IBM TS1160 Tape Drive 60F for TS4500 Library Delivers 20TB Native Capacity

IBM TS1160 Tape Drive Model 60F for IBM TS4500 and rackmount features deliver up to 20TB native capacity with increased throughput for investment protection

IBM TS1160 Tape Drive (3592-60F FC) is designed to deliver a 100% increase in capacity on the new JE media compared to TS1150. TS1160 Model 60F delivers a native data rate of 400MB/s (900MB/s compressed) when using the new JE media (up to 20% faster throughput than its predecessor), the same load/ready, locate speeds, and access times as the TS1150, and includes dual-port 16Gb FC support. TS1160 Model 60F is supported in IBM TS4500 tape libraries, as well as rack-mount installations.

TS1160 tape drives are able to read and write 20TB capacities on the new JE media type. They can also read and write JD media in both the TS1155 (15TB capacity) and TS1150 formats (10TB capacity), and read and write JC media in TS1150 format (7TB capacity) and read only JC media (4TB capacity) in TS1140 format. Media written in TS1160 format is not readable by TS1155 / TS1150, but is back-portable for reformatting the TS1155 format of 15TB.

Model conversions are also supported to convert TS1155 Model 55F to TS1160 Model 60F and TS1150 Model EH8 to TS1160 Model 60F.

TS1160 is not currently supported by IBM TS7700 environments.

TS1160 tape drives Model 60F can be installed on most 19-inch racks through a rackmount kit that provides better space utilization and enables installation and removal from either the front or the back without any tooling. The kit is RoHS 3 compliant and is compatible with TS4500 high density tape drives. The rack mount kit is available in a 3U form factor and includes adjustable depth shelves for rack adaptability. It can enclose up to two TS1160 (3592-60F) or combine them with its predecessors TS1150 (3592-EH8), TS1155 (3592-55F), or TS1140 (3592-EH7). It is equipped with two redundant, hot-swappable power supplies, two C13-C14 power cords for both tape drives, and a logic card for management of power. A drive filler panel (feature number 4806) can be also be used when only one tape drive resides on a rack mount kit.

TS1160 Model 60F is supported by the Spectrum Archive family of products.

TS1160 also supports drive-based data encryption to help protect data. The TS1160-based encryption and associated IBM Security Key Lifecycle Manager components are supported in a range of environments, including select Power Systems, System i, System p, System x, and other servers running AIX, Linux, Oracle Solaris, and Windows OSs.

Note: Model conversions are only supported once in the life of the tape drive. A second conversion would have more than 80% of new components.

Product Preview
In order to help customers backup and restore data on company’s and other open systems platforms, the firm intends to enable the TS1160 Tape Drive Model 60F to support Spectrum Protect between announcement and before the end of first quarter of 2019.

In addition, availability of Type E media for this Tape Drive TS1160 Model 60F delivering up to 20TB storage capacity is planned to be announced before end of first half of 2019.

Key prerequisites
TS1160 Tape Drive Model 60F is supported in environments, including select Power Systems, System i, System p, System x, and other servers running AIX, Linux, Oracle Solaris, and Windows OS environments.

Planned availability date

December 7, 2018: Model 60F and all features except features 1752, 1952, 9948, and 9949
March 8, 2019: Features 1752, 1952, 9948, and 9949