IBM TS4500 Tape Library Supports LTO-9

IBM TS4500 Tape Library supports IBM Ultrium Linear Tape-Open (LTO) 9 tape drive technology

IBM LTO-9 models F9C, F9S, and S9C are designed for the heavy demands of backup and archive tape storage, and can help improve data center economics. The number of tape drives, cartridges, and associated floor space may be reduced with LTO-9 models, delivering higher performance and greater capacity as compared to IBM LTO-8 tape drive models.

IBM LTO-9 features help improve performance and reliability:

• Native data transfer rate of up to 400Mb/s for full-height tape drives
• LTO gen 9 media spec tape cartridge compressed capacity of up to 45TB (18TB native)
• 8Gb FC dual-ported drive attachment on models F9C and F9S
• 12Gb/s dual-ported SAS attachment on model S9C
• 1GB internal buffer
• Support for media partitioning and self-describing tape with Spectrum Archive Enterprise Edition
• LTO-9 encryption support
• Open Recommended Access Order (oRAO) allowing any compatible applications to retrieve content stored on the tape in a more efficient way
• Support for new and field merge IBM LTO-9 (3588-F9C, 3588-F9S, and 3588-S9C) drives into 3584 models L55 and D55
• LTO-9 cartridge capacity of up to 417PB per library (up to 1.04EB with 2.5 to 1 compression)

IBM LTO-9 models F9C, F9S, and S9C are designed to be installed in an TS4500 tape library to deliver high capacity and performance for mid-range to hyperscale open-systems environments. These models incorporate IBM LTO-9 tape drives with enhanced maximum tape drive throughput over LTO-8 drives, delivering a native data transfer of up to 400Mb/s for full-haight tape drives.

LTO-9 tape drives support the LTO gen 9 media spec with a 50% increase of the compressed capacity of up to 45TB with 2.5 to 1 compression (up to 18 TB native capacity) as compared to previous LTO-8 compressed capacity of up to 30TB with 2.5 to 1 compression (up to 12TB native capacity) per tape cartridge. LTO-9 tape drives can read and write LTO-8 data cartridges.

Key requirements
Appropriate levels of host and drive software are required to attach LTO-9 models F9C, F9S, and S9C to a range of environments, including select Power Systems and other servers running Linux and Windows OS environments that support FC interfaces.

Prerequisites for using encryption
Certain hardware and software prerequisites must be met before using encryption with TS4500 tape libraries.

With TS4500 tape libraries, encryption is managed at the logical library level. All encryption-enabled drives that are assigned to a logical library use the same method of encryption. The rules for setting up encryption differ based on whether you use library-managed encryption (LME) or application-managed encryption (AME). The following prerequisites apply:

• Tape drives must be enabled for encryption from the logical libraries page of the TS4500 management GUI
• Feature number 1604, LTO Library Managed Encryption, is required for LTO tape drives if using LME
• IBM Guardium Key Lifecycle Manager is required as the key manager when using LME with LTO

Planned availability date: September 10, 2021