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IBM TotalStorage 3588 Tape Drive PDF Print E-mail
mid-range computer equipment - Tape Storage
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The IBM TotalStorage 3588 Tape Drive Model F3A is an IBM LTO Ultrium 3 Tape Drive that combines IBM tape reliability and performance at open systems prices. The new Ultrium 3 Tape Drive:

  • More than doubles maximum data transfer rate, up to 80 MB/sec native as compared to LTO Ultrium 2
  • Doubles cartridge capacity, up to 400 GB native physical capacity per cartridge (800 GB with 2:1 compression)
  • Includes a 2-Gbps Fibre Channel interface attachment
  • Offers enhanced features over Linear Tape-Open (LTO) Ultrium 2 in new dual stage 16 channel head actuator, new independent tape loader and threader motors, and internal buffer size
  • Adheres to LTO specifications
  • Mounts in a 3584 Tape Library Model L52, L32, D52, or D32
 
Overview

The IBM TotalStorage® 3588 Tape Drive Model F3A is designed for installation in a IBM TotalStorage 3584 Tape Library to offer high capacity, performance, and technology designed for the midrange open systems environment. This model incorporates the new Linear Tape-Open (LTO) IBM TotalStorage Ultrium 3 Tape Drive , which more than doubles maximum tape drive throughput data rate performance over the IBM LTO generation 2 Tape Drive (Ultrium 2). It has a native data transfer of up to 80 MB/sec. In addition, with the use of the IBM TotalStorage LTO Ultrium 400 GB Data Cartridge , the 3588 Tape Drive doubles the tape cartridge capacity up to 400 GB native physical capacity (800 GB with 2:1 compression), as compared to the IBM Ultrium 2 Tape Drives and cartridges. IBM Ultrium 3 Tape Drives can read and write LTO Ultrium 2 Data Cartridges and read LTO Ultrium 1 Data Cartridges. The 3588 Model F3A comes with a 2-Gbps Fibre Channel interface for connection to a wide spectrum of open system servers.

Other Ultrium 3 Tape Drive enhancements to help improve performance and reliability include the addition of a new dual stage 16 head actuator designed to provide precision head alignment, new independent tape loader and threader motors with positive pin retention, graceful dynamic breaking designed to maintain tension to help prevent stretching or breaking the tape and loose tape wraps, a larger 128 MB internal buffer, and highly integrated electronics using IBM-engineered copper technology.

The 3588 Tape Drive Model F3A can be installed in new or installed 3584 Tape Library Models L52 and D52, and also in installed 3584 Tape Library Models L32 and D32.

Product preview

The 3588 Tape Drive Model F3A fulfills the product preview included in Hardware Announcement 104-439 , dated November 23, 2004.

IBM intends to introduce and support Write Once, Read Many (WORM) functionality in products featuring IBM TotalStorage LTO Ultrium 3 Tape Drives. Earlier non-WORM generation 3 drives can be upgraded for WORM support via an update of the firmware to use the new generation 3 WORM Media cartridge as it is made available. Products will be fully compliant to the LTO generation 3 standard for WORM functionality.

Previews provide insight into IBM plans and direction. Specific availability dates, ordering information, and terms and conditions will be provided when the product functionality is announced.


Key prerequisites

Appropriate levels of host software are required to attach the 3588 Tape Drive to selected IBM eServer i5 or iSeries™, AS/400®, IBM eServer p5 or pSeries®, RS/6000®, IBM eServer xSeries®, HP, Sun, UNIX®, and Intel™ servers. Refer to the Technical information section for details.
Description

 

The IBM TotalStorage 3588 Tape Drive Model F3A is an IBM Linear Tape-Open (LTO) Ultrium 3 Tape Drive designed for the heavy demands of backup tape storage. The 3588 Tape Drive Model F3A is designed to mount in an IBM TotalStorage 3584 Tape Library and has a 2-Gbps Fibre Channel interface for attachment to IBM eServer p5 or pSeries, IBM eServer i5 or iSeries, IBM eServer xSeries, AS/400, RS/6000, HP, Sun, UNIX, and Intel servers.

The 3588 Tape Drive Model F3A incorporates third-generation IBM LTO Ultrium technology. It offers the following significant improvements over the Ultrium 2 Tape Drive:

  • Maximum tape drive throughput data rate performance is more than doubled, up to 80 MB/sec native data transfer rate. Data tracks are now written 16 at a time. IBM Ultrium 3 Tape Drives can read and write, at eight data tracks at a time, LTO Ultrium 2 Data Cartridges at Ultrium 2 rates, and read LTO Ultrium 1 Data Cartridges at Ultrium 1 rates.

    Note: Although the 3588 Tape Drive provides the capability for excellent tape performance, other components of the system may limit the actual performance achieved. Also, although the compression technology used in the tape drive can typically double the amount of data that can be stored on the media, the actual degree of compression achieved is highly sensitive to the characteristics of the data being compressed.

  • The tape cartridge capacity is doubled over the Ultrium 2 Data Cartridge up to 400 GB native physical capacity (800 GB with 2:1 compression), with the use of the new IBM TotalStorage LTO Ultrium 400 GB Data Cartridge. This is achieved by increasing the linear density, the number of tape tracks, and the media length. The tape itself is an advanced metal particle tape developed to help provide durability and capacity.
  • Ultrium 2 cartridge compatibility — The Ultrium 3 Tape Drive can read and write on Ultrium 2 cartridges.
  • 2-Gbps Fibre Channel attachment — The 3588 Model F3A comes with a 2-Gbps Fibre Channel interface for connection to a wide spectrum of open system servers. They are supported on AIX®, OS/400®, i5/OS, Sun Solaris, HP-UX, Microsoftâ„¢ Windowsâ„¢ 2000, Windows 2003, Linuxâ„¢, and other open systems.
  • New dual stage 16 channel head actuator — designed to provide precision head alignment to help support higher track density and improved data integrity.
  • New independent tape loader and threader motors and positive pin retention — designed to help improve the reliability of loading and unloading a cartridge, and to retain the pin even if tension is dropped. With an independent loader motor coupled with the positive pin retention, the tape threads with a higher level of reliability.
  • Larger internal data buffer — There is a 128 MB internal data buffer in the Ultrium 3 Tape Drive as compared to a 64 MB internal data buffer in the Ultrium 2 Tape Drive.
  • Highly integrated electronics using IBM-engineered copper technology — designed to reduce the total number of components in the drive, lower chip temperatures, and reduce power requirements, helping to provide for a more reliable drive. The generation 3 drive electronics are also designed to provide "on-the-fly" error correction capability for soft errors in the memory arrays in data and control paths.
  • Graceful dynamic braking — In the event of power failure, reel motors are designed to maintain tension and gradually decelerate instead of stopping abruptly, helping reduce tape breakage, stretching, or loose tape wraps during a sudden power-down.

Proven IBM LTO Ultrium features enhanced in IBM LTO Ultrium 3 Tape Drive include:

  • Servo and track layout technology — There are 704 data tracks in Ultrium 3 verses 512 data tracks in Ultrium 2. High bandwidth servo system features a low-mass servo to help more effectively track servo bands and improve data throughput with damaged media in less-than-optimal shock and vibe environments.
  • Surface Control Guiding Mechanism — IBM's patented Surface Control Guiding Mechanism is designed to guide the tape along the tape path in the IBM 3588 Tape Drive. This method uses the surface of the tape, rather than the edges, to control tape motion. This helps reduce tape damage (especially to the edges of the tape) and tape debris, which comes from the damaged edges and can accumulate in the head area.
  • Magneto Resistive (MR) head design — Use of flat lap head technology in MR heads for Ultrium 3 helps minimize contact, debris accumulation, and wear on the tape as it moves over the read/write heads.
  • Digital speed matching — The Ultrium 3 Tape Drive is designed to perform dynamic speed matching (at one of five speeds, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80 MB/sec) to adjust the drive's native data rate as closely as possible to the net host data rate (after data compressibility has been factored out). This helps reduce the number of backhitch repositions and improve throughput performance. Speed matching on Ultrium 3 ranges from 40 to 80 MB/sec versus 17.5 to 35 MB/sec on Ultrium 2.
  • Robust drive components optimized for automation environments — Drive designed using some of the most robust components available, such as: (1) all metal clutch, (2) steel ball bearings in loader, (3) robust leader block design, (4) single circuit card, to help enhance reliability and prolong the life of the drive.
  • Power management — The Ultrium 3 Tape Drive power management function is designed to control the drive electronics to be either completely turned off or to be in a low-power mode when the circuit functions are not needed for drive operation.
  • Adaptive read equalization — designed to automatically compensate for dynamic changes in readback signal response.
  • Dynamic amplitude asymmetry compensation — designed to dynamically optimize readback signals for linear readback response from magneto resistive read head transducers.
  • Separate writing of multiple filemarks — Separate writing of multiple filemarks is designed to cause any write command of two or more filemarks to cause a separate data set to be written containing all filemarks after the first. This feature has two advantages, first it helps improve performance if a subsequent append overwrites somewhere after the first filemark. Second, write of multiple filemarks typically indicates a point where an append operation might occur after the first of these filemarks. This change helps prevent having to rewrite datasets containing customer data and the first filemark in cases if such an append occurs.
  • LTO Data Compression (LTO-DC) — The Ultrium 3 uses LTO-DC which is an implementation of a Lempel-Ziv class 1 (LZ-1) data compression algorithm. LTO-DC is an extension of Adaptive Lossless Data Compression (ALDC) and an improvement over previous IBM lossless compression algorithms. IBM's patented "Scheme-Swapping" compression is designed to look ahead at incoming data, and determine the most efficient storage method (either ALDC or pass-thru mode) to help provide optimal data compression and increased data throughput.
  • LTO Cartridge Memory (LTO-CM) — Contained within the LTO Ultrium data cartridge is the LTO-CM, which is a passive, contactless silicon storage device that is physically a part of the cartridge. The LTO-CM is used to hold information about that specific cartridge, the media in the cartridge, and the data on the media. The storage capacity of the LTO-CM is 4,096 bytes. Communication between the drive and the LTO-CM is via a low-level RF field transmitted by the drive to the cartridge.
  • Statistical Analysis and Reporting System (SARS) — The Ultrium 3 Tape Drive uses SARS to help isolate failures between media and hardware. The SARS use the cartridge performance history saved in the CM module and the drive performance history kept in the drive flash EEPROM to help determine the more likely cause of failure. SARS can cause the drive to request a cleaner tape, to mark the media as degraded, and to indicate that the hardware has degraded.

With support for LTO Ultrium-format tape data cartridges, the 3588 Tape Drive with the 3584 Tape Library can be a cost-effective solution for backup, save-and-restore, and archiving functions.


Product positioning

As you compare competitive tape solutions, consider:

  • Capacity and performance requirements
  • Data integrity, reliability, and availability
  • Storage usage and application requirements
  • Affordability
  • Loyalty to legacy or existing tape formats

The 3588 Tape Drive and software applications are designed to address these requirements and constitute a functionally rich tape storage solution incorporating LTO Ultrium 3 Tape Drive technology.

The 3588 Tape Drive Model F3A is an excellent choice if you use tape drives that require larger-capacity or higher-performance tape backup. The 3588 is the answer to growing storage requirements and shrinking backup windows.

The 3584 Tape Library and IBM software applications excel in addressing these requirements and can constitute a functionally rich tape storage solution incorporating LTO Ultrium and 3592 tape technology. You also gain flexibility of automated tape library management and unattended save/restore operations.

The 3584 Tape Library models are a smart choice for tape automation for p5 and pSeries, RS/6000, i5 and iSeries, AS/400, IBM eServer zSeries® Linux, xSeries, and other popular open systems. The IBM 3584 utilizes the patented Multi-Path Architecture, designed to allow homogeneous or heterogeneous open systems applications to share the library robotics, with ALMS for storage slot pooling and flexible drive assignment. Additional 3584 features include: Capacity on demand entry library frames, LTO and 3592 drive technology choices and integration, dual active accessors, and 16-frame expansion.

The 3584 Tape Library with 3592 Model J1A Tape Drives should be considered when:

  • 3592 Tape Drives are required in the 3584 Tape Library.
  • A lower capacity, lower price library than the IBM TotalStorage Enterprise Tape Library 3494 is needed.
  • A smaller footprint, higher density library than the 3494 is desired.
  • ESCON® or FICONâ„¢ connections are not required.

The 3584 Tape Library Base Frame Model L52 offers 64 to 287 slots for LTO Ultrium tape cartridge media and up to 12 IBM LTO Ultrium Fibre Channel Tape Drives. It is designed to provide excellent price/performance in the open systems environments.

The 3584 Tape Library Base Frame Model L22 offers 58 to 260 slots for 3592 tape cartridge media and up to 12 IBM 3592 Tape Drives. The 3592 Tape Drives are designed to provide high capacity, performance, and reliability in open systems environments with tape drive flexibility to accommodate capacity as well as fast access where these requirements are needed.

Up to 16 3584 Tape Library Expansion Frame Models D22, D32, or D52 can be added to either the Model L22, L32, or L52. The Model D22 provides up to 400 cartridge slots for 3592 media, and can contain up to 12 3592 Tape Drives. The Model D32 provides up to 440 slots for Ultrium media, and can contain up to 12 Ultrium 1 or 2 Tape Drives. The Model D52 provides up to 440 slots for LTO media, and can contain up to 12 Ultrium 2 or 3 Fibre Channel Tape Drives. When a Model HA1 is attached, the last Model D22 or D52 in the 3584 Tape Library functions as a Service Bay B for the second accessor.

The 3584, part of a family of IBM TotalStorage LTO Ultrium tape products, is the answer to growing storage requirements and shrinking backup windows.

If you have existing digital linear tape experience or require high-performance automated tape backup, the 3584 Tape Library constitutes an excellent tape storage solution. The IBM LTO Ultrium Tape Drives in the 3584 Tape Library provide an excellent functional alternative to DLT/SDLT, 1/4-inch, 4mm, 8mm, or IBM Magstar® MP 3570 tape drives.

For capacity requirements less than 25 TB (native), a wide spectrum of tape libraries are available from the IBM TotalStorage Ultrium Tape family of products, depending on your customer's storage usage and requirements. Tape automation products to choose from include the IBM TotalStorage 3582 or 3583 Tape Libraries and the IBM TotalStorage 3581 Tape Autoloader.

For mission-critical data protection needs, optimized for enterprise multimode and host attachment, high-cycle and start/stop intensive tape applications, consider the proven IBM TotalStorage 3592 Tape Drive with the IBM TotalStorage 3584 Tape Library or the IBM TotalStorage 3494 Tape Library.
 

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