Spectra Logic Expands LTO-8 Tape Library Family With Spectra Stack and T950v

Spectra Logic Corporation announced an expansion to its family of automated tape storage solutions with the introduction of two tape library products.

Spectra Stack library

These products include the Spectra Stack, a scalable, modular and affordable tape library that allows users to start with a single tape drive and ten tape slots, growing incrementally as their data needs increase, and the T950v tape library, an entry-level model of the T950 tape library family.

These tape libraries provide both value and functionality for organisations wrestling with growing data sets and shrinking budgets. In other tape updates, the company announced that all firm’s tape libraries± – up to and including the T950v – can now be deployed with lower-cost half-height FC or SAS LTO tape drives, potentially saving tens of thousands of dollars per installation. In addition, the company plans to offer RoCE 10GbE connectivity with its IBM TS1155 tape drives for Ethernet tape library integration in the T380, T950, T950v and Tfinity ExaScale tape libraries, allowing customers to use their existing Ethernet infrastructure without investing in additional hardware.

Spectra Stack Libray full-rack
with BlackPearl ArcticBlue-LF

Spectra Stack tape library
Designed to meet the demanding backup, archive and data protection requirements of midsize to large organisations, the Spectra Stack Tape Library delivers scalability, capacity and performance in a single standard 19-inch rack. The modular design allows users to start with ten LTO tapes and a single LTO tape drive in a 6U module, and expand the library – module by module – up to 560 LTO tapes and 42 LTO tape drives per rack. Self-installable and fully customer upgradable in less than 30 minutes, each module holds up to 80 LTO tapes and up to six LTO half-height tape drives (up to three LTO full-height drives). By allowing users to expand capacity in small increments, as few as ten tape slots at a time, Spectra Stack offers a flexible growth plan. Both scalable and economical, a seven-module Spectra Stack, when fully populated with LTO-8 drives and media, can store up to 6.7PB (16.75 PB compressed*) and transfer data at up to 45TB/hr. (105 TB/hr. compressed*), all in a single standard rack.

The Spectra Stack offers superior flexibility, supporting both full-height and half-height tape drives; multiple generations of LTO tape drives (LTO-5, 6, 7 and 8) and LTO media (LTO-3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and LTO-7 Type M); and the ability to use new LTO tape technology or integrate existing LTO tape drives and media into the library for investment protection.

Easy to use and manage, the library’s BlueVision software provides a feature set similar to the rest of the company’s tape library family, including an colour touchscreen, remote web interface, ability to create Shared Library Services (SLS) partitions (up to 20), built-in diagnostics, media lifecycle management**, encryption, and encryption key management.** In addition, an optional BlueVision camera can be mounted to the top of the library to provide a real-time and remote visual assessment of the robot.

Certified with all major ISV packages for the data centre, Spectra Stack also integrates with BlackPearl converged storage system, allowing users to easily create an object storage ecosystem with tape, archive disk and online disk – all managed by BlackPearl.

The firm’s tape library customers are eligible for the MigrationPassSM programme, which helps users consolidate other storage tape library applications, drives and tape cartridges into the Spectra Stack by leveraging SLS, providing greater density, efficiencies and cost savings. In addition to the company’s Assisted Self Maintenance (ASM) option, Spectra Stack is covered by SpectraGuard support, which reduces downtime and helps users avoid costly disruptions to their operations.

Click to enlarge

T950v tape library
Based on the T950 Tape Library, for medium-capacity library applications, the T950v is a redesign focused on cost reduction and intended for general IT and media and entertainment applications.

T950v tape library

By removing add-ons primarily used by HPC, such as the BulkTAP access port and remote camera monitoring, and adding support for lower-cost half-height drives, customers can save tens of thousands of dollars per installation. The T950v provides all the same enterprise-grade features and reliability as the T950, but with a new entry-level price point. When fully populated with 120 LTO-8 tape drives and media, it stores up to 120PB (300PB compressed *) and transfers data up to 155TB/hr. (324TB/hr. compressed*).

Since tape media choice is essential in large-scale environments, the T950v enables users to select between LTO or IBM TS11XX tape technology. Feature-rich and economical, the T950v delivers capabilities, including:

• Sensity, speed and reliability for digital preservation

• Decreased power consumption

• Reduced media handling through patented TeraPack technology

• Ability to TranScale to the world’s largest single library – TFinity ExaScale

Click to enlarge

Availability

• The Spectra Stack is available in North America and Europe, with worldwide coverage in progress. His MSRP pricing starts at $9,000 for a library with 40 slots and a single LTO-7 tape drive.

• The T950v tape library is available worldwide.

• The IBM TS1155 Ethernet-attached (RoCE) drives will be available in the TFinity ExaScale in June 2018, followed later by availability in Spectra T950 and T380 tape libraries.

“Spectra Logic continues to lead the industry in innovation for tape and these advancements showcase how they consistently address storage market needs,” said Fred Moore, president, Horison Information Strategies. “From products that address the affordability and scalability requirements of entry to midsize customers, to enhancements to their powerful enterprise tape library line that address flexibility and high capacity, Spectra demonstrates why they have been around for nearly 40 years.“

“Today’s IT experts have told us that their tape libraries must be easy to use, economical and extremely scalable, given the amount of information their organisations accumulate on a year-to-year basis,” said Nathan Thompson, CEO, Spectra logic. “The new Spectra Stack tape library is an answer to those requirements, and we look forward to supporting our growing customer base with one of the industry’s most diverse and feature-rich storage solution sets.“

±All Spectra libraries except the compact Spectra T50e tape library
*Compression ratio: 2.5:1
**Available later in 2018