cost/effective
at the low backup volumes when low manual intervention is required.
3582
The 3582 Entry Library is also for the low backup volume environments, but it is a full function library which may reduce
manual intervention to nil. It offers 24 slot capacity and 2 drives, providing a total of 4.8 TB native storage. The library can
attach to native fibre or SAN and can be partitioned into two logical libraries.
This unit is a good choice when total backup requirements are within 4 TB, and fully automated operation is requested.
The Ultrium 2 tape drives can read and write Ultrium 1 cartridges, thus protecting the investments made in LTO
technology.
3583
The Ultrium 2 3583 LTO unit will be the right choice for most medium backup volume environments. The capacity of 14.4
TB indicates a good growth potential, and with up to 6 tape drives it will also handle high data traffic and provide for high
speed parallel data base backup and restore.
This is an excellent solution for file and Data Base backup when the total backup requirements are within 10 TB, and it
can also be evaluated for the 20 TB range.
It may be cost/effective for backup requirements even starting at less than 1 TB when high growth is anticipated and
minimal manual intervention is required.
Ultrium 2 tape drives may be installed in the initial Ultrium 1 libraries, and may use the tape drives and cartridges
intermixed when it is supported by TSM V5.2.
The library supports partitioning, allowing concurrent usage from different servers and applications.
3584
Ultrium 2 tape drives may be installed in the initial Ultrium 1 libraries, and may use the tape drives and cartridges
intermixed when it is supported by TSM V5.2. The Ultrium 2 tape drives will read and write Ultrium 1 cartridges with
improved speed. Up to 496 TB (native Ultrium 2) is supported, with a configuration starting at 141 cartridges (e.g. 28.2
TB).
This library is the excellent choice for any environment with backup requirements in excess of the 10 TB range, and may
even be cost/effective with smaller systems when growth or consolidation is anticipated. The library supports extensive
partitioning, allowing concurrent usage from many servers.
